Nice Flore Hotel

Plenty of room to sleep.

The room was clean and had a renovated bathroom, but the curtains were so short that privacy was a real issue. The terrace and its rattan furniture were lovely, though they needed vacuuming. The welcoming reception and very pleasant receptionist were a plus. For a hotel in central Vichy, it’s good value.

We stayed one night in this old hotel, which seems to have been renovated badly. Noise was a problem: the floors don’t block sound, neighbors were walking around until 2 a.m., and the bathrooms in other rooms were loud too. There was no hot water at the sink. Breakfast cost €10 and was thoroughly uninspiring, with nothing special about it. One night might be manageable, but I wouldn’t choose it for a proper vacation, and I’d skip breakfast.

The beds were firm, and we got a warm welcome. The reception has character, with a grand wooden staircase and period decor. Our four rooms were on the second floor, reached by a pleasant walkway overlooking the courtyard, but their condition was a big letdown. Two had old faucets, one had a brand-new shower placed in the middle of the room, and closing the curtains in another room made exposed wires trip the circuit breaker. Breakfast is served in a lovely room that opens onto the garden. It’s an all-you-can-eat buffet, but we’ve had better variety and quality. It costs €10 per adult and €5 per child. The hotel is very well located, close to the city center and the walk along the Allier River, but there’s no parking on site. You have to pay to use a lot or hunt for a space on the surrounding streets. I came away disappointed. From what we saw, the ground-floor rooms seemed to have different quality and decor, so I’d ask for one of those.