hotelF1 Epinal Nord in Epinal

Verbally Agressive and unprofessional customer service from the front desk receptionist Catherine and security staff.

My sister called and made a booking for me over the phone in French and received email confirmation. When I arrived the machine outside would not accept payment (I see this has been a common issue at this place where the payment machine outside does not work) so we made the booking again on Accor and paid online instead. We received confirmation of booking and receipt for the payment and I checked into the room.

To my surprise the next morning the receptionist was banging at my room door and opened the door while I was still in bed accusing me of not paying and aggressively ordering me to come out of the room and pay immediately. I am an anglophone foreigner and had to use a translator to assist in communicating. However, the receptionist accused me of lying, telling me that I spoke French with her on the phone (it was my sister who spoke on the phone in French) and both her and the security spoke aggressively at me and treated me as if I was a thief or trying to cheat them. After clarifying the double reservation we tried a different POS machine inside at front desk and the payment was successful without any issue.

It was a simple solution. The agressive reaction from the staff was not necessary. She could have waited until I came to check out and calmly explained there was an issue with the online booking and payment is necessary. Simple. I could not believe the type of aggression over a simple issue that was easily resolved by using a different POS
machine. Extremely unprofessional and disturbing experience.

The fact that there are no staff on site makes that groups of people can get drunk and keep other guests out of sleep. The state of the showers and toilets were pitiful and dirty. The linen was clean at least. I understood that it was a budget hotel but the facility can be clean at least. Won't use them again.

You get what you expect of a F1 hotel.