Grand Hotel de l'Univers

Initially very nice and professional service, both when we booked a room by phone and when we checked in. The receptionist was very nice and helpful. We had a drink at the rooftop bar that had a beautiful view of the cathedral. Beverages was very expensive though and the waitress seemed to have her friends among the guests that she talked and laughed with. Small rooms but clean with very comfortable beds and pillows and fresh air conditioning. After a good nights sleep it’s always nice with a “hotel breakfast”. Unfortunately this was not good at all. When we came and it was still 1 hour left there was no clean tables. The waitress cleaned/set up one for us but we had to look at dirty dishes on the tables around us during the whole breakfast. Almost everything on the breakfast buffet was finished or didn’t look fresh. We had to wait for everything from bread to cold cuts, scrambled eggs/bacon and fruit salad. Coffee was served from an automated machine and had more to wish for.

Me and my partner stayed for two nights. At the beginning I booked for another hotel of the company, but they told me for COVID they could not host us, so booking straight away proposed me this other option, the problem was that the Hotel didn’t let me know if the room was booked or not, and I couldn’t cancel the reservation! After 2weeks of emails to the hotel and booking assistance I had finally the confirmation! So at that time I cancel the reservation with the first hotel(and I can’t remember if the breakfast was included). Few days before I’ve been charge twice for the room. At the arrival I mention this to the reception girl, she told me they Already gave me a refund. I couldn’t see that! anyway the following day I ask again for a receipt of the refund, they told me couldn’t give at that time. During the checkout morning I checked in my bank account and that was finally done, the problem is that at the moment of the checkout we had to pay the breakfast which was told me at the check-in time to be included. The reception responsible was anyway very kind to give a discount. For sure it couldn’t be the issue if the receptionist at the beginning was more clear about it! It has been a very confusing stay honestly, overall the position was very good and the room quite nice, apart of the bathroom were the bathtub Was quite dangerous, I almost fallen !

This is not the hotel we originally booked but we did not have to pay to be ‘upgraded’. However we did have to pay for parking which was free at the hotel we had booked and we could not afford the breakfast offered at this hotel. We only called in to Reims as a stop-over on the way to Germany and to see the Cathédrale. The temperature was over 40° and the coolness of the church was much appreciated as was the air conditioning in the hotel room when we arrived back. The room was very clean and being on an upper floor was serviced with a lift. Unfortunately there were no tea/coffee facilities in the room which during such hot weather would have been useful. Instead we had to visit McDonalds and then find a supermarket to buy cold drinks to take back. There was no mention that there were any facilities available in the hotel that evening. The bed was comfy and the room clean and clearly the hotel was Covid-aware with sanitizer etc as required. Although this was a very nice hotel as a stop over, you’d pay a fortune in parking to stay any longer.