My husband and I are flying from Los Angeles June 2nd at 9:15 pm to Paris and connecting directly to Montpellier, arriving at 6:20 p.m. We would like some help with an overnight stay in Montpellier. We intend to get a car the next day and start our journey southwest (France mostly, a touch in Spain) until we drive north June 28th when we arrive in Paris until the 3rd of July. We welcome suggestion and recommendations for those three weeks in that quadrant of France. We eagerly await all ideas. Thank you, Laura

I think that if I weren't arriving there until evening after a million hours in flight, and was leving immediately the next morning, I'd just grab a chain hotel near the airport and stay there. There are car rentals at the airport, also, of course, so that seems easiest. I know sometimes there are extra fees for airport rental, but it still seems easiest to me.

Otherwise, I suppose you'd have to get into town, check in a hotel and figure out the car rental the next day and drive out of the city. Now that is do-able, but seems like way too much hassle for me for little reason. I've drive out of Montpellier train station, for example (where there is a car rental) and I did okay, but it was a little dicey for a while if I were on the right street and going the right way out of town.

If you want to do that, I can recommend the hotel I stayed at, the Royal, as it is only about one block from the train station (between it and place Comedie) and so you can easily walk to the station with baggage, unless you really pack a lot. It's even slightly downhill, so if you have a roller bag of any size and a small tote, should be fine.
http://www.royalhotelmontpellier.com/

So that hotel makes it easy to go hang out on the main place at night for fun, and easy for the train.

Otherwise, the airport is only about 5 km outside of town, you can easily take a taxi there from the airport if you want to spend time in town at night.

I cannot tell if you are connecting by train or plane, it makes a difference. There are no hotels near the airport, perhaps Lattes would be the closest location with a hotel.

This might be one of the closest hotels to the airport:

http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-...es/index.shtml

A cab into Montpellier will cost about 25€. There are a large number of hotels from which to choose but without some idea of your expectations (budget) it would be impossible to speculate.

If you are arriving by train, there is public transportation (taxi and train) to anywhere in town. The heart of the city is a short walk from the train station. There is a Pullman Hotel centrally located in town:

http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-...location.shtml

The center of town is closed to all but pedestrian traffic so it is possible to walk most everywhere.

oh, gee, I just suggested the airport because every city in the world I know has some hotels near the airport. Sorry if that won't work.

I assumed it was flying into Montpellier since she said she was flying directly to Montpellier, at least that's how I read it, but if it really is flying into Paris and taking the train to Montpellier, then I recommend my hotel even more, it will be very easy.

Your budget may be important to name if you really want something very cheap. Montpellier hotels are not expensive, but still...

Lattes! OMG, whatever you do, don't book at the Mas de Couran! It still makes me shudder to think about it, though I must say that the bicycle tire tracks on the bedspreads were certainly novel.

We are flying into Montpellier at 7:40 P.M. Wednesday and are hoping to eat, maybe walk about, and SLEEP. An inexpensive hotel in town would work. We are not limiting ourselves and wish to stay in gites for a few days, a castle maybe, or any where you all have found to be smile filled and memorable. We wish to discover from all of you the best places along the Méditerraneaée going West by car, then drifting North to explore...we love to eat oysters, cheese, unique food, and taste all. We have three weeks for this area until we need to drive to Paris to celebrate our 34th anniversary. We have an apartment in Paris for one week. We truly would love suggestions of where to travel. Thank you.

Laura, I'd like to make a pitch for spending a full day in Montpellier before you pick up your car. It's an often overlooked, but thoroughly enjoyable city.
http://www.pbase.com/jeff_b/montpellier&page=all