Best Western Hotel le Galice Aix-en-Provence in Aix-en-Provence

Beds are comfortable. Pool is OK for size of hotel. Bar area is pleasant. Bedrooms are a basic box, almost bare of any relief. Location is the main problem. The hotel is part of a larger commercial and office property. It is surrounded by car dealerships, and the front faces a massive car park. There is not a single bar or cafe nearby. The nearest part of the town centre is the Rotonde, which is a good 15 minute walk away, along busy and unpleasant 4 lane roads. In 30 C heat, doing this four times per day is an ordeal. BTW, the view of Mont St Victoire is only from one side of the 4th floor, not as advertised.

One of the worst hotel experiences I’ve ever had — I strongly recommend avoiding this place, especially for solo female travelers.

From the moment I arrived, the overall atmosphere felt off. The hallway near the lobby had a persistent musty and unpleasant smell, giving the impression that the place is poorly maintained. It wasn’t just a passing odor — it lingered every time I passed through, which made me question the hotel’s cleanliness and ventilation system.

The front desk staff were unwelcoming and even rude at times. When I asked about basic things like breakfast hours or luggage storage, their responses were short and unfriendly. Worse, one staff member made a comment that felt racially charged — it was subtle, but uncomfortable enough to leave a lasting impression. This type of attitude is absolutely unacceptable in the hospitality industry.

I had booked a stay with breakfast included, yet they insisted it wasn’t part of my reservation and charged me extra. Even after I showed them my confirmation email, they refused to correct it and told me to take it up with the booking website — showing zero willingness to help or resolve the issue.

The room itself had serious issues. The bathroom smelled of sewage, which never went away no matter how much I aired the room out. The furnishings were old and not well maintained, adding to the overall sense of discomfort.

To make things worse, the area around the hotel felt very unsafe. I saw several groups of men loitering around the entrance late at night, and I was warned by locals that muggings and pickpocketing are common in this neighborhood. I genuinely didn’t feel safe walking alone, and I would especially advise female travelers to stay elsewhere. This is not a location where you can relax and enjoy your trip with peace of mind.

On top of all this, the hotel also overcharged us for city tax — they demanded payment for more people than were actually staying, and refused to adjust it even after we pointed it out. This felt dishonest and completely unprofessional.

I travel often and usually give places the benefit of the doubt, but this hotel was one problem after another. There are plenty of better, safer, and more respectful options available — I strongly recommend looking elsewhere.

I strongly advise against staying at this hotel.

First of all, there's a strange and unpleasant smell in the corridor near the lobby that immediately gives a bad impression. The staff were extremely unhelpful and even made remarks that felt racially discriminatory. I had booked a room with breakfast included, but upon check-in, they claimed it was not included and charged me extra — a completely dishonest practice.

The room itself had a persistent foul odor coming from the bathroom, making the stay even more uncomfortable. Moreover, the area around the hotel doesn’t feel safe; I saw several pickpockets nearby.

This was one of the worst hotel experiences I've had, and I absolutely do not recommend this place to anyone.