Kyriad Chateauroux - Saint Maur

The strong cigarette smell was the main problem. The room had a basic TV and wasn’t dirty, but it wasn’t equipped well enough to feel like a three-star room. I’ve never smoked, and I don’t let smokers in my car or my home, so that nicotine smell was especially unpleasant for me. Maybe this is typical of a three-star hotel in France, but I don’t think a room like this would be accepted as three-star in the UK or USA. It was bad enough that even a zero rating would feel too generous.

A handy stop if you’re travelling north or south, with nearly 20 shops within walking distance and a Flunch nearby that had a special moules and frites offer I hadn’t seen at other Flunch locations. The beds were comfortable, the shower room was lovely, and the aircon was ice cold. Staff were friendly. The TV reception was poor, and the kettle was broken with no replacement, but reception let me use the breakfast room coffee machine as much as I wanted. I’ll be back soon.

We arrived tired at 8 pm and were leaving twelve hours later, so this inexpensive, clean place was just what we needed. There’s a restaurant 50 metres away, and I had no complaints. I stayed in mid-December 2021. It’s now a Kyriad, upgraded from when it was a Campanile, a chain I enjoy.

The reception lady was sweet and apologetic, but the place as a whole was shambolic. There was no kettle or tea and coffee setup, and no glasses in the room. The buffet was sparse compared with other Campaniles. I’m glad I’d stayed at other Campaniles before this one, because as a first experience it would have put me off. I’d advise travellers to avoid this hotel and try the Campanile at Vierzon, about 20 miles north.