Natol Homestay - Paris BDC

I spent four nights there, and the room was pretty ordinary. With no windows, it made me feel trapped. The bathroom was tiny and uncomfortable too. I wouldn't recommend it for a family or a couple. Since it's a homestay, there is no front desk or room service.

The place felt more like a rabbit warren than a homestay, and it was the worst hotel I've stayed in. The water was rusty, there was no TV reception or Wi-Fi, and the house in a residential suburb had many rooms. There was no management staff, just someone to check guests in and out, and no staff on site to advise, help, or provide services. I was left to manage my own safety, with no occupational health and safety measures. In an emergency, help could take at least an hour. It felt run for money without human warmth or concern for guests. Management didn't accept fault when I raised issues, and there was no customer satisfaction policy. I wouldn't recommend it, especially for solo travellers who aren't faint-hearted. I checked in thinking this was managed accommodation, then found I'd be left to fend for myself. I moved from a more expensive 'dungeon' to a cheaper room upstairs with a shared bathroom and a balcony, at least giving me a fire escape, though it had no view despite being advertised with one. They gave me the key card to the front door and a gate key, and there was a rentable car in the garage. I was effectively made responsible for all their property. I misplaced the card, and they kept $100 from my deposit. My issue is that with staff managing the property, I wouldn't have been responsible for looking after the key card, as at hotels generally. No one was there in case of an emergency, which was worrying as a foreign guest. With no management or security, guests were made responsible for the gate, security gate, and entrance key, leaving the property open to someone ransacking it or stealing the car. They said it was a master key card I'd lost, but who would hand a guest a master key? If it was only meant for checking me in, they could have swapped it for a normal card the next day, but they didn't. I had it with me for all four days of the trip. I didn't sleep well because I was worried someone might break in, and there was no security downstairs. That wasn't acceptable to me.

It was quiet and comfortable, and I slept well in the bed. It is hard, but that didn't bother me. Maybe I'll book a homestay here again another time.

The place exceeded what I expected. It was clean and comfortable, and the location was handy. I'd recommend it to anyone visiting the area.