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Anti-View: French Protest Vista

Where: 157 Cours Lieutaud, Marseille , France

You know the scene. You open the door to your brand new hotel room, run over to the window, open the blinds and bam, you are hit with the anti-view. Maybe you are looking down a dirty alley, witnessing a drug deal, staring at an air shaft in the face, or seeing a brick wall. Whatever you are viewing it is not extremely pleasurable. Help out your fellow hotel mavens by uploading your anti-views to the HotelChatter/Flickr photo pool, or by sending the photo along to us. Remember to tell us the name of the hotel and the room number with the not-so-easy-on-the-eyes view.

Hotel Nady

Ok this is definitely a connect the dots Anti-View, but dot connected worthy if only for the excellent photo.

This photo is of Castelanne Fountain in Marseille. Some kids have thrown some dye into the fountain, lit some smoke cans, and are having fun with some flairs. All part of a peaceful protest of the CPE that took place last year, but a crazy scene non-the-less.

Now imagine you booked the nearby Hotel Nady, a small, family run hotel with glimpses of Catellane. Protest views are the epitome of the Anti-View.

[Photo: cudmore]

Related Stories:
· Hotel Nady [TripAdvisor]

Hotels / → All Tags

All Fun & Games Until Someone Goes to the Bathroom

Where: 3 bis Rue Reine Elisabeth, Marseille, Provence, France, 13001

They say Marseille is a city of corruption. Tell Parisians of travel plans to Marseille and after an earful about the city's soccer team, you'll most likely be warned that you are going to a "ville de corruption".  The corruption thing may be slightly true as the city is definitely a Mediterranean crossroads, but if you stick to the Vieux Port "old port" neighborhood, you should be in the clear. Plus, this is the tourist highlight anyway; the port is lined with great restaurants, bars, and nightclubs.

So Vieux Port it is, therefore where else could you stay but in the New Hotel Vieux Port--apparently they felt it necessary to add the "new" in front of "Vieux (old) Port" in case one were to assume the hotel was from the Napoleonic era as well? Aside from not being old, the (new) hotel is running a summer promotion of discounted rates. Standard (but new) rooms now through the end of August are 90 euros a night and an extra 20 more for the superior (new) room. The (new) rooms are also quoted as being "soundproof". Unfortunately, amongst the great feedback this hotel has received from past guests, we are not sure we can take the hotel's word on this one, since we have word otherwise:

The rooms were only averagely well sound proofed. It was especially noticable when someone nearby flushed the toilet.

So if you were thinking of going to Marseille for romantic purposes and want to stay in this (new) hotel, you have one of three choices: a. go to the bathroom in the lobby only b. book another room in secret from your partner or, c. don't go to the bathroom while in Marseille (i.e. forget the French wine).

All flushes aside, the New Hotel, never to be confused as an old one, is said to surpass its 3 star status.

Image via doogiemuc/Flickr

Related Stories:
· New Hotel Vieux Port Reviews [TripAdvisor]

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Hotel Le Corbusier

Where: 280 Boulevard Michele, Marseille, 13008, France

In their recent issue, Budget Travel profiled the Hotel Le Corbusier, a building originally built in 1952 to resemble a ship, but now with "functional and liveable" decor.

The hotel only has two floors but inside are shops, offices and apartments. The rooms are available on the cheap from $66 to $114. For those who like to pee in private, beware: the bathrooms in the larger rooms rooms don't have doors. For those who like to jog, there's a track on the roof.

Unfortunately, the only two reviews on Trip Advisor are not so kind, despite the architectural coolness.

Related Stories:
· Hotel Le Corbusier reviews [TripAdvisor]
· Le Corbusier [Wikipedia]
· Hot Property [Budget Travel]

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Tom And Katie Chew & Screw At Sofitel Marseille

Where: 36 boulevard Charles Livon, Marseille, France, 13007

According to the NY Post, Tom Cruise and his new fiancee just finished chewing and screwing their way through France.

Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks, the companies co-producing "War of the Worlds," are about to get hit with the unpaid hotel bills from Tom's couple week romp across France.

The couples bill at Sofitel Marseille Vieux in Marseille is said to be upwards of $30,000.

Tom's entourage, which included his Scientology posse, took the entire third floor and parts of the second floor. Thirty-four rooms in total. Tom and Katie stayed in our presidential suite with Katie at $1,200 per night.

Somewhere, Colin Farrell and Posh Spice are laughing at the Scientology version of a "hotel bender."

Related Stories:
·   Tom And Katie: Hotel Hogs [NYPost]
·   The $64,000 Questions At Le Meridien N'Fis Marrakech [HotelChatter]
·   Spend It Like Beckham [HotelChatter]
·   Sofitel Marseille Reviews [TripAdvisor]