Booking in was an awkward experience… despite arriving within the timescale I said I would (at 1600) the hotel was locked up as if it was the middle of the night! I had to use the automated check in machine, which was not working properly and did not provide the access number for my room/the hotel on a receipt as it should have, meaning I had to quickly grab my phone and take a photo of the screen before losing the information, which was awkward as I was carrying a motorcycle helmet at the time.
After the hassle of doing this I finally got into the hotel only to find a female staff member had been inside watching me the whole time behind the check in desk - she then wanted me to provide her details that the machine had just given me - It begs the question - ‘why’? Either check me in yourself (your job!) or the machine checks me in - why am I doing both? (and if you’re present, why do I have to use the machine at all?)
The next morning it was VERY busy in the breakfast room. In an effort to get through quickly and get seated I did not mange to select exactly what i wanted. As it was so busy, and people were queuing out into the hallway I thought I’d pop back after packing my bag and loading my vehicle and quickly have the cup of tea and a couple of the small croissants that I didn’t manage to get initially. I didn’t think this would be an issue - after all I had watched lots of French speaking guests going back up to the counter for extra juice and pastries, etc after taking their seats (and also people filling their bags with items of food).
I let the rush die down and popped back in for a cup of tea and two small croissants (of which there were lots on offer), with this, the female member of staff (the one from the previous day at check in) looked at me angrily and started shouting at me demanding my room number - I don’t speak French, and she did not speak English but it appears she was angry at me that I was having the two small croissants!! I tried explaining that I hadn’t had a chance to have them earlier but it was obvious she was being petty and somehow inferred I was taking too much! I told her if it was such a problem I’d put them back, but she just grunted at me and waved me away.
It was also quite interesting that she didn’t get this animated when her French speaking guests were making multiple trips to the buffet taking far more than me, and, had been placing breakfast items in bags. I would hate to think her attitude towards me was because I am British, but she certainly had a different way of speaking to me compared to her French speaking guests.
The room was comfortable however I would not stay at this hotel again due to the poor attitude of the staff. I have stayed at a number of IBIS hotels in France and this is the first time I’ve had a problem. I certainly won’t recommend this particular hotel to friends and family, quite a few of whom tour across France on motorcycles as I was doing on this holiday.
