Hotel Paris Gambetta

We had to stay three nights here. It's a disgrace for Paris, and I have the most awful memories of the place. I'd never been in a worse hotel. The staff were courteous and the location convenient, which is the only reason I give it one star instead of zero. The room was small, though I know that's normal in Paris. The furniture was old and mismatched. The wardrobe was just an old open box with a beam for hangers, and the sheets were faded and worn. Even in the dim light, the room looked dirty. The heavy old duvet had no cover. There were hairs of different colors and lengths on the bathroom walls, and the floor wasn't clean either. It seemed like one rag had been used on the walls, floor, and toilet. For two people, there was one sachet each of shampoo and shower gel, and two bars of soap. We hadn't expected to bring shampoo and body wash on our trip, and a hotel should provide a normal amount. Breakfast was unpleasant: lots of bread, juice from a carton, and tasteless coffee, with no eggs, sausages, or ham. I also didn't understand why I had to leave my room key at reception, especially when anyone could walk in from the street and there was sometimes nobody at the desk. I strongly don't recommend it.

The owner was friendly, and it's okay. The rooms are small, but I guess that's Paris. They were clean, and the shower was nice with good pressure. It's about 20 minutes into Paris by cab, which cost €25. There's no air conditioning. Parking is 10 minutes away and costs €25 a day. The parking area looked a bit rough, but seemed safe. It won't work well if you have a low car. I didn't try breakfast because there's an amazing bakery around the corner with blue signs.

We had a great time. Our room was clean and got cleaned every day, and the staff were welcoming and helpful. I especially liked the location, with bus stops and metro stations nearby, plus plenty of restaurants, cafés, and grocery stores. There's an elevator in the building too.

It felt like a proper old Paris hotel, and I loved that about it. The lift creaked, the stairs were narrow and steep, and the room was small, but I felt right at home. The staff were friendly and helpful, the room was clean, and the location was fantastic, with transit and some really nice places to eat close by.