First and foremost, Appart'City Residence Lille Grand Palais is an apartment complex for rent (short and long term). That means everything you know about staying in a hotel does NOT apply here. When you stay at a place like Appart'City Residence Lille Grand Palais, you’re getting a room, or rooms, with no amenities.
Places like Appart'City Residence Lille Grand Palais are good for single travelling, low budget, not expecting to eat at a restaurant type of traveler that knows French.
Residencies like this are ala’carte. They are a low cost stay however if you want any type of amenity like phone or internet service, you will pay a fee not just for use but of connection fees. You also will have to clean your own place as well as clean your own sheets, towels, dishes, etc. If you would want services like cleaning or laundry, they are available at a fee.
So if you roll all your fees to have a hotel experience, you should just stay at one.
The location is debatable since it is on the outskirts of the main centre. It is at least a 10 minute walk to the Metro. The neighborhood is somewhat questionable because it is residential and your walk to and from the Metro takes you through some dark areas’ including a construction site. So those late evenings returning from a Café should be done via a taxi, (again, know your French).
There are no food shops or restaurants close by until you go by the Metro station. This part of town will be shutdown before 10pm and many restaurants in France usually don’t start server dinner until 7pm.
Although the residence backs a highway, they place the entire side of the building behind a large glass wall. When you open a window you can touch the glass wall because it will be less than 18 inches away from you. As odd as it sounds it was extremely effective in keeping the highway noise to a minimum.
The office, (not a front desk), is available only during business hours so you will not have onsite assistance during overnight and or on weekends. They leave you with an emergency number to call should you need assistance.
We only stayed here, (two adults and two children), because the French were having one of their labor protect marches in Lille and many of hotels in the city were unavailable.
Lille is a must return since it is a “mini-Paris” only a 90 train ride from London, however our intentions will be planned well more in advance.
- Appart City Residence Hotel Lille
