ibis Styles · Standard Room · Europe›France›Marseille

ibis Styles Marseille Vieux Port

Name: ibis Styles Marseille Vieux Port Review
Item: ibis Styles Marseille Vieux Port
Rating: 2.2
Author: Janko Zehe

Price / night€71 (I stayed three nights)Check current rates →
ALL StatusGold: status hardly acknowledged at check-in, no upgrade
WiFiNot covered in this review
WalkabilityThe Old Port and the old town are within walking distance
Airport / TrainAbout 10 minutes on foot from the TGV station

The beautiful old French facades with balconies on the small square, with a pharmacy sign among them. From the outside, the building looks far more stylish than it feels inside.

The same square at dusk, with warm street lights under a deep blue sky. The location in the old town is the best thing about this hotel.

The old cage lift in the stairwell, with small fish drawn on the wall. It looks charming but small, and it fits a hotel that is old and tight.

A starter with bread and a glass of white wine at La Mercerie, the restaurant on the ground floor of the same building. It does not belong to the hotel, but I can really recommend it.

A crab platter with crab legs in sauce, fried seafood and fries at Le Crab's, a seafood place. A very good meal after a long day on foot in Marseille.

Boats in the Old Port, with the Notre-Dame de la Garde basilica on the hill above the harbour. The port is only a few minutes' walk from the hotel.

Sailing boats and yachts in the Old Port, with the old town and the basilica above. I explored Marseille almost entirely on foot and enjoyed it very much.

The stunning interior of Notre-Dame de la Garde, with striped arches and golden mosaics. Well worth the climb up the hill.

The ibis Styles Marseille Vieux Port sits in a good spot in the old town, on a small square with beautiful old French facades, and it is only a short walk to the Old Port. The location is the best thing about it. Inside, the hotel is old, tight and not a nice place to stay. I don't understand why it is an ibis Styles.

Quick verdict: A great location, a very good French breakfast and a restaurant in the same building that I can really recommend. But the hotel itself is old, tight and dark, the room is oddly cut with a courtyard view, there is no desk, and my Gold status was hardly noticed. I would not come back. JCI Score 2.2 out of 5.

Location

The hotel stands in the old town of Marseille, right on a small square, and it is also well connected. I arrived at the main station by TGV. The station is on a hill, so you can take the tram, but I walked. It took about 10 minutes. I'm a good walker, so for me it was fine, and it was a lovely day.

From the hotel you can walk to the Old Port (Vieux Port) in a few minutes. I explored Marseille almost entirely on foot and covered a lot of ground, and I enjoyed it very much.

Getting There & First Impression

When you arrive, you first have to walk up a flight of stairs, and everything is tight. That is a typical city-centre situation. There is an old cage lift in the stairwell, which looks charming but small. The hotel itself is old.

From the outside, the building looks stylish. It is the beautiful old French facades around the small square that do it, and the restaurant on the ground floor sits on the same square.

Check-In & Loyalty Experience

I was a Gold member, and my status was hardly acknowledged at check-in. I didn't get an upgrade either. The staff was friendly, though, so I give four stars for Friendliness.

The Room

I probably had the double room. It was big enough, and my suitcase had space, but the room was oddly cut and not nicely laid out. The furniture was old, and nothing about it was pretty. The windows were small, the view went to the courtyard, which means no real view, and there was little light.

The bed was fine, but not very big. There was air-conditioning. There was no desk. For work, you can sit in the breakfast room, so I give Work one star. Cleanliness was okay, but not more than that. The shower was okay too.

For Comfort I give zero, because the hotel offers nothing beyond the basics.

Food & Drink

I booked the breakfast, and it was French, as expected, and very good: delicious coffee and a big selection, and I believe freshly squeezed orange juice. What really annoys me is the juicer. It is very loud, and it is hard to have breakfast in peace next to it. The food was great, but it wasn't cosy, and you can't sit and relax in the breakfast room.

The restaurant on the ground floor, La Mercerie, doesn't belong to the hotel, but I can really recommend it. It is very well rated everywhere. I had a menu with, I believe, five courses. It was very good value for the high quality and the great food.

Digital Customer Experience

Nothing digital to report.

The Bill & Value

Three nights cost €213.90, which is about €71 per night. I earned 360 Reward points and 243 Status points.

You can check current rates on the official Accor page for the ibis Styles Marseille Vieux Port.

Verdict

What I particularly liked

The central location in the old town, the beautiful facades on the small square, the friendly staff, the very good French breakfast, and the restaurant La Mercerie in the same building.

What I didn't like

The old and tight hotel, the stairs on arrival, the oddly cut room with old furniture, the courtyard view with little light, the missing desk, the loud juicer in the breakfast room, and that my Gold status was hardly acknowledged.

Would I come back? No.