Residence La Petite Venise

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Highly Recommended Budget Stay in Colmar Old Town – Only RM250 a Night! Just Remember These 3 Quirky Rules!

This Résidence La Petite Venise Pierre & Vacances costs around RM250 per night – which is considered really affordable in France. The room is quite new, very clean ...and hygienic, and comes with a small kitchen fully equipped with all kinds of cookware, so you can easily cook your own meals.

Why is the value for money so high? Because the location is excellent – it’s just a 5 to 10-minute walk to the old town area.

However, there are three rather quirky rules you need to know:

First, you have to make your own bed – yes, including pillowcases, bed sheets, and covers. But interestingly, when you check out, they don’t ask you to remove the bedding.

Second, the shower head in the bathroom puts on a little LED light show while you shower. Apparently, it’s some kind of French water-saving tech – in simple terms, it’s there to remind you not to take too long. When you use too much water, the light changes color. At first, I thought it was a karaoke machine!

Third, their check-in hours are quite... unusual. For example, on Mondays, it’s only from 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM, and then again from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. In other words, the hotel doors only open and staff are only available during those two windows. The long break in between? No idea – maybe it’s an extended lunch break?

When we arrived at 1:19 PM by train, we thought we could at least drop off our luggage. But when we pressed our faces against the glass door, there wasn’t a single person in sight. The reception desk was hidden behind a drawn curtain. So we had no choice but to lug our heavy bags into the old town and get some food first. Later, we rested at the Water Tower Park, and around 3-something, we started seeing other guests gathering outside the main door. But surprise – even at 3:50, the door didn’t open. Not even at 3:59. It had to be exactly 4:00 PM on the dot before the locked door finally opened, and staff appeared at the front desk, ready to check people in.

All in all, it was a fun and quirky little accommodation experience in Colmar, and I give them a high rating! As the saying goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Just be sure to learn their rules – as long as we travelers cooperate a little, everything will be just fine! See more