Aix en Provence Hotel Choice
Jul 2nd, 2012, 06:40 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Aix en Provence Hotel Choice
Will be spending one night in Aix en Provence in early October. We are currently booked at La Bastide Du Cours AND Aquabella. We are a group of 11 adults. I want to make a decision so as to free up rooms for other travelers ASAP.
Has anyone stayed at either place, and is one a better choice for seeing what can be seen of Aix in one day? One of my concern is parking (don't mind paying) as we have 2 large vans.
Thanks
Has anyone stayed at either place, and is one a better choice for seeing what can be seen of Aix in one day? One of my concern is parking (don't mind paying) as we have 2 large vans.
Thanks
Jul 2nd, 2012, 07:38 PM
#2
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 4,238
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You might want to try Venere. http://www.venere.com/france/aix-en-provence/
They have both rooms listed, but there are significant differences in price between the two.
Parking is a bitch in Aix. However, Le Bastide has free parking onsite.
Whichever hotel you choose, make sure you have GPS. Aix is a bitch to get into and out of.
Yes, you can see Aix in one day, however, that's not what Aix is all about, which is ambience.
You have enough people to make up your own tour group, which I have never seen in Aix.
They have both rooms listed, but there are significant differences in price between the two.
Parking is a bitch in Aix. However, Le Bastide has free parking onsite.
Whichever hotel you choose, make sure you have GPS. Aix is a bitch to get into and out of.
Yes, you can see Aix in one day, however, that's not what Aix is all about, which is ambience.
You have enough people to make up your own tour group, which I have never seen in Aix.
Jul 3rd, 2012, 01:59 AM
#3
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 616
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rastaguytoday - are you on a commission with Venere? I've noticed that often when there's a post asking for feedback on hotels, your default position is to direct the poster to the aforementioned website.
I get the impression people come to Fodor's for personal recommendations/insight and not just to be directed to another website.
Anyhoo, in response to vwegs question, both hotels are fairly close to one another but Bastide du Cours is right in the heart of Aix and would definitely be my choice if there for one night only. It also has more character than the Aquabella in my opinion.
Regarding the parking, I just had to look up Rastaguytoday's assertion that the Bastide has free parking (as I couldn't imagine any hotel in Aix, let alone one on the Cours Mirabeau allowing you to park for free) and as I thought, this nugget of information is incorrect.
They charge €20 a day to use the hotel car park or if that's too steep, direct you to two, secure garages that are 200m away (so parking clearly isn't too much of a bitch).
I'm also not sure what our learned friend is going on about when he says that he's never seen tour groups in Aix either. Every time I've been to Aix, there have been tour groups, large groups and school groups highly evident and the city's used to dealing with them. In fact a friend of mine will be taking a tour group of 28 to Aix in just over a month's time.
Hope this helps...
I get the impression people come to Fodor's for personal recommendations/insight and not just to be directed to another website.
Anyhoo, in response to vwegs question, both hotels are fairly close to one another but Bastide du Cours is right in the heart of Aix and would definitely be my choice if there for one night only. It also has more character than the Aquabella in my opinion.
Regarding the parking, I just had to look up Rastaguytoday's assertion that the Bastide has free parking (as I couldn't imagine any hotel in Aix, let alone one on the Cours Mirabeau allowing you to park for free) and as I thought, this nugget of information is incorrect.
They charge €20 a day to use the hotel car park or if that's too steep, direct you to two, secure garages that are 200m away (so parking clearly isn't too much of a bitch).
I'm also not sure what our learned friend is going on about when he says that he's never seen tour groups in Aix either. Every time I've been to Aix, there have been tour groups, large groups and school groups highly evident and the city's used to dealing with them. In fact a friend of mine will be taking a tour group of 28 to Aix in just over a month's time.
Hope this helps...
Jul 3rd, 2012, 02:45 AM
#4
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,169
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There is plenty of parking, some underground, on the periphery of the center of Aix, with electronic signs telling you how many spaces are available at any particular time. I have never driven in Aix, however, so I don't know whether the lots would be difficult for a van. Not likely, as they are all relatively new.
In addition to being a university town and a tourist destination, Aix is the center of the regional court system, so it may be busy if there is a big trial. But it is all worth it.
In addition to being a university town and a tourist destination, Aix is the center of the regional court system, so it may be busy if there is a big trial. But it is all worth it.
Jul 3rd, 2012, 08:39 AM
#5
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 4,238
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No, I don't work for Venere, which is part of Expedia, along with TripAdvisor.
I usually use Venere as a starting place. Venere says free parking. If I were looking for myself, I would then verify everything at the hotel website.
In this case, Venere is wrong, as the hotel website so states that the hotel is 20 Euros / day. My apologies to Jay_G for not following through. However,, 20 Euros spread out amongst 5.5 people is pretty cheap.
BTW: I've never actually obtained a hotel room from Venere, or even Expedia. I just find Venere to be a way to start off.
About 5 years ago, I was set to book a hotel in Florence. I stumbled upon Venere, and read the negative reviews. That got me started on Venere.
If you want a hotel in Aix, parking is very tight. About 4 years ago, I had an apartment for a week next to one of the market places. Parking was hard, even when the market wasn't being held.
I usually use Venere as a starting place. Venere says free parking. If I were looking for myself, I would then verify everything at the hotel website.
In this case, Venere is wrong, as the hotel website so states that the hotel is 20 Euros / day. My apologies to Jay_G for not following through. However,, 20 Euros spread out amongst 5.5 people is pretty cheap.
BTW: I've never actually obtained a hotel room from Venere, or even Expedia. I just find Venere to be a way to start off.
About 5 years ago, I was set to book a hotel in Florence. I stumbled upon Venere, and read the negative reviews. That got me started on Venere.
If you want a hotel in Aix, parking is very tight. About 4 years ago, I had an apartment for a week next to one of the market places. Parking was hard, even when the market wasn't being held.
Jul 4th, 2012, 02:29 AM
#6
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 616
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rastaguytoday - no problem, just thought I'd ask.
I suppose it just goes to show how differently people travel, including in the planning stages. Personally I never look at comparison websites before booking a hotel, as I've seen so many odd reviews of hotels I've stayed at on TripAdvisor and suchlike, that I prefer to defer to my own sense of judgement. As with all things, each to his own...
As for the parking in Aix, again it's all about personal experience. Around the same time you rented an apartment in Aix I stayed at the hotel Cezanne (which admittedly is slightly out of the centre - a 10 minute amble to Cours Mirabeau) and parked for free on the street, directly opposite a multi-storey car park.
I imagine parking on the street in the dead centre of town is trickier (as with any decent sized town) but on the few visits I've made there, I never found it a particularly trying experience, as I'm sure I would have remembered.
All this chat about Aix has started me thinking that it's been too long since I've been. I Might have to insert a couple of days during my trip to France in a month's time...
I suppose it just goes to show how differently people travel, including in the planning stages. Personally I never look at comparison websites before booking a hotel, as I've seen so many odd reviews of hotels I've stayed at on TripAdvisor and suchlike, that I prefer to defer to my own sense of judgement. As with all things, each to his own...
As for the parking in Aix, again it's all about personal experience. Around the same time you rented an apartment in Aix I stayed at the hotel Cezanne (which admittedly is slightly out of the centre - a 10 minute amble to Cours Mirabeau) and parked for free on the street, directly opposite a multi-storey car park.
I imagine parking on the street in the dead centre of town is trickier (as with any decent sized town) but on the few visits I've made there, I never found it a particularly trying experience, as I'm sure I would have remembered.
All this chat about Aix has started me thinking that it's been too long since I've been. I Might have to insert a couple of days during my trip to France in a month's time...
Jul 4th, 2012, 04:03 AM
#7
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 29,581
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hub and I stayed at Aquabella and loved it. Most comfortable beds, pool, resto, parking and van tours that came to the door were only part of it.
It is north of Mirabeau but 5 minute walk to Rue des Cordeliers (there's a public parking around there--you'll need to find it on map) with many restos. We strolled to Mirabeau and it took about 25 minutes. Just my opinion, but I said to hub that if Cour Mirabeau was the only part if Aix that I saw, I'd be disappointed. Do check out the area around the Hotel de Ville. We also enjoyed Cezanne's atelier.
It is north of Mirabeau but 5 minute walk to Rue des Cordeliers (there's a public parking around there--you'll need to find it on map) with many restos. We strolled to Mirabeau and it took about 25 minutes. Just my opinion, but I said to hub that if Cour Mirabeau was the only part if Aix that I saw, I'd be disappointed. Do check out the area around the Hotel de Ville. We also enjoyed Cezanne's atelier.
Jul 4th, 2012, 04:41 AM
#8
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,657
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think I've been using Venere longer than Rastaguy, and I like it to check out potentials...even used it for South Africa lately! But that is beside the point.
I'd like to thank the OP for thinking about other travelers and wanting to cancel the option that they do not take, once they decide btween the two.
While we haven't ever stayed in AIx, we did notice that it was easier to find parking the last tme we popped in for a visit. I love those electronic signs that tell you how many spaces are vacant. It makes finding a spot so much easier. In the case of the Bastide, as you are already in contact with the hotel, why don't you mention seeing a " free parking" designation on Venere, and asking them if they might honor that? Could be a good reason to take that choice over the other!
I'd like to thank the OP for thinking about other travelers and wanting to cancel the option that they do not take, once they decide btween the two.
While we haven't ever stayed in AIx, we did notice that it was easier to find parking the last tme we popped in for a visit. I love those electronic signs that tell you how many spaces are vacant. It makes finding a spot so much easier. In the case of the Bastide, as you are already in contact with the hotel, why don't you mention seeing a " free parking" designation on Venere, and asking them if they might honor that? Could be a good reason to take that choice over the other!
