ibis budget Caen Nord Mémorial 2 نجمة

We (two adults and a teenage son) were due to arrive at Caen ferry port at 22h00, and, arriving so late, we sought an inexpensive hotel, as we wanted a good night’s sleep before exploring the Caen area the next day and then several hours drive heading home. When we booked it, Ibis Budget Caen Nord Mémorial was the only reasonably priced available hotel in the area. Our expectations were that despite being an Ibis Budget, it would be clean, safe and presentable, so we did not look at the online reviews. When we checked in, the night porter was pleasant, but on entering the hotel, we noticed that there was a stale smell and the hall carpets were stained and threadbare. On entering our room, it looked like it had been fairly recently repainted. After a day travelling, we wanted a shower, but found that the shower was broken and unusable. We told the night porter, and he suggested that we could either just hold the shower hose – or use his. Back in the room, there was an electric fan, but this too was broken. The blinds on the window were damaged and torn. There was a used tissue under the bed, and litter on a table. Whilst the room was not 'dirty' – it clearly was not clean. The ‘third bed’ had not been made, and bedding was in a box. The overall state of the bedding and matress cover was such that we did not use the third bed, and the three of us (adults sizes) got barely any sleep whilst lying fully clothed on top of the double bed duvet. The matress and bedding were so unpleasant that we did not want to get undressed and into the bed. The next morning, we left as soon as we could, and did not even want to clean our teeth in the bathroom such was it’s unpleasantness. Having subsequently looked at reviews on ‘Trip Advisor’, it seems that our experience is not unique – and either several other rooms have broken showers and fans, or that several customers were unlucky enough to have been given our room over the past year, and the obvious simple to repair issues have not been done. Other posts have commented on this – but we too suspect that migrants may be housed on the ground floor of this hotel. Whilst walking our dog around the hotel grounds, it looked like people were living on the ground floor. Ashtrays and foodstuffs etc. were on the window sills. If you are indeed housing migrants, then this needs to be explicitly stated on your website so that customers know before booking, and can make an informed decision as to whether they want to stay in this hotel. Come on Accor Hotels – we know that this is a ‘Budget’ hotel. We were not expecting a swimming pool, mini bar and room service. We have stayed in Accor Ibis Budget hotels before and found them satisfactory – but this hotel is more doss house than Ibis Budget. Three nights earlier, we stayed in an Accor Novotel, and we have given this five stars because it was so good.

The attentiveness, of Sebastian, was amazing!!! We arrived late, for breakfast, so he opened up, for us & we enjoyed a great start to our holiday. He was so obliging & nothing was too much trouble. On our return trip he was there & it was so humbling to see his gestures of "From the heart." We use this hotel every time travel to France, via Caen, & can't believe it is only 2 stars, as rooms a clean, comfortable & breakfast is lovely.

Stayed and use Ibis on my tours of France, but this Ibis is tired and in need of a refit.. Staff were very friendly and helpful but my room was on the small side and with no air con sleep took a while to happen !! But I didn't pay a lot so you can't argue too much, used again on return to ferry and as it was cooler, was much better, but didn't change the fact it's tired. Secure car park was a plus.

Hotel reception looks lovely. It stops there. Rooms are like a cave. We fell over the bed as we opened the door to the most prison cell like room I’ve ever entered. A tiny corner window no Air Con and a furnace during August. Tiny TV. One small plug option. Shower head fitting was broke so shower head lay on ground. The room stank. One tiny flat pillow and tiny bath towel each. Even with window open the tiny broken fan that was provided did not reduce the temp in the room. We checked out after one night and went elsewhere.

We used this Ibis as a stop over going south Usual Ibis stand Clean tidy neat and well run Now for the caveats Its dated and a little.....just a little past its prime The breakfast as usual is fine but its ridiculously small and confined Would we return Yes But with a small yes