Hotel Novotel a Grenoble

The hotel is located right beside the Grenoble train station in what could be considered as a business district. Surrounding the hotel are a range of offices such as the World Trade Centre and the School of Management. The main centre or more touristic area is a pleasant 10-15 stroll away or indeed you can take the tram. There are a few restaurants and convenience stores located within 5 minute walk. The entrance to the hotel is a little unassuming However upon entry you are greeted with a modern lobby. There is a nice seating area for meeting or enjoying a drink from the bar. This then expands to a restaurant area which gets good reviews and then further to the breakfast area. The fixtures and fittings are to a high standard and have a semi luxurious feel. The check-in was professional however a wait was needed until the room was ready even though it was already 2pm. The room was quite a contrast to the modern plush interior of the lobby. It felt a little dated and showed the signs of aging. The carpet and sofa stained, the curtains ripped, the table edging peeling. The decor of the room appeared a little drab. The room was a privilege room and was spacious with a large double bed (two singles zipped) sofa, desk, chair and lounge chair. It was equipped with a mini bar with complimentary drinks and a coffee pod machine (limescale in the water tank) and large screen TV. The bathroom was split into a separate shower and WC - handy for families I'm sure but not hygienic to have two doors between the toilet and sink. The worst element of this room was that it was located opposite the lift. The lift chimed not only when it landed on that floor, but also it seemed everytime it was used, that could only account for it chiming at least twice a minute in peak times and was loud enough for me to try and put pillows at the door to soundproof it somewhat. The room also didn't get cleaned in the three day stay when I left it empty each morning. Upon return after lunch I requested from the cleaner to at least replenish the tea/coffee but she never returned. Overall, this is a pleasant hotel and good value for money. However my opinion is that it is not up to the standard of other 4 star Novotels in France.