We booked an overnight stop here en route to south France for us and our 4 children. After a very long drive from the Uk we found the place and were told they had no record of our booking, even though we had the printout from the internet. Also on our return journey we stayed there again and despite ringing to confirm our reservation the day before they still had no record that we were coming!! Thankfully it didnt matter and we had 2 rooms ( not next to eachother). The rooms were dissapointing small low metal beds with a bunk over the top. Only a small pillow. The tiny bathroom was not very clean and had hair in the shower! The airvents above were all broken and wide open. We had breakfast the 1st stopover which was ok, plain, juice, bread and cereals not worth 5 euros each tho. Thankfully children ate free.
The only positive things I can say about this hotel is obviously the price is cheap, The bed sheets were clean and it is very handy for the Motorway so great as an overnight stop.

This hotel was known as Balladins Chatellerault Express until approx. May 2009 and is in the process of being rebranded Nouvelle Classe. Hence at present (June 2009) the signage isn't very clear.

I don't understand how the single reviewer of the Balladins suggested the hotel was new when he stayed there in 2008. It is clearly a lot older than that (or has worn very badly) - it is a prefabricated build with cell-sized rooms and nasty metal framed beds (and bunks above if you have a 3-bed room) with solid (unsprung) beds.

The new owners are doing the place up but it is not great at the moment. The staff are very pleasant and breakfast was fine, but the rooms are not really very nice. The door didn't shut properly on our room meaning my wife could not sleep because of the draught - it will be horrible in the winter as it was pretty bad even in a warm June night.

The Wifi doesn't work in rooms far from the reception either (we were at one end of the building and reception is in the centre).

All in all, not recommended but might become OK if they replace the furniture and fix the doors.