Novotel Le Havre

Helpful, supportive, and cool like, ideal!?

Hotel that looked great... unfortunately we could not stay because all the rooms have an extremely loud ventilation system right above the bed. (!!?) I do not understand how an Accor group hotel does not prioritize sleep first and foremost? The spa, the bar... it is all very nice, but how can one sleep with that noise above one's head? The receptionist showed us 3 rooms and they were all the same with the ventilation hatch above the bed and the noise was extremely loud!!! No difference in noise if you turn off the air conditioning! In short, a real shame...

Unfortunately, our stay at Novotel Le Havre was quite disappointing, and I would give it 2 stars. Starting with the parking: the price is €9.50 per 24 hours, which is reasonable, but there are only around 20 parking spaces available. We were lucky to find one. The surrounding area is also rather unpleasant — I understand that the hotel is located near the train station and that there is currently some construction going on, but the neighborhood felt quite dirty and poorly maintained. The reception staff, however, were nice, welcoming and friendly, so credit where it is due. What really surprised us was the €200 deposit, which is apparently only released several days after departure. I find this particularly excessive given the condition and standard of the room. I could understand such a deposit in a hotel where the rooms contain valuable furnishings or extensive amenities, but here the room is very basic, with no minibar and generally quite worn and outdated. The foldable sofa bed was especially disappointing. It was visibly sagging and extremely uncomfortable to sleep on. Fortunately, we are only staying for two nights, because I would not want to sleep on it for longer. Overall, the hotel feels dated and overpriced for what it offers, and the €200 deposit — especially having to wait several days for its release — was the most frustrating part of the experience. Unfortunately, based on our stay, I would not recommend this hotel.