Ibis Tours Centre Gare

The receptionists were welcoming when we arrived, and helpful when we checked out. The restaurant staff could learn from them

Very cramped room. Bathroom even more so - I banged my knees on the wall when I sat on the toilet and I'm only 1.67m tall! Bed was so close to the wall on my side, it was very difficult to get in and out. I've been in more comfortable budget ibis hotels. Lack of sockets for recharging phones. The menu in the restaurant was poor, even for a Sunday evening. The restaurant staff lacked charm and manners. When we ordered our meal - well-cooked beefsteak and sangnient magret de canard - a tealight was lit under our two plates on some sort of metal plate-warmer. Both steaks arrived on the same plate, and our dinner plates (still cold) were put in front of us. We then took the meat off the serving plate, so I'm not sure what purpose the tealight was supposed to serve, other than eventually frying the combined meat juices, which didn't smell very appetising. The large bowl of frites was excessive, and the salad was just wet from washing it - no dressing. We had to find our own sauces. The meal wasn't at all enjoyable, but to add insult to injury, I had my plate removed from under my hand mid-mouthful. We felt like we weren't wanted in the restaurant!

On entering our room we were unhappy to discover there was no individually controlled air conditioning in the room (it was very warm weather) and so asked for a refund; the staff were as helpful as they could be. The manager graciously agreed to a refund and even offered to book elsewhere for us (which we declined).

The advertised listing specified air conditioning. However, on entering our room, we were most unhappy to discover that the Ibis Tours Centre Gare does not have air conditioning that can be controlled from each individual room as one would reasonably expect. When we raised this with management we were told that what they have is a centrally controlled "air circulation" system. This is not a cooling system and, as the weather was very warm, because we had booked on the basis of the advertised air-conditioning, we chose not to stay and requested a refund, which was graciously given. We then had to reload our luggage into the car, pay to leave the underground car-park and search (after a long day of driving) for another hotel very late in the day. It spoiled our visit to Tours. Prior to all of this, the check-in process was also very disconcerting with no clear indication of a reception area/desk. In fact, I wasn't sure I was in the right place, as it was happy hour in the "lobby" which was more like a bar, and had to ask the young attendant (over the loud music) if I was in the right place. He proceeded to check me in with his phone. While I have been in other hotels that operate like this, the fact that I had to compete with the noise of the music and conversations of those around the bar.