ibis Paris 17 Clichy-Batignolles

The hotel and its walkways all seemed well looked after, and the room quality didn't give the impression that the building needed renovation, as often happens at this price. It was clean, service was very good, and the staff handled the New Year's rush well. When I mentioned a stain in one of our bathroom sinks at check-in, reception tried to help, but the hotel was short on rooms that season. The cleaning staff said it wouldn't come off just by washing it. It didn't bother us. The location wasn't ideal for every monument, and I often needed two subways. Having the subway stop connected from inside was fine, and Google Maps helped. The pedestrian entrance was confusing the first time. The shabby-looking stairs beside the street were the way people had to go up, since that elevator didn't work. I assume the hotel would fix it or find another way, but during our short two-night stay it didn't bother me. I've stayed at Ibis in other cities. In Paris I'd previously picked a random hotel, but this time I chose Ibis on purpose because of the standards across its hotels, and I wasn't disappointed. In a city like Paris, places outside the popular chains can be hit or miss. I was glad with the experience.

The front desk was pleasant, and the staff were polite and helpful, but the room was filthy and felt unsafe. There was hair and strange bodily material around, dust everywhere, and hair on the toilet. The walls were badly damaged, the bedside shelf was broken, and some sockets had smashed plastic that looked dangerous. There were random paper cups lying about. The room was tiny, with no fridge, safe, kettle or other amenities I'd expect from a three-star hotel. It was mis-sold, in my view. We checked out again because it didn't feel safe or pleasant enough, and the prepaid rate meant we couldn't get a refund. We still chose not to stay. Getting to the hotel was unpleasant too. The outside lift was barely working when we arrived and had stopped completely when we tried to leave. It was dirty and covered in graffiti. Crossing the open concrete area to the hotel was unpleasant, with a dirty smell, litter, scattered cones and people hanging around. It looked like a poorly maintained tower block. This was a letdown for the Accor brand. Avoid it.

The price was affordable, and the room was comfortable, clean and tidy. I only liked the croissants at breakfast. The mashed egg tasted bland to me, and since I don't eat ham, the breakfast selection could be better. The stairs and lift down to the taxi area smelled of urine and were dirty. They need cleaning.

The bed was clean and comfortable, and although the hotel is a little outside the centre, the metro gets you to the attractions easily. Breakfast was sparse, with pastries still raw inside. There was only one spare socket for two people, and when I went down to ask for an extension cord, I got screamed at. It's fine if all you want is a bed for the night, but don't expect anything more.