B&B HOTEL ANNEMASSE Saint-Cergues

We spent three nights here, though most of our time was out exploring. The room was clean and a good size, with a large firm bed and plenty of hot water. A mini fridge would have been welcome, but we managed without one. Late contactless check-in was easy, and the entry security felt reassuring while reception was unattended. The gated parking seemed secure, though I couldn't tell if the gate is ever closed. We'd recommend it for an affordable, simple stay without frills.

The room itself was spacious and tidy, the beds were comfortable, and the air conditioning worked well. There was some dust, but for the price it was acceptable. The rest of the stay was disappointing. After a booking error, I paid for two extra nights and told two receptionists, yet there was still confusion on the day the new booking began. The staff member I dealt with was rude. When we asked for water, she refused and made a condescending comment in a very polished English accent after saying, “I speak French, I dont speak English!” The Wi-Fi kept dropping for both my friend and me at the same time. When I raised it, the person working said theirs worked, shrugged, and went back to what they were doing. The management seemed disorganized, almost like a group of immature teenagers was running the place. It was around £100 for what felt like an upmarket motel, and cheap or not, being made to feel uncomfortable isn't nice. Of the six B&B hotels I've stayed at on this trip, this was by far the worst.

This is a more economical base for exploring Geneva, Lac Léman/Lake Geneva and the surrounding area than staying on the Swiss side. We had a decent two-night stay. The place had the feel of a modern business hotel, a bit like a Holiday Inn Express in the US. Our room was very small, barely larger than the double bed, but it was clean and the bed was comfortable, so we slept well. The breakfast room was bright and pleasant, and it wasn't crowded on either of the two mornings we ate there. The buffet selection was somewhat small but quite decent. Breakfast cost €8.50 per person and was already included in our final bill, though posters promoting it were everywhere, from the room and elevator to reception and the breakfast room. Staff were generally friendly, especially at breakfast, and spoke English or tried to, which helped us a lot. They seemed used to foreign guests.

My family and I stayed at the hotel on the night of 1/6/2024 and booked two rooms. At around 4 am we woke to LOTS of bed bugs crawling in our beds. We were bitten, and my mother later had an allergic reaction. We found nests beneath the mattresses, in the holes in the wood, and the bugs had got into our clothes and luggage. We have photos and videos of them crawling around in the room with the B&B hotel logo, as well as proof of the bites. Reception was closed, so from 4 am until 7 am we couldn't find anyone to help. When it reopened, we spoke to the manager. She blamed us for not telling staff sooner, even though we had gone downstairs at 4 am and found reception closed. She said nothing could be done, offered no refund or compensation, and treated us rudely and unprofessionally. The hotel's later response said that we should have informed them immediately so they could move us. But we had tried. And even a room change wouldn't have solved the fact that our luggage was contaminated. Bed bugs are very hard to eliminate, and bringing them home could lead to them spreading through the house. After leaving, we spent the next few days of our trip looking for a laundry shop where we could use high heat to kill the bugs in our clothes and belongings. It was costly, exhausting, time consuming, and heavily disrupted our plans. The hotel also said it had been full, had a breakfast group to serve, and didn't think it necessary to go upstairs while we were already leaving. It said the rooms were later blocked from sale and treated by a company, and that it had followed protocol because the issue was a big problem. But that focused on the hotel's problem, not the harm to us or the effect on the rest of our holiday. We were bitten and our luggage was contaminated. Where was the hotel's responsibility? In a case like this, where guests are given a room full of bed bugs because of the hotel's fault and negligence, I think the hotel should take full responsibility and offer compensation or a refund. None was offered. Our case was not dealt with and there was no follow-up from B&B HOTEL customer service over the following three months. The hotel replied to my review later, and I've recorded its response along with my comments so future guests can judge for themselves. I urge anyone who decides to stay here to check under the mattress.