Petem95

Going on a road trip round Europe in August, and one of my mates has suggested using 'Formule1' hotels.

Looking at their website they do look cheap, but theres no mention of en-suite in the rooms?

Anyone used them? Are they ok, or are they filthy with crap breakie? Whats the deal with showers, are there shared bathrooms or is it dodgy "dont drop the soap" communal showers or something?!!

Frosty The Snowman

Well I've done a few tours round Europe and mainly have stuck with the Accor group hotels which include Ibis, Formule 1, Etap, Novotel.......pretty much any budget to suit. Ibis hotels are pretty cheap and usually very clean, never had a problem with them.

This is their website.

SupaMiniCupa

I've stopped in the one in brum before. No en-suite, single showers in seperate rooms.

They are VERY cheap tho - like £20/room/night that could sleep three!

Seemed clean, basic and efficient though - just don't expect any luxuries

ChrisB

Between myself and my girlfriend, we've used Ibis hotels in places like Nice and Geneva. As Frosty says, they will be a good price but good quality (eg clean). You might find somewhere cheaper in town but it could be a bit of a dive. The shower in the Ibis Geneva was so good, it blew you out of the shower cubicle

If we're going somewhere in a city, we certainly look for an Ibis early on.

Dream Weaver

Once stayed at a Formule1 in Stockton, dreadful place. Only £10 each a night but the rooms are small and the showers are just little rooms off the corridors - we stayed there for a wedding and it was also used as the Saturday night knocking shop - loads of lads pulling pro's and taking them there

Nick Wadeson

Used F1 a couple of times in France now and think there VGVFM.

The showers and toilets get hosed down automatically once they're vacated, so are always clean.

Nick.

GC8

Use the 'Etap' hotels, theyre blue on the location maps, where 'Formule1' locations are yellow. They cost a couple of pounds a night more but they have the en-suite that youre after. If youre going to Germany then the cheapest Accor hotels will be Etaps as the sausage eaters dont have Formule1.


Simon

Daz34

Are Prodrive tightening up on the expense claims then?

Nick Wadeson

PMSL

No, Prodrive still pay for proper hotels when required .

My stops at F1 are purely personal whilst driving long distances and wanting somewhere cheap/convenient to put one's head down for a couple of hours (much better then sleeping in the car ).

Nick.

Petem95

hope they clean the sheets well in these places then!!

Anyone know if theres any advantage to pre-booking in these places, or is it the same price to turn up and grab a room?

Frosty The Snowman

I've not booked any accomodations on my blats round Europe. That said I did have a problem once in Paris as the Tennis and Golf were on at the same time and every hotel with 30 miles of Paris was booked. We eventually managed to get in a Clarine hotel, also part of a chain but no where near as big as the Accor group, in Esbly which turned out to be a stroke of luck as we could get the train into Paris and we were 10 minutes from Euro Disney.

Where are you planning on going?

KiwiGTI

Recommend the ETAP hotels over Formula 1 any day, sometimes wise to book ahead though, or book online. I think you can cancel reservations over the phone before 6pm on the day of arrival too for no extra cost.

GC8

Formule1 hotels are SO cheap because of the way that theyre run; usually by a husband and wife team. Because of this there 'front desk' such as it is, is seldom open. You can book ahead, or stick your credit card in the slot by the front door and check in that way.....

Simon

DrunkenPikie

edited to remove a tip that might result in annoying English people booking all the decent rooms when they'd be better of with the illegals who tend to frequent F1 hotels.

CooperS

F1 hotels are the ****test places ever, they had an in house hooker at the one we stayed in near Newcastle, people were pissing in the corridor, and the beds had minging stains

GC8

Thats the down side of having only two people trying to run the whole place; no supervision.

JackClark

Yeah, that's what I thought until I arrived in Le Mans at 24:00 and the slot wouldn't accept my card! French only apparently just like the 24hr petrol stations. Tent out and kipped on the lawn

GC8

Cheese-eating surrender-monkeys!

KiwiGTI

To be fair that is more a symbol of modern Britain than Formula 1 Hotels, the ones in France are fine, I just grew out of communal showers and toilets, especially when ETAP are only 10-15 euros more.

Petem95

From Calais down to the South of France, Monaco, Italy, Switerland then back to Calais. Seems to be plenty of these cheap hotels all over the place, so will be useful!

Only place Im a little unsure of is Monaco, I expect thats pretty pricey, and certainly arent any Formule 1 hotels there!

john_s

iTrader: (1)

When we went down to the south of France a couple of weeks ago, we stopped in 2 Ibises and 1 ETAP, and all were fine.

John.