Balladins Bourg-En-Bresse - Viriat

“Not too bad”

We booked here as we were travelling to the South of France so were looking for somewhere that was approx 7 hours drive from the ferry in Dunkirk as well as being a short drive away from our destination the next day. We were told on the booking information to be there before 9pm as after that they… more

We booked here as we were travelling to the South of France so were looking for somewhere that was approx 7 hours drive from the ferry in Dunkirk as well as being a short drive away from our destination the next day. We were told on the booking information to be there before 9pm as after that they lock the gates, although I believe if you do not have a car you can get access to the building by doing an online check in on the machines just outside reception. I think it was the manager that serviced us and gave us our keys and he was very friendly and helpful. We have stayed in an IBIS budget previously and this hotel felt similar to that. The room was big enough for the two of us and had really good air con (our friends had a separate room and they had to turn theirs down as they got too cold). The bed was comfortable too. The shower had really good pressure and was lovely and warm. I believe this hotel only has somewhere to have breakfast so does not have a full bar or anything. We went out locally to find food when we go there. We did not have breakfast but the breakfast room looks nice and clean. Check out the next morning was easy and we felt refreshed after our decent sleep. I would stay here again.

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“Cheap and cheerful”

The hotel is one of three situated behind a shopping centre and is easy to find from the A40 (J5) if you are looking for a cheap overnight stop. Secure car parking is a major advantage but the car park is small & fills up quickly. Alternative parking is available outside the hotel gate. The friend… more

The hotel is one of three situated behind a shopping centre and is easy to find from the A40 (J5) if you are looking for a cheap overnight stop. Secure car parking is a major advantage but the car park is small & fills up quickly. Alternative parking is available outside the hotel gate. The friendly and efficient staff more than make up for the inadequacies of the hotel chain's management and its apparent lack of concern for its hotel's upkeep. The rooms are small and the en-suite facilities are cramped (1m wide). Decoration needs immediate attention as it is very tired, even exhausted. A heavy scent of lemon aerosol masked the odour from elderly carpets; a handle fell off the toilet door; being small, the rooms' walls are grubby due to people rubbing against them to pass one another; a false ceiling panel, damaged by water penetration, had not been replaced. We overheard other guests complaining about issues with their rooms too. However, the sheets were clean, towels were provided, the water was hot and the TV worked!! The sleep quality was OK but there was noise pollution from the nearby dual carriageway from early morning. Breakfast (6€) was a well stocked buffet in a comparatively small room, leading to overcrowding, and, whilst being available from 0700 in the week, was only open from 0800 at the weekend. There was the usual selection of hot drinks, fruit juice, breads, cold meats and cheese etc. Tables were cleared and the buffet re-stocked quickly by the reception staff. There is no restaurant but the Hotel Campanile next door has a decent dining area open to non-residents if you require an evening meal. Ground floor rooms are accessible by disabled guests but the narrowness of spaces in the rooms would make wheelchair use impractical.

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“'Mezzanine' the new word for Bunk Bed”

The hotel is fairly easy to find and has adequate secure parking, (although we were able to walk straight through the car park gate at 23.00 ! The receptionist was friendly and efficient and obliged us by storing our coolbox ice-packs in the hotel freezer. The hotel is like many other pre-fab 'busi… more

The hotel is fairly easy to find and has adequate secure parking, (although we were able to walk straight through the car park gate at 23.00 ! The receptionist was friendly and efficient and obliged us by storing our coolbox ice-packs in the hotel freezer. The hotel is like many other pre-fab 'business' hotels, with the self contained bathroom and toilet, and double bed with one bunk bed above. Described on the website as 'the single bed is on a mezzanine level', I had expected a two floor room, as I was sharing with my father and his partner and would have preferred some degree of privacy for us all !. Apart from this misleading description, the hotel was satisfactory. They provided towels and shampoo/shower gel in a dispenser. There was plenty of hot water, but take care as my Dad's partner nearly scalded herself as the blue and red dots on the the taps were the wrong way round. We took the optional breakfast (6 Euros) and enjoyed a well stocked (and replenished) buffet with a wide selection of hot beverages and juices, pastries, breads, cold meats, cheeses and yoghurts. Had the hotel description been more honest about the sleeping arrangements, I would have been very happy with our stay, but armed with the knowledge of this creative description, I would still use this chain of hotels in the future.

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