Hi & thanks to the community for steering me in the right direction in my last inquiry. I am looking for recommendations of hotels in Sarlat. We are three traveling & would like to stay in the medieval center of town so any of us could leave the hotel on their own either very early/very late for a walk & still have something to see. A lot of hotel descriptions seem lovlier as they get out of town, but I think we need something very central. My other concern is if we do have downtime in the hotel, a terrace, garden or pool... is that too much to ask? The hotels I've seen in town seem to only have lodging and no character. There's got to be a happy medium, no?

Take a look at www.la-couleuvrine.com.

La Couleuvrine is a Logis de France located in the ramparts of centre ville and has a terrasse for your enjoyment.

We have never stayed here, preferring to stay in Beynac, but we have yet to be disappointed in a Logis...and this one is a Logis de Caractère. There are a few other Logis in Sarlat as well that you can look at on the logis de france website.

In 2005, we stayed 3 nights at Hotel Le Renoir. It's not right in the centre, but only a few minutes away in a little street. I found it to be nice and quaint with lovely, helpful staff. Our room was lovely and the bathroom had just been renoveted - spacious and comfotable to use. Can't remember what we paid but it was very reasonable.

If you are looking for a place with a pool, the Hotel de Selves has one. Modern hotel with air conditioning, well located but not charming. http://www.selves-sarlat.com/

If you want charm another alternative is a Chambre d'hotes, ( bed and breakfast) La Lanterne http://www.sarlat.biz/

I stayed at La Couleuvrine for 3 nights in 2004, nice room, lovely courtyard and vaulted breakfast room, perfectly short walk anytime(even alone late evening in the middle of the winter) and to anywhere in town.

I had lovely dinner at the nearby restuarant Quatre Saison every night.

See if any of the rooms with terrace at Villa des Consuls suit you. May not be what you're looking for (not charming?), but I cannot speak highly enough of the cleanliness, location and David's helpfulness. We just returned and frankly I did not want to leave--and we were headed for Paris!

I also recommend Quatre Saisons. We liked it so much we ate there twice.