Hoteller med morgenmad i Marseille

We stayed in Sofitel Marseille for 3 nights in the summer of 2023. The hotel is located right on the periphery of the old port of Marseille where all the shops and restaurants are located. It takes about a 15-minute walk to get from the hotel all the way to the centre of the old port so the hotel is fairly insulated from the hustle and bustle of the old port. The exterior of the hotel looks a bit dated but the interiors feel very fresh, clean and bright. We upgraded our room to a deluxe room facing the old port at the reception and we thought it was worth it. We never tired of waking up to a view of the old port with a clear blue sky. The room itself was quite clean and spacious. There was enough room to open up two luggages and still move around comfortably. There is also a turn down service where the staff will put out the bedroom slippers and play some nice Jazz music when you come back. The bed was nice and comfortable and the pillows were fluffy. The only complaint we had was that the air conditioning would turn off in the middle of the night. The air conditioning control did not seem to work and it seems like the air conditioning is centrally controlled so the in-room controls did nothing. I could not sleep the first night as it was too warm and stuffy so we asked for a ventilateur (fan) the next day. That helped us to sleep better. Obviously, if you are planning to stay during the winter months then the heat at night should not be an issue. The staff at the reception were always pleasant, warm, friendly and polite. We were upsold the room with a view when we checked in so that should say something about how friendly the staff were. It was EUR70 per night for the room with a view and it included overnight parking (EUR27 per night) so it was really only about EUR50 extra per night. The valet and the concierge were all very helpful and nice and they all speak English well enough. If you intend to park here, do note that the roads within the hotel property can be quite narrow and the parking lots are quite narrow as well. It may be worthwhile getting the valet to help you park your car at least for the first day because driving from the car rental agencies at the Marseille train station to the hotel was stressful enough for us. We paid around EUR300 - 350 a night but we thought it was worth it and we thoroughly enjoyed our experience.

Cleaning ladies were demonstrating 53 days in front of the hotel when I arrived. The rotating door was covered with mud and confetti, while the black women danced to loud African beats. A complete shock! They continued during my stay… The front desk was super helpful after I contacted their manager. My flight was delayed and I arrived a day late so they managed to modify my reservation without extra payment. My card didn’t work so I gave a cash deposit and they sent me an email when my suitcase that had been delayed arrived (so as not to wake me up). The housekeeping was average- twice they didn’t restock the water. Once they forgot a cleaning chemical. Another time they didn’t restock the decaffeinated capsules. Also they could have been more generous with the toilet paper. It’s the very thin recycled one, that goes fast. Breakfast was delicious and the restaurant spacious, with a garden overlooking the marina. The room was large, modern and quiet, with an amazing view of the harbor, including both sunsets and sunrises! I even saw the incredible half an hour long fireworks for Bastille day right under my window! The bed is big and comfortable, pillows a bit too soft, lighting is good but there are no toiletries (which was initially problematic due to the lost luggage). Room service wasn’t available the only night that I wanted to order it - due to Bastille day celebrations. The QR code don’t work on my phone so I had to call the reception to order. Also there was no alcoholic drinks listed, plus I had no fridge in the room, so I couldn’t fully relax and enjoy my holiday. The hotel doesn’t have a spa, which is a shame. So I made a reservation online and got a massage in the Hammam spa a few minutes from the hotel)very expensive and not great). The closest one to the hotel was closed. The pool is gorgeous but in another building which requires another elevator to be taken at the ground floor. A bit of a hassle…The gym is basic but good. Gets pretty busy and dirty at the end of the day. There are many nice restaurants nearby and even a small Proxi shop. There is a bus stop 1min away, that goes to the Terrace du Port. And the taxi conveniently dropped me off right in front of the hotel. The Mucem and Cosquer caves visible from the hotel, are a bit pleasant 25min walk away and the well worth the visit. Overall, I was satisfied with my stay, and would come again if the above issues were resolved.

This place is very basic and I feel like I overpaid given my experience. First it is close enough to a dance club that you can hear the music and patrons. In my case that was until 5:15 am when I got up for an early morning train. The shower is handheld and not mounted to the wall so it is a bit like bathing with a hose. No working elevator and the stairs were not built evenly so walking up and down them risks a fall or turned ankle. The thing this place has going for it is it’s proximity to the marina and it is a reasonable walk from the train station.