hotelF1 Paris Saint-Denis Université

The room was small but cosy, with clean sheets, a sink, mirror and TV. Showers and toilets are shared with the other rooms, though they were clean during our one-night stay. Towels are available for a fee from reception if you need one. WiFi is free, but I didn't use it, and I didn't use the parking either.

The room was unbearably hot, with no air conditioning, and the bunks felt so cramped I could barely breathe. I didn't sleep, and the sheets smelled of vomit. The shared bathrooms and showers had bugs, and towels cost €13 each, cash only. Reception was rude, and it took 20 minutes for anyone to come check me in. I was handed a slip with a room number and password, then found a filthy hostel room: beds left unmade, sheets and pillows on the floor, and someone else's clothes and drink on the table. We switched rooms but had to make the beds ourselves. I cried to my booking provider asking to move hotels. She said she'd arrange it, but the hotel wouldn't speak English with her on the phone, leaving us stranded. Stay well away.

There's no fan or air conditioning, no lift, and the neighborhood isn't good, so you'll be carrying your bags up the stairs. Everything about this place was bad. Don't book it.

We paid 85 Euros for a room during the Olympics. I knew it was basic and that the toilets and bathrooms were shared, but the corridors had some strange characters around and it didn't feel very family-friendly. We left for another hotel because we wanted more comfort. I later saw that the usual rate is more like 35-40 Euros, which seems closer to what I'd expect, though I guess the Olympics pushed the price up. It might work as a cheap crash pad for a student's night out, but not for a young family. I'll research better next time. There is a large free car park at the side, with easy access for bigger vehicles.