Staycity Aparthotels Marseille Centre Vieux Port

"This hotel / apartment is located in the centre of the city, around 10 mins from the train station on foot. The apartment is well equipped, with plenty of cooking facilities available. One can easily prepare meals inside the room without too much bother. The bathroom did not have an isolated cubicle for showering, instead relying on curtains to prevent water from splashing out onto the floor, and this took some getting used to… They also have a small gym on the second floor, which I enjoyed using during our stay there every day. The staff were no exceptionally helpful or friendly, they did the basic stuff, answered our questions professionally, but didn’t make us feel particularly warm or welcome at the same time… The neighbourhood isnt that great, with some rough sleepers, and strangers approaching us at times esp at night, so the apartment gave us a cosy feeling, a safe haven to return to at the end of a tiring day of travels or sightseeing."

"Ok - like nearly all of the reviews here - it has to be pointed out that the staff in this place were great ! However the sewage stink wafting through the air conditioning wasn’t - the room stank like hell … Why didn’t we ask for another room ? We’d been travelling a lot - in different places and just decided to put up with it because we’re lazy .. but it did mean a lot of mind over matter to ignore the stench. Next - the local area … people aggressively begging, camped out on the street outside the doors … people doing crack on the steps outside… NOT A SAFE AREA ! Also I’ve noticed the hotel’s response to this is that it’s near the old port and the Train Station - Whatever !? Outside the station is horrible - Traffic , street crazies , people lurking in shadows - the station might be useful but it’s not great to live near it … Neither really is the old port … there’s a few parts of Marseille that feel worth the visit .. maybe Cours Julienne, Le Pannier ( really a fake tourist area ) , Calanques .. but not the Station or the old port - ( again - smelly … ) .. But unfortunately for Stay City - they’re smack bang in the middle of a seedy horrible neighbourhood."

"Insecurity and a disreputable environment, contrary to the favorable location of Vieux Port displayed in your description, the hotel is actually located in a particularly troubled neighborhood. Going out or returning to the hotel has become a constant source of anxiety for my family, as the immediate environment offers no guarantee of safety for children. Unsanitary conditions and lack of service, the overall hygiene was deplorable and customer service was nonexistent. The fact that I had to go to the reception myself to obtain basic towels confirms the total neglect of this establishment."