hotelF1 Verdun

I only found out after arriving that HotelF1 is basically a hostel, with shared showers and bathrooms and an uncomfortable bed. That probably colored my rating, but even judging it as a hostel, it was pretty poor. The bathroom was dirty, there was no working AC, and towels cost extra if you hadn't booked them. If you think ibis budget is already the lowest comfort level because you're used to Accor, don't try F1.

It's cheap, and the five-star rating is sarcasm. The night was awful: drunk people tried to get into our room and someone screamed three or four times. I still have nightmares about it. There was no soup, and the soap causes cancer.

The breakfast had croissants, baguette, jam, and chocolate, but I wanted more variety. The stay was tolerable for one night, though I wouldn't recommend staying longer. Our school group came to Verdun, and the tiny rooms had nowhere to store belongings and just one dim light by the mirror. The heating couldn't be turned off, and the windows wouldn't open. Toilets and showers were out in the corridor and felt like ones on a train or plane. Since the only sink was in the room and there was no soap, you had to return there after using the toilet to wash your hands, entering the room with a code. Some people in our group had their door codes stop working, and there was no staff around to help. The hallways and stairs also had a strong smell of tobacco and fish.

There was a stale mix of dirt and cigarette smoke throughout. The rooms weren't cleaned properly either, so check under the bed. The toilets and showers looked as if they hadn't been cleaned in months. I'd avoid this place.