ibis budget Lille Marcq-en-Baroeul 2 stars

Nice welcome. Heating adjusted and extra quilt provided very quickly. Good continental breakfast. Beds comfortable, situation peaceful. Charming young, dark and short-haired (did not ask her name). A credit to Ibis/Accor hotels.

My stay was for 5 days as I decided to take a "time out" from a very hectic schedule of traveling. When I checked in, I discovered there was no tag in the room which I could hang on the door asking the cleaning staff to NOT disturb me. Since I was not planning on going out every day and thought there might be mornings when I wanted to sleep in, I did not want them knocking on the door before 10:00 AM. When I discovered there was no door tag in the room, I went down to reception and asked for one. The young lady working there searched high and low and was unable to come up with one! (This is a simple piece of reinforced paper---why is there not an adequate supply in the hotel?) Finally she asked me what time would be good for the housekeeper and I told her after 10:00 AM. That worked for one day. The next day the housekeeper just entered the room WITHOUT KNOCKING about 10:30. I was up and dressed but very distressed because she had not even knocked. A few hours later someone who was carrying a clip board and looked like a "supervisor" did the exact same thing---entering the room WITHOUT KNOCKING. I don't speak French and she obviously did not speak English but I tried to express my unhappiness at her total RUDENESS in not knocking before entering. She just laughed which made me even angrier. In utter frustration, I went to reception and AGAIN requested the DO NOT DISTURB sign. This young lady, again, searched high and low with the same results--nothing. Finally she went to another room and got the sign in that room for me but it was only asking either the housekeeping staff to make up the room or to not make up the room. I do NOT appreciate the staff entering the room before knocking because I COULD have been in the shower or using the toilet. It is only polite to knock and wait for a response. This over-shadowed anything else in my stay. I do like the enclosed shower which is a huge improvement from the wet showers. This was a typical Ibis Budget Hotel; I like them because they are cheaper and provide everything I need. But the RUDENESS I encountered was very frustrating.

It was a pleasure. Quiet, nice environment. Staff was Ok. Only problems was the demand of a reimbursable 100€ caution fee without prior notice. It was embarrassing?!!

Low cost

Stayed one night. Room clean and comfortable enough (small but adaquate). Very poor sound insulation and poor maintanence (e.g. toilet seat detached from toilet). General low quality feel - slightly better quality decoraction and towels would have made the hotel feel much nicer.

Budget very clean hotel. Great for stopping when travelling. Welcoming dogs

Value for money. Nothing fancy, but expected. Would recommend to balance dry air created by radiator . I cut it off for the second night and it was a bit better. When cleaning to prepare room, I would suggest to turn off heating unless very cold period of year.

Great stay, friendly people, but address is almost impossible to find at night: poor signposting, arrows take you to one-way street the wrong way. Manager is apparently aware of the problem, but says if he can find it, then it's not so bad. French logics I suppose.

Just what I expected from Ibis Budget

Niquel