Hotel Centrale

The rooms looked nothing like the advertised pictures. They felt more like a hostel than a hotel, with peeling paint, a huge hole in the wall beside one of the beds, and a generally bad atmosphere. The bigger problem was the bedbugs. I saw one crawling on the wall next to me, then kept spotting more, coming out of electrical outlets, in our beds, and inside our supposedly “fresh” pillowcases. The night recepionist was the one bright spot, very helpful and kind through all of this. Avoid this place at any cost. The whole experience was beyond belief.

Breakfast was a joke: one croissant, a small synthetic juice, and a little coffee. We had no air-conditioned room, and the temperature was 37 degrees overnight. We had to use a fan and keep the windows open, but there were no screens or covers to stop insects getting in. One night was more than enough. I wouldn't come back.

They canceled our booking by email on the day we were due to arrive. When I called, a very rude man said it was a card issue without even asking who I was, then hung up. It seems they could charge more than double what we'd agreed because the Grand Prix was on that weekend. The customer service was dreadful. We were left without a hotel in Milan, so we traveled to Turin and stayed there instead, to catch our early morning train to Paris at the next stop. Steer clear.

The shower was broken: the sprinkler wouldn't stay upright and sprayed against the wall, while the cover didn't stop water from going everywhere. The bed was only about 116-117 cm wide, far smaller than the 151-180 cm advertised for a double. There was only one set of towels, so the room clearly seemed prepared for one person even though we had booked for two. We'd booked a month ahead, and the hotel had confirmed a proper double room. On check-in day, they messaged that only one room with a double bed was available. When we complained, the front desk insisted it was suitable for two, which simply wasn't true. The night-shift receptionist later admitted they'd made a mistake and given us the wrong room. In the morning, a guy told us he didn't care and that what the night-shift guy had said didn't count. I've stayed in many hotels while traveling around Europe, but this was my worst experience so far. It was a very disappointing stay, and I can't recommend it to anyone who expects honesty, comfort, or basic service.