Advantages: Clean, comfortable, cheap and cheerful
Disadvantages: No safe in room, No drawers

..., but on arrival you are allocated a six figure PIN number to unlock the door of your room, this was to be an advantage for me during my 5 night stay there. In the room is a large double bed and a bunk bed, which is not suitable for children under the age of 6 years old. There is a fairly adequate shower unit and separate toilet. There is some hanging space for clothes, but no 'knicker drawer'. There is a television in the room It currently shows Netherlands 1, 2, 3 RTL 4 & 5 SBS Yorin ARD (Germany) ZDF (Germany) WDR (Germany) BBC World, Like the World Service with pictures CNN (Rolling News) Eurosport Rai Uno (Italy) Portuguese TV A French Channel Canal Plus Red & Blue MTV (Music) Room and Hotel Information (Mainly related to the Ibis Hotel but relayed to the Etap too) Flight Departure Board for Schiphol Airport relayed via... Read review

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Advantages: Price
Disadvantages: Quality of rooms

...This is another hotel from Accor, the founders of Ibis. However i am reviewing the Etap hotel situated on the outskirts of Paris, within an area known as Kremlin Bicetre. In this area, you have the choice between an Ibis hotel, a Novotel and the Etap, as well as various other smaller establishments, of which the Etap is by far the least expensive. The Etap Hotel Paris Porte D'Italie is split into two buildings; Ouest (west) and Est (east). Whereas the western hotel has 144 rooms, the eastern has 171. However both offer the same value for money. But please remember these are low budget, no frills hotels so don't expect to be living in the lap of luxury! The French Etaps are cheaper than those in the UK and will only set you back 48 Euros (around £33) per room per night. But bear in mind there is a 3 Euro suppliment for the second... Read review

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Advantages: favourable, useful, city centre near
Disadvantages: ---

...Equipment: The Etap hotels can be compared with Mc Donald or Burger King very well. One gets off, one can be sure, what expects one and natural the other way round also, what one mustn't expect from Aix-la-Chapelle to Zwickau -- identical where. As a Low budget hotel the Etap confines itself to the essential. The rooms dispose a basin, shower, toilet, desk, television set and alarm clock, of a big French bed, another sleep possibility for a third person in form of a bunk bed. The Etap in Munich stands out due to the separation from shower and toilet and the available air conditioner in comparison with other Etaps. Despite proximity to the main street many driven on the rooms are quietly and well isolated for closed window. One has increased the offered number of TV transmitters from 7 to 16 in between so that all... Read review

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Advantages: Good value, good location
Disadvantages: Poor customer service, hard bed

...Having become a firm fan of the bargain that is the Formule 1 chain of hotels, I always check on that company's website first when looking for accommodation in the UK. However, when planning a trip to Leeds recently I learned that the chain do not have a hotel there and so had to do more research. The usual "cheap accommodation in …." search found an article about a hotel that was due to open in Leeds the day before our visit. The Etap chain of hotels are a French concern and part of Accor, the same parent group of Formule 1. They have hotels across France and Germany and are gradually opening hotels in the UK as well as in Central and Eastern Europe. The concept is simple; all rooms are identical, sleep three people and are designed to require little maintenance and all rooms are the same price. In the hotel in Leeds this is £32... Read review

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Advantages: Cheap. clean, comfortable, near major routes
Disadvantages: Rarely in town centres

...This review is very similar to my opinion on Formule 1 hotels, but there are sufficient differences to warrant a separate review for Etap. I have to say that when I have a choice, I always pay the bit extra and go for Etap Etap are the Accor chain's two-star offering. They have hotels in the UK, France, Luxemburg, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria Hungary and Israel. In the UK, they have two hotels in London, one in Barking and the other at City Airport. A room Barking will set you back £36.95 for one, £41.95 for two or three. At the airport it's £34.95 and £39.95. All you can eat buffet breakfast £2.95 extra. They have several hundred locations in France (they are a French chain), including on the outskirts of Paris, accessible to public transport. Room prices depend on location, and are again... Read review

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Advantages: Clean, cheap and can be well located
Disadvantages: none

...Recently returned from a European car tour taking in the sights of Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Germany and Switzerland. Booked 4 hotels from the Accor group - 2 of which were Etap. Never stayed in them before so didn't know what to expect. Arrived in Strasbourg - very easy instructions to follow and car parking available at hotel. Next door is McDonalds and over the road is IBIS. Right on the tram line to the city centre as well. Excellent. Hadn't realised that I would have to put my credit card into a machine to get the keycode to the main door and the room. After realising that I didn't have the pin code of the credit card (which fortunately i had remembered to bring the right one) i ummed and aahhed about using the machine. i did and by fluke my pin code wasn't asked for. Door code was isued on a piece of paper - like... Read review

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Advantages: cheap, clean, friendly staff
Disadvantages: quite a walk from town centre

...Etap Hotels are another budget hotel chain created by Accor, the creators of hotel giants Ibis. This 250 room complex is situtaed in the centre of Birmingham and all rooms cost £35, whether its a weekday or the weekend. But for this price, don't expect luxury acommodation, as luxury is probably the worst word to describe this hotel. The rooms are clean and modern and sleep up to 3 people. In most cases, this is either a double or twin beds with a single bunk on top - not very glamourous but good for the money. You do get a television (complete with an array of English and European channels), but I can't guarantee that you'll get coffee and tea making facilities, as some rooms seem to be missing these. There is also no hairdryer or anything like that, but you can get one if pay a £10 deposit at reception - you will get this returned... Read review

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Advantages: Well located, polite staff
Disadvantages: Strange route to getting to the sauna!

...So, another year passes and another trip to Germany's Christmas Markets now firmly in the past, it's time to report back! A little bit about Leipzig Forming part of the Former East Germany, Leipzig is a city of transformation. Although 500 years old, the biggest changes seem to have been happening in the past 15 years. It has seen a lot of the architecture associated with communism removed, while much of it's heritage is refurbished and transformed. There are still elements of communism and those times remaining, strangely one of the sites is opposite to the Marriott hotel! But, as it is currently in the stages of refurbishment, you will have to be quick to catch it! For those who are unfamiliar with the history of the Peaceful Revolution of 1989 and subsequent re-unification of Germany, this is where it is all believed to have... Read review

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Advantages: Cheap, basic comfort
Disadvantages: Out of the way locations

...Formule 1 hotels are the Accor chain's basic one-star offering. They have hotels in the UK, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Brazil, Japan, South Africa and Australia. In the UK, they have hotels in London, Peterborough, Coventry, Teesside, Doncaster, Birmingham, Liverpool, Newcastle and Falkirk. Their main advantage is price. A room in the UK will set you back £19.95, with all you can eat buffet breakfast £2.50 extra. On the continent, rooms are about 20 to 35 Euros, depending on location and dates, with breakfast at 3.40 Euros in France. I discovered these places about 9 years ago. My job transferred from the north of England to the Peterborough area, and I used the one in that city as a home from home for about two weeks until our house was ready. The rooms are functional and clean... Read review

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Advantages: Cheap, clean, good sized rooms, great location
Disadvantages: slightly smelly toilet?

...in England and they are located principally in and around France, although there are branches in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In Calais, this hotel sat amongst two sister hotels - an Ibis and an Etap. Although I believe this to be the most expensive of the three, it was still very competitively priced. We paid 196 euros for a two-night stay, but look out for special offers, especially internet rates (www.suite-hotel.com) which are often as low as 132 euros for 3 nights at the weekend. Based on the cars in the car-park, it appears that most guests staying in this particular branch are from the UK. Location The hotel was incredibly easy to find, just off junction 43 of the main A16 road which runs from Calais to Boulogne. It's is located less than 5 minutes drive from the Calais Eurostar terminal (and less than 15 minutes from... Read review

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