ibis Senlis

The breakfast was terrible, with hardly anything available and not even eggs. Our triple room felt cramped even for one person, and the rooms were cold because the heating barely worked. In my experience, this was one of the worst hotels I’ve stayed in.

The internet didn’t work that evening, which was an extra frustration on top of several problems in the room. The shower had almost no pressure, just a weak trickle, and the toilet took 15 flushes to clear one bowel movement. I’m not small, but I’ve never needed more than two flushes before. The air conditioning was locked to 21 degrees and heating, with controls handled centrally by management, so I couldn’t set the temperature I wanted for sleeping. The double bed was actually two small beds pushed together, with thin, probably old mattresses and a hard ridge down the middle. I should have gone to reception to complain, but once you’re getting ready for bed and realize it isn’t comfortable, you don’t immediately ask to change rooms. I only discovered the toilet and shower problems the next morning, when it felt too late to move. What looked like a nice room turned out to be horrible. Probably the worst experience I’ve had at an Accor hotel.

The hotel’s location was ideal for us, right beside a Tesla Supercharger and McDonald’s, and it seemed very family friendly, with many guests there with children. We requested two connecting rooms and got them. The rooms and restaurant were basic, but the facilities were clean: our room, carpets, and bathroom had all been thoroughly cleaned. The bed was comfortable, and they provided two extra pillows. All three staff members I spoke to were courteous and helpful: a man on the night shift, a woman at reception in the morning, and the woman serving breakfast in the restaurant. I’d strongly recommend spending a few extra bucks for this ibis instead of the ibis budget hotel in Paris, where we had a terrible experience. This one was worth it. There were two small issues. I was told American Express Travel hadn’t covered breakfast for my kids, so I had to pay separately; I still need to sort that out with American Express Travel. Also, the handle on the connecting-room door was broken, so there was a real chance it could come off and leave the door unable to open.

After travelling for 10 hours, I chose this Ibis specifically because it had a restaurant. But when I arrived and tried to order a meal, they turned me away because they were expecting a larger group. The room even had a sign saying food could be ordered at any time. I offered to take it upstairs if there wasn’t space in the restaurant, but they wouldn’t allow that either. They said someone from the kitchen would come explain, then left me waiting for 15 minutes without anyone showing up. It was disappointing and unprofessional, and it felt like the kitchen staff simply didn’t want to make the extra effort. That’s not the service I’d expect from a hotel chain like Ibis. I wouldn’t recommend staying here if you’re relying on a proper meal after a long journey.