Procence hotel preferences--help!
 

Our family of four will be traveling to Provence and Nice area during the end of July and beginning of August (yes, I know it's the busiest time). It's been suggested that we need reservations NOW. I have found the following hotels have vacancies. Can anyone recommend or not recommend the following hotels: In Avignon, Hotel Danieli, Hotel de Blavac, Hotel Splendid, Hotel Dangleterre. Hotel de l'atelier, Hotel domaine-des-clos(?) or in Arles: Hotel Le Calendal. Any suggestions? Or suggestions on B&Bs? I'm thinking we'd rather stay in a town center with some activities for my teen-aged sons. Your preference on Arles, Avignon or Aix? Thanks for your help!

Also, these hotels are available as well: Bastide-des-papes, Mas-Acanthes, la Banasterie, le Laureol, Villa Colmas, and Mas du Petit Grava. Any suggestions or stay-away-from thoughts? Thanks!

Unfortunate typo in your heading. If you don't get many answers you might wnat to repost.

In the menatime, I'm not familiar with the area but I know there have been many discussions here on the pros & cons of using Aix, vs Avignon as a base. You should do a text search here-type Aix AND Avignon in the box above. Also you can try Aiz AND hotels etc.

Tripadvisor.com is a good site for reviews too.

I'm catching your typo bug :)) Meant type Aix AND hotels.

Friends of mine just got back from Avignon and stayed at Villa Colmas. They loved it and their pictures of the place look great. I've got a room booked for the first week in May so will post a review then.

thanks, mclaurie! Not enough coffee yet! I'll try and re-post and will do a search on your suggestions. Thanks!

Do you have your reservations for Nice already? I suspect that's the spot your sons are going to really like.

Thanks, everyone for the info...Underhill, no, I haven't made reservations in the Nice area...I'm trying to decide that area as well, but I didn't want to "overdo" the post requests...do you have suggestions? Can't decide whether to do a B&B around the St. Paul-de-Vence or Mougins areas or a hotel in Nice. I know time is critical, but all the decisions are a bit overwhelming. Any suggestions? I am trying to do searches on the forum, but any help is very inviting! Thanks!!! BTW, my sons ages are 20 & 16...if it would make a difference.

You might like the small inn called Le Hameau (the hamlet), which is just down the road that leads up to St.-Paul. It's like a charming tiny village, set in orchards, and there's a lovely pool with a view. Rooms begin at around $100, and breakfast is extra. It's a really delightful place to stay and very convenient for seeing the towns and villages in the hills and mountains.

I prefer ARles to those three-more accessible to other areas where as Avignon can get bogged down in traffic. It's close enough to Avignon that you can get there easily though. Alot of people have great things to say about La Calendal. We stayed at Hotel d'Arlatan and loved it.

Thanks for the info....underhill, I checked out Le Hameau website..looks nice...how accessible would it be without a car...traveling by train? Also, do you personally know anything about the Hotel Blauvac in Avignon? I'm also doing a forum search on this hotel....

We haven't yet stayed at the Blauvac but based on reviews and writings from The Trip Advisor, we decided to. I will say the reservations have been immensely easy to make and the staff very responsive at this end. We had originally considered the Hotel Palais des Papes but "threw it over" after reading some pretty bad reviews(including noise) and alot of difficulty arranging things even with a phone call.

You could take a bus from Nice/Cagnes-sur-Mer that runs up to Vence. Once you're at Le Hameau you'd be within easy walking distance of St.-Paul and the Fondation Maegt (indoor/outdoor modern sculpture exhibit). You could take the bus up to Vence or down to Nice.

thanks again for the info...Pamsf,hope you have a great trip--what time of year are you planning to go? Thanks, underhill...a bus would be fine, I think....will check on availability! Thanks!

The Hotel de l'Atelier is not in Avignon, but across the river in Villeneuve lez Avignon; it's a cute little place (both hotel and village), and the hotel is in a building that has an interesting history. Recommend it.

Recommend also Hotel d'Arlatan in Arles.
Great location, furnished with antiques, lots of charm.

thanks gingergirl..we'll be there in October(mid).

Hi! This summer we will be again (our 4th time!) at this wonderful place outside of Avignon. Look them up on the Best Western site-- but it's not the "Best Western" you'd expect in the US. You won't want to eat anywhere else! We certainly don't! I can already taste the seared fois gras.....
**La Magnaneriae
http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwest...ertyCode=93365
Address: 37 Rue Camp de Bataille
30040 Villeneueve -Lez-Avignon
Price; 140$/night (est.) Large double room w/ terrace and view. Great cheese board! Phone: 04 90 25 11 11

It's wonderful! I ate dinner there one night because it is close to the hotel where I was staying, 'Le Prieuré.
A friend and I were discussing Villenuve-les-Avignon's spelling. My hotel uses lez, relais&chateau uses lès.

Message from my wife, the French professor:

Lès is Provençal meaning near to, or close to. Lez - she has no clue....

A bientôt,
Kevin
St. Saturnin-Lès-Apt

Provençal, perhaps?

Hi,
My sister and I stayed at Hotel Splendid in Avignon almost 2 years ago and it was okay- we needed a cheap room for 2 nights- nothing fancy. It was a little warm (mid-late May) sleeping, but the room was very clean and the lady who ran the place was very nice and helpful. Easy access to the train station and the center of the city.

Lez is simply another spelling of Lès... meaning "near to or nearby" used only in place names. (Villeneuve lez Avignon - near to Avignon.)It's French, not provençal.

Patricia

You asked for a preference on Arles, Avignon, or Aix. I've stayed in the latter two, but only spent one full day in Arles. My choice for a stay of several days would clearly be Aix. I found Avignon itself interesting, but too crowded and too touristy (ooops, I swore I'd never say that as a negative). Arles is fine, but I love the feel of Aix particularly in the late afternoon and evening -- strolling and cafe stopping along the Cours and hunting up great little restaurants tucked away off the main drag. Being a university town, I also think it would have more appeal to the teen sons.