Experiences ?
Looking for an overnight stop. Turning up late with two children, 5 & 7yr olds. Literally just looking for somewhere to sleep.
Formula1 ?
Do they mind if you over-occupy to save booking two rooms…

Ibis
All rooms sleep 3 I think. How many adults?

Stayed in Forumla 1s on many occasions. They’re ok. You usually get a double bed and a single bunk over the top, and they’ve always been clean etc. Often in some dodgy industrial estate, but if you book in advance you can let yourselves in using the credit card so you can arrive quite late. You might not even see the receptionist. I’m sure you could fit all 4 in a room without them even noticing.

Basic and often smell of smoke as the French still seem to tolerate it anywhere, but always been accommodating when we’ve used them. Last one we did they gave us an extra room for the bikes…. free, and then a bottle of wine cause the manager had worked in Hartlepool for a couple of years. (Shocked cause I wasn’t aware of anyone working in Hartlepool) Think it might depend on whether you’re on a very popular route or not. We weren’t.

Used plenty – f1, campanile, etc and always clean and accommodating, but no experience of over occupying. They’re usually cheap enough for a room each!

Formule 1 – used them plenty of times. Clean basic, it’s just somewhere to sleep. Biggest problem can be finding somewhere decent to eat nearby. There always seems to be a Buffalo Grill neraby, overpriced crap. Where are you planning on stopping?

Formula One often have shared bathrooms… I tend to go for Premiere Classe if I’m on the cheap just to get your own shitter

Used a Premiere Classe back in Feb. Room was basic, had three beds in it plus a cubicle shower / shitter. It was OK. The breakfast (an extra €5) was self service and OK too.

We arrived after 10pm, along with several others, and the machine on the wall outside which issues your room card was playing up. In theory the caretaker is not on duty at that time but (fortunately) they were on site and sorted it out on their machine inside. I think they knew that there was a problem and had stayed on.

I’d use them again for an overnighter. €36 for a triple room plus €5 each for breakfast is good value. I wouldn’t want to spend any time in one though.

Looking to stay near Dunkirk, after getting off the ferry, around 9pm.
Formula1 looks ok. Kids will probably be asleep by then anyway.

Used Campanile a couple of times,turned up at 03.00 in the morning and they’d left keys in key safe for us.

We use F1 all the time. If McDonalds did hotels… Basically its a room with a double and a single bed and a sink. We prefer the non en-suite bathrooms as it slicker in the morning. All up, toilet, shower and on the road rather than all taking it in turns.

samej – Member
Stayed in Forumla 1s on many occasions. They’re ok. You usually get a double bed and a single bunk over the top, and they’ve always been clean etc. Often in some dodgy industrial estate, but if you book in advance you can let yourselves in using the credit card so you can arrive quite late. You might not even see the receptionist. I’m sure you could fit all 4 in a room without them even noticing.

This. Will be using on on Wednesday. They really aren’t that bad at all. Very cheap too which is the main appeal.

Formule 1’s are usually fine. Next up on the ladder is your ibis budget etc.

Smell of smoke +1

The French seem to smoke in their hotel rooms still, so you can get some real ash-tray rooms.

Have you thought about a b&b in France. Most the ones I’ve used have been really good with excellent food and normally pay around 50 euros a room

The F1 in Dunkerque Grand Synthe always used to be ok, gated compound and 24hr credit card style check in. Used it loads on racing trips over the years, 10 mins from the ferry. Whilst they won’t allow 4 in a room, as long as you don’t mind being cosy and don’t tell them, I doubt they’d notice!

No Smoking French rooms simply mean that there’s no one in it smoking whilst you’re in it!

On my first road bike trip in France I booked F1, kinda OK – breakfast was rubbish IMO though. Last time I went I booked hotels online, similar prices but a lot better and in nice locations too unlike F1s. I used http://www.booking.com/