Tribe Carcassonne in Carcassonne

'Conceptually' it's a good design, in a fab location. Staff are working hard. But at more than €150 a night it needs to be WAY better in execution, so it's currently a 2 star but would rise to a 3 star if execution improves or the price was reflective of standards delivered. Right now it's overpriced by about double versus other hotels.

Back to the concept... sadly the reality doesn't meet the "artist's impression". What the owners and designers clearly wanted was modern, trendy, a part of the 'tribe'. They wanted a strong identity and for this place to sing. But, it feels like they handed their plans to a cheap building contractor and then went on holiday themselves. They can't possibly have project managed this build because its shockingly basic, unfinished and not working as a design.

Sadly we suspect that the owners may have then agreed to open the hotel, when unfinished, to pay some bills, but mistakenly oopened it all up for viewing, not realising that it would be better to open one or two floors and focus on a great finish in a smaller space instead of having four, half-baked floors. There could be other reasons of course, we speculate. But it doesn't change the shock of the outcome.

What has been built is poor quality and is poorly finished [I will endeavour to provide photos as evidence to follow], there are handrails coming off walls, door locks failing for the main room entry door, stressful issues with noise from a/c units, door handles squeaking, taps leaking and big holes and cracks in plasterboard walls that are only weeks old. I feel regret and sympathy for the owners. They've been taken advantage of by shoddy builders. This wasn't their dream. Yet somehow, they're asking us to pay for it? And it's there that I take an issue and turn my anger at them directly for their failure to out a stop to it earlier:

The net result is very underwhelming. Its not terrible, but it's struggling to beat a Mercure. The only thing better in this place is that it's new. But seriously now, there's door handles missing, electrical cables hanging from the ceiling where there should be lights, painted bare concrete walls where there should be plaster and insulation and noise protection. As I wrote this I am currently shaping ear plugs to block out the noise of our rattling, ill-fitted ac unit. When I wake, the pool isn't nice enough to please meor welcoming of children, one of which I have. I'm going to 'need to repair myself somewhere else than here'. Is that acceptable at this budget level?

I'm honestly annoyed at having ever considered this hotel versus the much better SOWELL next door, at the same price. Worse still I have another night booked here in 3 days time (on return to Carcassonne) and its no longer possible to cancel. I'm planning therefore that the wife and I drink some wine each and try to get some sleep with ear plugs in.... wish us luck!

And one final thing, to mirror other, recent comments: Children are real people and they deserve and need [legally] to be with their parents. We are here with our child because we made made fuss and fashioned him a makeshift bed out of spare pillows and blankets from the car. A fuss?!... I mean: REALLY? Who on earth designs a hotel where parents can't stay with their kids?! This place doesn't say Adukts only and nor is it good or exclusive enough to watrant that pitch. So do us a favour Tribe, and invite the rest of the Tribe, eh?

Blame as many builders or cheap designers as you like, but that one is one the owners.

Perhaps 3 stars would be too generous after all. What a disappointment.