Ibis budget Saint-Étienne stade

The beds were comfy, the WiFi was good, and the shower and TV were fine. We needed an affordable, clean place with parking near Geoffroy-Guichard stadium during the Rugby World Cup, and that's what we got. It's a no-frills hotel that does the job. There were hardly any people around. We saw the cleaning staff but never anyone at reception, though automated check-in made things easy. There's not much in the area. Sunlight warmed the room for much of the day, and the air conditioning was a bit feeble, though it helped.

The staff were really kind and helpful, and I was glad they spoke English. I had a pleasant stay, though the room quality fell short of what I expected. The room and bathroom were both tiny. In the bathroom, I noticed odd dust or possibly mold in the ventilation, a crack in the shower base, and cracks in the shower head. The curtain didn’t cover the whole opening, so water kept getting onto the floor. There were also loose screws, as if the plumbing work had been left unfinished. Ibis should check the rooms regularly. The prices are low, especially for the Budget brand, but that shouldn’t mean skimping on quality. You get what you pay for, I suppose.

Getting there on foot is difficult, so go by car. After a long day of travel and work, I was exhausted and couldn’t sleep. Two guys in the room next to mine smoked weed and watched funny videos all night. Around 4 a.m. I couldn’t take the noise anymore and went to reception hoping to find security, but no one was there. I knocked on their door instead. They seemed too high to realize how loud they were. I managed to sleep from about 4:30 until 7, when someone put music on. The walls are paper thin, so you hear everything in your room. The bathroom was moldy, and breakfast was poor.

The staff really made the stay for us. Even with all the COVID rules, they did their best with breakfast. The beds were comfortable and the shower was nice, mildew and all. The place could use a fresh coat of paint, and the air conditioning probably needs cleaning. Also, they should do something about the wasps!