Accueil Chez Francois

We reserved here as the address was recommended in an old guide as well as on TripAdvisor. The Auberge consists of 3 rooms accessed via an outside stairway, each with double beds and bathrooms. There is a breakfast/lounge area for small groups. The rooms are clean and quiet and tastefully decorated. The Auberge faces the Parc de la Fontaine. Prices are reasonable. The metro is about a 20-minute walk away. The hotel has some parking amenities but charges extra for their use. Access is by key code which is sent by e-mail once the reservation has been confirmed. There were some aspects that did not appeal to me. There was no breakfast available “due to COVID”. The kitchen was equipped with milk, muesli, bowls and fruit but no spoons. There was tea and coffee in the rooms. We stayed 3 nights during which the room was never made up. We made the bed ourselves. We did speak with someone, presumably the new owners, but the process appears to be mapped out in such a way that there is no human contact between the owner/manager and the customer. I read in some reviews that the ownership of the hotel had changed in 2019. My impression today is that it works on a “run for cash” business model: no innovation, no service, minimize operating costs. We had to leave a day earlier than planned due to a family matter and guess what: no refund. All in all the place is OK I may come again but I fear they may be heading for an iceberg.

A couple of weeks before arriving, I received a call saying she would move us to the downstairs room, and then we would need to move to an upstairs room. We are camping across Canada and had a lot of stuff we did not want to leave in the car. So we agreed to stay in the downstairs room throughout our stay. It is only after we arrived that I realized the downstairs room was a converted bedroom and wasn't even listed on the website (that should have been my first clue). It had a dingy, messy entrance from the back of the B&B. It was poorly managed. We did not get an internet access code until we contacted the manager, the body soap dispenser was empty, there was only one towel (for two people for a 3-day stay), the coffee lids did not fit the cups, we ran out of toilet paper and finally found some in a closet in the common room. The shade that allowed us privacy at night covered the whole patio door with a shade that was held together with packing tape, which made it difficult to raise. Also there was no way to get air flow during the hot nights. The only reason I gave it two stars was that the bed was comfortable, the shower was good and the person managing it was friendly. My suggestion is: Don't stay in the lower room unless it is offered at a much lower price.

We stayed here while visiting relatives. The room was very clean and comfortable. The kitchen facilities were great especially as we had a baby with us. Some difficulty lifting the stroller up the outside stairs though. Will definitely stay again. Highly recommended