Hyatt Place Rouen

The restaurant was casual and welcoming, and the team knew the menu and paid attention to us. The food had plenty of flavor, including the sides, though the portions were small: my steak came as four slices, and the duck was half a breast. At the bar, staff were friendly and the wine was good. The cocktails looked nice, but with the usual 15 ml pour in France, I couldn’t taste any alcohol. Our room was quiet and modern, with a lovely city view, a very comfortable bed, quiet air conditioning, and lots of TV channels in German, French, and English. It was clean too. The reception team made me feel genuinely welcome, almost at home. There’s secure parking on site for a reasonable €19 for a large city, and the spaces fit our 4x4. We had an excellent stay, with professional, welcoming staff, and I’d certainly come back.

The rooms were good, but we never got to use the spa. It was full and required a booking, yet we were still charged for it without being told there was an extra fee. Reception pointed out that the charge had been mentioned in an email, which it had, but the message was so long and completely unformatted that the way it was communicated still felt unfair.

By the time the problem was sorted out, I was paying only for breakfast because the hotel had cancelled the room charge. I consider that fair in financial terms, and I appreciate that they removed the charge. But getting there took several minutes of firm discussion. This should have been handled proactively, without negotiation, and the room should never have been in that condition. I reported everything to the Front Office late in the evening and had photos of the issues. It was around 23:30 after a long, exhausting day, and I simply didn’t have it in me to pack and move, so I had to spend the night in a room that fell short of basic hygiene. There was a long woman’s hair in the bathtub, several hairs from previous guests on the toilet and sink, and visible brown buildup under the toilet rim. The bathroom overall looked like it had been poorly cleaned for some time, with little quality control. That’s unacceptable anywhere, especially at a Hyatt property. The Front Office Manager, Fanny, apologized and first offered 800 World of Hyatt points. I noted the apology, but that offer felt out of proportion to a sanitation failure this serious. The financial issue was eventually resolved, but the impression hasn’t gone away. Cleanliness and hygiene aren’t negotiable, and this didn’t match the consistency or standards I associate with Hyatt. I hope Hyatt Place Rouen takes it seriously and improves housekeeping and room inspections. Guests shouldn’t have to bargain over an unsanitary room. This was far below what I’d expect from a 4-star hotel and the Hyatt brand.

The garden was nicely designed and had an open view that I really enjoyed. Breakfast was one of the better ones I’ve had in Europe. The hotel opened last year, and I found a room at a reasonable price. The room was large by European standards, though a bit dusty. It’s about a 20-minute downhill walk to the city centre. There’s a secured car park for €19 per car per day. I’d give it four stars.