Very well located for the university on Blvd Francois Mitterand. Clermont is compact enough that most places are within walking distance including the old town. The hotel itself isn't luxuriously decorated. The rooms look like they have been refurbed fairly recently (last couple of years) but not to a high standard. The quality of the fittings and workmanship isn't the greatest but its ok. Case in point the shower screen doesn't exactly fit the bath perfectly and taking a shower ends up flooding the bathroom. This happened in more than one room. The bed is failry large and comfortable though and the standard tea and coffee making facilities and flat screen TV are present. The aircon works and the windows open which is always helpful. Everything is kept clean too.
The breakfast is a plentiful buffet and although the cooked items (primarily the bacon and sausages) aren't the best quality there's a wealth of choice and its all fairly decent. Although they need to provide some decent tea bags for the English visitor of which there were apparently many. Also it'd be an idea to let people know the eggs are not preboiled and the breakfaster needs to put them in the water bath provided. My colleague made the mistake of not realising this and cracked a raw egg all over his breakfast. Amusing for me, less so for him.
Didn't try the evening dinner menu - I was in France and the wealth of choice in the town put me off eating at the hotel - but heard it was OK from those that did.
The staff in general were excellent. Very helpful, spoke English and understood my pigeon French which I felt it was at least polite to try - being in France and all. The one exception was one particular member of staff who I think thought would take advantage of my Englishness. She charged me 12 Euro for two beers one afternoon and 13 Euros for a small glass of wine and a vodka and orange. Other staff charged my 3.5 Euro for a small glass of wine and 3.5 Euro for a beer. So go figure. I guess the staff member in question felt she deserved a non volutary tip. It would be useful if a) they could have the bar prices clearly displayed at the bar and b) had someone tending the bar when it was open which didn't seem to be the case in general. When someone did arrive to serve you they would disappear with your money for ten minutes because they had no change at the bar itself. Leaving you wondering whether you'd ever get your change.
I will return again next time I have business in Clermont, but I'll be keeping my eye out for an opportunist staff member trying to stiff me when I'm buying a much needed beverage.