Dennie

I'll be in Marseille on my own for 3 nights and 2 days before traveling with friends later in Provence. I'm a frequent traveler to Paris and the north--speak French well, but this is my first time on my own and in Marseille. Any tips on centrally located, safe, good (2-3 star) hotels? Merci!

Underhill

Instead of Marseille, who not stay in Avignon or Aix? More to see and do, and with more hotel options, too.

RoadCrazy

I also would prefer to stay in Aix. But if you want to be in Marseille, I stayed at the Hotel Mascotte, very reasonably priced, fairly charm-free but clean, adequately outfitted and with pleasant English-speaking staff. It is extremely convenient, located across the street from the tourist info office and kitty corner from the Vieux Port. It's two subway stops from the train station and a fairly central point to catch city buses.

Luisah

I spent three days in Marseille before going to Aix and absolutely loved it. I also spent a couple of weeks in Arles and Aix and expected to like Aix a lot more than I did. I did like Arles very much, but Marseille was a wonderful surprise and I was very happy to return to M.for another three days after my Arles sojourn.

Read what guide books, including Fodors, have to say about Marseille.

I stayed at the Alize Hotel, in a charming, small room facing the old port. It was safe and fun, but of course you have to take the usual precautions. I would not take money from an ATM at night, for example. I looked for one in a lobby of a bank in daylight.

I spent a lot of time looking out the window -- at the gorgeous sunsets and at the constant parade of tourists and natives passing by, as well as at the boats coming and going into the old port. One night when I was walking along the water front I looked back and saw several people gazing out the windows. Also noticed a lot of police in the neighborhood.

Watching the sunset over the Mediterranean from a sidewalk cafe next door was a wonderful experience -- Shades of blue and green I'd never seen before.

I also walked across the street and took a ferry out to Chateau d'If and enjoyed an afternoon on the island. There are boat excursions to the Calanques and I wish that I'd done that.

There are lots of shops, including Galeries Lafayette, Longchamp and Sephora a couple blocks away and several reasonably-priced restaurants in a pedestrian section just off the Old Port. Scenes for the Colin Firth section of "Love Actually" were filmed here.

If you do book a room at any of the many hotels in the Old Port area, request one facing the port for great views.

Dennie

Thanks, all. The reason I'll be in Marseille is that my friends and I will be going to Aix and Avignon later. My frequent flyer redemption has me on a convoluted travel schedule where I arrive a couple days before anyone else in the early evening and I wanted to make the most of that time. Thanks again.