Hotel recommendations for Dover, Arras, Amiens, Honfleur and Dinan
 

Can anyone recommend nice hotels (mid-price range) in Dover (easy trip to the ferry terminal), Arras preferably on one of the old squares (but need parking facilities), Amiens (need parking facilities), Honfleur (sea view would be great and need parking again) and Dinan (still got the car).

I haven't been able to find much in the travel guides I've consulted and would love some personal recommendations. We'll be travelling mid December onwards so need somewhere that doesn't shut down then.

Many thanks,
Judy

In Arras, we stayed at L'Univers, which is right off the Grand Place. Parking was very easy but I don't recall if it was included or we used a nearby city lot. They have a very good restaurant also. We found the food in most places in Picardy to be very good!

You could try Gites de France for B&Bs. That's what we did in Normandy.

Thanks, I'll check those suggestions. Anyone else have any ideas?

Thanks

For Honfleur, the Hôtel L'Ecrin, about 4 blocks above the port--there's good courtyard parking.

Thre is a wide esplanade between the hotels and the ocean, which means that you have to be fairly high up for a view of the ocean. We stayed at a B&B in Pourville s/ Mer, on the cliffs overlooking the town and the ocean. You might want to check it out, I mention it in my trip report:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34444403

A little outside Amiens, we atayed at Chateau d'Omiecourt, which was just lovely - out in the countryside, but easy to find (even for totally disoriented Aussies!) It's a private chateau and family home, and very comfortable. And not, I recall, very expensive. The distances are not very great here, and there's much to see.

We ate in Peronne at a restaurant recommended by the host (right on the Somme river) - and he suggested a much fancier one if we were interested.

In Dover, we stayed at the Churchill Hotel http://www.churchill-hotel.com/
It is nicely situated on the promenade about 5 minutes drive from the terminal & is reasonably priced though the rooms are not fantastic. We had a nice dinner there which was good value.

For Arras, I can recommend Les Trois Luppars (2*) on the Grand'Place. It is in one of the oldest buildings in the city, although the interior has been modernized. There is parking in the municipal underground garage of the Grand'Place.

For Dinan, try the Hotel Arvor (2*) in the heart of the old town. Like the Luppars, it is in a historic building, but the rooms are modern and very comfortable. It has its own parking and there is also parking in the nearby Place Guesclin.

Underhill has it right about parking at the Hotel Ecrin in Honfleur, which is in the historic district and within walking distance of most sights, but a further note may be useful, especially if the Ecrin is full, and it often is.

Your car will be next to useless during your visit to Honfleur. Parking is highly problematical to nonexistant throughout the historic district. An immense public lot is provided nearby the Vieux Bassin, and it puts virtually all of the sights within walking distance. There also are hotels, granted with less cachet, but less expensive and with parking, on the rue de la Republic, just outside the historic district, that are no farther than the Ecrin from the sights. Finally, there are other hotels within the historic district that do have parking - albeit not at the hotel, but not that far away either, by foot. Here's a portal sight for several Honfleur hotels:

http://www.sites-hotels.com/basse-no...l_honfleur.htm

Parking is indicated when it exists, but do keep in mind that it might be a ways from the hotel. Aside from the Ecrin, you might want to consider La Masion de Lucie, in a quiet part of the historic district, which advertises parking. In that case it may be at the hotel, since the grounds are larger than average. That hotel is relatively new and looks very good in pictures.

Have a great time my favorite town in France!

Thank you all very much. I'll get busy on the internet and make some bookings.

Cheers,
Judy

Thanks for the name of an alternative hotel, Dave in Paris--since our cat is named Lucie, it seems a good omen for our return to Honfleur.

In Dinan we were very happy with Hotel le Challonge. There is a large council carpark immediately opposite the hotel but you do need to check that it isn't market day the following day, otherwise you will be expected to move your car fairly early to make way for the market.

For Amiens and environs I don't think you could do any better that a fantastic private inn called Le Macassar ( in a pretty little town called Corbie about 15 mins from Amiens ). Its a beautiful art deco mansion with fantastic rooms and very welcoming hosts.

Bookmarking

Along with Underhill and Dave, another vote for L'Ecrin - one of our favorites. It's like staying in someone's home. It's filled and I mean filled, with wonderful objects, and it has a beautiful breakfast room. As Dave said, it is usually booked, but worth a try. It is a few blocks to Harbor, no water view, but it is in a lovely neighborhood and no car is needed in Honfleur.

Also, we liked Hotel Arvor in Dinan. Very easy to walk through the entire city. We parked the car in their lot and left it for out entire stay. Reasonably priced and very nice owners.

Nina, how many months ahead should someone try to book L'Ecrin? I see that when Grandmere was planning her May 2005 trip it was already booked in January.

Now would be a good time to book L'Ecrin. It's quite popular, and there aren't all that many rooms.

Thanks. In my case "now" would be a year from now, as I'm planning so far ahead. It takes me several months to budget, and my husband usually has to notify his job about 6 months ahead. Then we have to book airfare quite far out because it's not always easy to get in and out of Alaska on one's preferred dates.

As Underhill said, it is never too early to contact a hotel, especially a small (30 rooms), popular one like L'Ecrin. I googled it - Hotel L'Ecrin, Honfleur, and came acoss a wonderful site for it with full information and excellent pictures. I was going to post the url, but it didn't work to get me back that site. Maybe you will have better luck as there were a lot of sites for the hotel.

The phone number is (+) 33 2 31 14 43 45 and the email on that site was: hotel.ecrin@honfleur

The rates were given as 90 - 190 for rooms an 200 for a suite.

By the way I didn't do the breakfast room justice when I said that it was 'beautiful', I saw a picture on the site and remembered just how _____ (lack of adjective to describe it) it is.

It is not too far to Bayeux to the D Day beaches and sights - by all means, make that a priority while in the area.