Staycity Aparthotel, Marseille

Staycity opened in York last summer. They have been very successful in the city and have recently opened up in Paris, Lyon and Marseille.

If you have ever stayed at an apartment in France you will know that they are not as well equipped as those in the UK, so it was interesting to see how the chain would operate in France.

I am pleased to say that they have furnished the French apartments to the same standard as the UK and not the thin mattress and poor quality kitchen often found in France.

The beds are far superior and the bedroom is as big as you would find in a 4 star hotel with plenty of hanging space.

The apartments are air conditioned throughout. The kitchen has a dishwasher, big fridge, a good selection of knives (helping to cut that tasty baguette), a Nespresso coffee machine is provided with 2 free sachets (you can buy more from reception) and there is complimentary tea and coffee and cream.

The bathroom is spacious too with a rain shower.

The living room is big and comes with a settee and also a dining table with
four chairs.

It was a bonus being able to receive BBC1, BBC News along with the French channels on the flat screen TV. Wi-Fi speeds were fast too. This always seems to be in France and being free was excellent.

There is a breakfast room with snacks and drinks available throughout the day. The reception staff were very friendly.

A good bakers that also makes tasty pizzas is at the top of the hill, whilst there is a Carrefour supermarket nearby.

The apartments are a 10 minute stroll down from Marseille St Charles railway station. I would recommend catching the direct bus from the airport to the train station where the Gare Routier is also situated.

But why go to Marseille you may ask?

It might not have the glitz of St Tropez, the glamour of Cannes but this is real France.

The city is gritty and down to earth, but there is a lot to see: the harbour is picturesque, there is the cathedral area, and a 20 minute boat trip from the old harbour is the island where you will find Chateau d'if.

The shopping is excellent and a trip to Cassis, a lovely old fishing village is recommended. If you go on the train from Marseille, be warned that the train station in Cassis is 2 miles from the centre. However, a bus is timed to set off when the train arrives.

With cheap return flights from Manchester you could easily have a city break in this interesting city.

I think that StayCity's competitors will have to buck up their ideas in France as the Dublin based chain have set a new standard in the country.

Staycity Aparthotels, Centre Vieux Port, 11 Rue Sainte Barbe, 13001 Marseille, France
Telephone: +33 176 54 93 51
www.staycity.com/Marseille