The Hotel Metropole works hard to over come the small older rooms by providing guests with fragrant soaps and shampoos, and fluffy robes. After the longest check-in in years, I had to get to my room by walking down a corridor that was next to the loading dock for Vons. I was a bit worried about the loading dock and unfortunately my fears were well founded. At 12:45 a.m. a big-rig truck backed into the loading bay and naturally kept the engine running thirty minutes while they unloaded. I was not sure if I was kept awake by the loud big-rig or by the lumpy bed that was weary from thousands of sleepers (I can only imagine the amount of accumulated sand in the bed).

My second floor courtyard room had a large window that afforded me a view of the lovely and lively marketplace below. Late into the night partiers and drunks talked and staggered under my window. I was thankful that I had not intended on getting to sleep early. I finally closed the window and was grateful for the air conditioning that quickly and efficiently cooled the room. Plus, the hum of the air conditioning drowned out the leaky toilet that made a "keeeshhhshhhsh" noise about every 20 minutes.

Breakfast was bagels, yogurt, cereal, pastries, and a variety of hot beverages. Don't expect french roast.

Hotel Metropole is clearly at the bottom of my acceptable list and had it been anywhere other than an island, I would have been less gracious in my review and rating. If you must stay at the Metropole, make sure you upgrade and avoid the rooms by the loading dock for Vons.