M'AR De AR Auria

It’s a quiet area, and nearby places shut earlier than they do in busier parts of town. The room is compact, with only a small place for luggage, and I can’t imagine two people fitting comfortably. The little balcony was a nice touch, though, and the AC worked really well with its remote control.

The room was so basic that there was no kettle, coffee or tea, or fridge, and barely any wardrobe or desk space. There was just one tiny stool, no chair, and one bedside table. Some plugs weren’t conveniently placed either. The bathroom was about the size of two phone boxes, with one of those spaces taken up by the shower. The sink was tiny, and taller people would struggle to turn around in the shower. It was so cramped that opening the shower door turned the water on because the door touched the tap. When we asked for the bathroom to be cleaned, the job wasn’t done very well. We hadn’t been told at first that cleaning only happens if you leave the sign out, though that arrangement is fine. The towels had holes, and the hair dryer was so loosely fixed to the wall it nearly fell off, which worried me because of the electricity. The old spring mattress wasn’t comfortable either. No one told us about any free coffee or similar. We didn’t try breakfast, since we like sampling different places, so I can’t comment on that. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the north-of-city location was convenient enough, about a 10-15 minute drive from the airport and within walking distance of buses and the metro.

The room was noisy from traffic outside, and the floorboards creaked loudly throughout the hotel, making it hard to relax. The lift was out of order, and there was a power cut during our stay. Staff didn’t tell guests about it, so we only found out ourselves. We reported several problems, including a faulty shower hose and broken door handle, but nothing was fixed. An older staff member said the issues weren’t serious and would be sorted by Monday. Monday passed without a repair or an offer of another room, which left us feeling that the hotel didn’t care about its guests. The “free toiletries” advertised on Booking.com turned out, according to staff, to mean only shower gel and lotion. For the price, it was very poor value, and I wouldn’t stay again.

The lobby was spotless, and the staff were fantastic and very accommodating. It’s a shame the rooms were so noisy. Our first one faced a busy road; the second was better, but the walls were paper thin, and we barely got one full night’s sleep over three nights. We moved because the shower in the first room couldn’t fit my 6ft husband. The rooms are very small, which is manageable if you just need a base, but the noise really let the stay down. The hotel has potential to be amazing.