Lille City Hotel

The only redeeming factor is...

Liked: The hotel is in a solid location, near many shops and restaurants.
Disliked: Stains and cracks in wallsceiling falling apartall keys stopped working, TWICEshower didn't drainshower floor made of rocks?unstable bunk beds

Exceptional

Very good

Liked: Air conditioning worked well , room clean , male staff member on front desk very friendly and welcoming
Disliked: Breakfast selection and choices not great , no kettle in room , entrance to hotel a little odd and could do with improvement , doors to rooms noisy when entered or exited and echoed up lino floors.

Poor

Disliked: The first room was without window, nobody can sleep all the night with conditioning air

Very poor

Liked: Not much
Disliked: Its not as advertised. On the pictures it looks tidy, modern and well maintained. The listing also says airconditioned, but when I was given a room, no ac, just fans and no opening windows during a heatwave. I went back to receptuon, and asked about an AC, they reassigend met to "our best room". Halfway renovated, walls unpainted, floors lifting, ceilings hanging, and not in the cleanest states. I dont do reviews, but people need to be made aware if it. The new room had central AC, but automatucally swotche on and off every few minutes. One miinute you wake up sweating from the heat, a half hour later you are freezing. I would for sure put it in the worst 3 places i have ever stayed at.I stayed at a branded 4 star suites hotel the previous nights, but had to change because they were full for my last night. The branded hotel with 4 times the size room, and in a much better state cost more or less the same. You are better off at a branded place

Expensive & Tiny

Liked: Really close to the centre of the City
Disliked: Rooms to much tiny and without any locker, definitely it does very expensive for only 5 days comparison other structure.

Friendly, non chain hotel for...

Liked: Handy non chain hotel for overnight stop over for onward train travel around France from the UK. Set on shopping street not far from the main square and old town and 10 -15 mins from Gare du Flanders and Gare Europe TGV stations.The reception staff are friendly and welcoming and speak several languages it seems.The breakfast at 14 euros is fine and theres plenty of space to eat in peace including a nice conservatory like space. Usual continental selection inc. ham, cheese, eggs, breads, rolls, yogurt, jams and coffee tea etc. Check out at 11 is good so its not a great rush to get out after breakfast and they do have a free and safe locked luggage storage room to leave bags for a while so you can do a bit of exploring or last minute shopping before leaving Lille itself. All good points.The shower was nice to use as it has a fairly powerful water saving jet spray head ... which I liked.
Disliked: The entrance from the main shopping street Rue de Bethune is not very appealing ... looks like a semi derelict shopping mall. 'Feels' unsafe late at night though I had no issues in reality and in retrospect I think its safe and fine for visitors.The rooms are fairly bijou but ok for one night but theres no view other than the central concrete enclosed area. I stayed twice on my way out and back from Strasbourg and had similar views and rooms.My bed was uncomfortable and although a double room the bed was wedged against a wall, so only accessible from one side. The mattress topper kept sliding to one side. My pilows were a bit too soft for me, a side sleeper ... but that's just personal preference. I noticed a delivery of some new beds and mattresses on my departure so it appears that the hotel is renewing the beds in some rooms, maybe all? A good sign.For the room and breakfast for one night midweek, I felt the price of around 130 euros was a bit pricey for what you get, cheaper than Paris ofcourse which is where I used to base myself when travelling after a Eurostar trip from the UK.

Good

Avoid if you are looking...

Liked: Location
Disliked: Rooms. View on an indoor space full of cigarettes. Dust everywhere. Shower door broken. I would have not been surprised if I had booked a room in a 1 or 2 stars hotel. But definitely not 3 as they say.