593 Best Hotels in France

As it's set in an enclosed hilltop garden studded with tall palms, mimosas, and greenery, this is the sort of place where the buzzing of cicadas is the only thing that interrupts the silence. Many of the guest rooms—modestly decorated in Victorian florals—overlook the sizable original pool; its presence helps make up for the quarter-mile hike down to the beach, but at these low prices, can you really complain?

Occupying a low-rise, 19th-century building that overlooks the quaint waterfront and the Gironde, this thoroughly modern hotel is a convenient choice if you wish to explore Pauillac's winding streets or explore further afield with a hired car (the front desk can assist with bookings). Amenities include an indoor pool and wellness center.

Well located and near sights and the métro, Hôtel du Cadran—actually two buildings run by the same management—features contemporary design that appeals as much to business travelers as to urban creative types on a budget. Rooms in lime green and cherry red have modern aesthetics like reflective Lucite paneling, halogen spotlights, and geometric furnishings. Spacious and bright triples and suites are air-conditioned and have flat-screen TVs. With its own private terrace, the family suite can accommodate up to five people.

You can't get closer to the action than this—this handsome, triangular-gabled stone hotel looks directly onto Omaha Beach. The bar is made from an old lifeboat, and it's no surprise that seafood and regional cuisine with creamy sauces predominate in the airy sea-view restaurant, where hotel guests are reserved a table by the window. Three generations of the same family have welcome guests here, including the likes of Dwight D. Eisenhower. 

Around the corner from picturesque Rue Cler, this affordable hotel welcomes guests with a Provence-inspired lobby and huge picture windows overlooking a quiet street. Country-style wood furnishings and pretty French cotton fabrics decorate each room. Opt for one of the two ground-floor guest rooms that open onto a leafy private courtyard. Travelers on a budget will enjoy easy access to public transportation, local bistros, and the district's famous food market. A simple in-room breakfast service delights with fresh patisserie, confiture, and café crème; there's also a breakfast buffet.

A stately lime tree stands sentinel behind wrought-iron, wisteria-framed gates outside this 17th-century mansion with a surprisingly modern interior on a calm street between the Hôtel de Ville and the river. An extreme makeover has given these interiors a spiffy, contemporary air. The blazing red reception area, smartly adorned with modern seating, segues to the upstairs guest rooms, which are rather petit; most guest rooms are decorated in sunny yellow or pastel tones.

"A river runs through it" is no exaggeration at this amiable hotel in a former mill, where a romantic garden is laced with water channels and shaded by plane trees and where terraces and some of the pleasant, light-drenched guest rooms overlook the Sorgue River or the shaded garden and pool. Breakfasts and dinners at the hotel's "bistronomic" restaurant, are served indoors or outside in the garden, where you can enjoy drinks throughout the day. The same is true of the pool area, which also has a whirlpool tub.

Understated chic meets 18th-century authenticity at this boutique-style hotel in a converted water mill. Antique brick walls, oak beams, and terra-cotta tile floors are beautifully balanced by a sleek contemporary decor and modern comforts, such as gleaming bathrooms, air-conditioning, and plasma-screen TVs. Because it’s owned by Domaine Laroche (a mainstream Chablis producer) breakfast includes a panoramic view of Grand Cru vines; the hotel also has a new-wave bistro (book ahead) on the ground floor, and wine tastings are offered in the nearby boutique.

For pure French flavor, including rooms decorated in floral chintz, check out this intimate hotel in a hidden-away location between Boulevard St-Germain and Rue du Bac. Four of the antiques-filled rooms have spacious terraces overlooking the courtyard. The 16th-century basement lounge is a warren of stone alcoves with a zinc bar and plush seating.

Architect Jean-Philippe Nuel used bold colors and dramatic lighting in his update of this hotel, and although some rooms still have the original 16th-century beams, the overall feel is functional urban-chic. Amenities include a small fitness area, relaxing sauna, and stylish bar-lounge and breakfast room that fits in perfectly with the hip Marais vibe.

A curious blend of Second Empire and rococo styling awaits guests in this hotel on a quiet corner just off Place Trocadéro. The main-floor lounge-bar–breakfast area is a trendy take on neoclassical antiques and art. Some rooms are traditional and relatively small, with old-style French furnishings and draperies; a more contemporary flavor in others gives the property a somewhat eclectic feel. Eco-friendly rooms have hypoallergenic bedding and biodegradable amenities, as well as modern conveniences like flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi. Marble bathrooms with whirlpool tubs are a nice touch. Service is friendly and welcoming. Want the best view? Ask for Room 60.

Two top-tier Paris designers transformed a humdrum 1960s office building into one of the city's liveliest fashion-centric boutique hotels. Bright, compact rooms sport a mod, black-and-white graphic style inspired by '60s designer Courrèges that feels both sleek and cozy, especially the tiniest rooms, whose ingenious layout makes them manageable. More expensive suites are still reasonable for this neighborhood and offer more space—and some terraces—with the same futuristic decor, jazzed up with fashion photos and mirrors.

Discreet and contemporary sums up this seven-story town house steps from the hustle and bustle of the Champs-Élysées. Designer fabrics demonstrate an attention to aesthetic detail and comfort that will please even the most persnickety guests. Little in-room treats are a welcome touch, and the professional multilingual staff caters to all special requests. It's no surprise the hotel attracts an upscale clientele, as rooms and bathrooms are more than spacious, with higher floors boasting lovely city views. Le Bayadère restaurant serves top-notch French cuisine and offers around-the-clock room service. Head to the lower level with its ambient lighting and mirrors to enjoy the hammam, sauna, gym, and exclusive Relax Massage treatments in the spa.

Near the Opéra Garnier and some of the city's best department stores, this family-owned boutique hotel has lots of little extras that make it a great value. In addition to complimentary Wi-Fi access, you are free to use the computer in the lobby lounge or help yourself to beverages and light snacks. The decor is contemporary with classic touches like exposed wooden beams and colorful wallpaper. Rooms have open closets and showers only (no tubs) in the bathroom to save space.

In a 250-year-old mansion just off Place Gutenberg, this boutique hotel has colorful, modernized rooms with charming highlights from the past. Little fifth-floor lofts reveal skylights and timbered ceilings, while air-conditioning allows you to close the windows if the street noise gets to be too much. The delightful breakfast room is inviting but sometimes a bit crowded, so consider an early start, or be prepared to wait for (or share) a table. The English-speaking staff is friendly, and the location is convenient.

About 50 paces from Notre-Dame and the Seine, this elegant hotel has identical, impeccable rooms with beige and rose linens and framed prints of architectural drawings. Street-side rooms get a bit of traffic noise, but views of the 15th-century Église St-Severin make up for it. The lobby has pleasing terra-cotta floor tiles, pale green walls, and a stone fireplace.

Although the rooms are rather snug, this modest city hotel is right around the corner from the Quai du Port and is a good value. The interior design is simple and sufficient, even the street-facing rooms are quiet, and the service is prompt and friendly. Ask for one of the fifth-floor rooms with tiny balconies overlooking the port—or the crow's nest "nuptiale" double with private rooftop terrace.

On the edge of the Old Town, this friendly and welcoming hotel has been run since 1948 by three generations of the Holzer family. While the building is old, the rooms are regularly modernized and spruced up.

Ethical, sustainable, "zero waste," and entirely focused on your well-being, this distinctive property with feng shui–correct rooms and "indulge and enjoy" as its motto has made quite a splash since its 2020 debut. Accommodations are a sybarite's dream of a monk's chamber—an oasis of calm with plenty of luxe touches: air purifier, yoga mat and stretching bar (instead of a TV), loose tea (aged pu-erh for connoisseurs), microfiltered water, and sumptuous organic skincare products. Treat yourself to one of the many yoga and wellness classes or a holistic therapy session. The excellent restaurant and bar are strictly "plant-based," a bit of a novelty in still meat-centric Paris, and there's a chic florist shop, too.

A bastion of modern luxury, this quiet hotel is Caen's go-to spot for stylish lodging and dining. Handsome, spacious rooms are decorated in jewel and earth tones and feature sleek, sparkling bathrooms; there's also an elegant, Michelin-star restaurant on-site. Be sure to check for special offers, which sometimes include exceptional dining experiences like cooking courses and private wine tastings.

This hotel is prized for its unbeatable location off tranquil Place du Marché Ste-Catherine, one of the city's lesser-known pedestrian squares, and for its gentler prices in an ever more costly neighborhood. The 17th-century building has been a simple hotel for more than a century, but a recent renovation imparted a clean, contemporary style to the small but functional rooms. Expect basic, comfortable accommodations and simple breakfasts. For more quiet request an upper floor. The welcoming staff is informal and happy to recount the history of this former market quartier.

A 17th-century Carmelite convent provides an intriguing backdrop for fashion designer Christian Lacroix's fantaisie interiors, which feature ultramodern color schemes, large (sometimes jarring) motifs, and furnishings in a jumble of periods and styles. The rooms go from a wildly imaginative style on the first floor to "exuberant Provençal style" on the second to a more restrained "monastic" style on the third. Many rooms overlook a quiet courtyard, and the downstairs spa and pool are a nice way to wind down from a day of touring—perhaps before your meal at Lou Marquès, the hotel's gastronomic restaurant. The hotel's central location on the main market street makes exploring Arles's famous Saturday marché a breeze.

The sole remnants of Metz’s 16th-century military citadel have been transformed into a chic hotel with airy architecture and modern rooms, many overlooking a leafy courtyard. Spacious and calm, it’s ideally situated between the train station and the Old Town.

With an enviable location on the main square (which is the setting for the town's Christmas market) and modern on-trend contemporary rooms (all equipped with air-conditioning), this four-star hotel ticks all the right boxes. It occupies the original site of a 17th-century auberge, although the present building dates from the 1960s. Upgraded rooms in the front (opt for the room with a balcony) offer pretty views of the square with the twin spires of the 19th-century church in the background. The Le Comptoir tearoom/café buzzes with locals and tourists alike, serving pastries, light snacks, and before-dinner drinks at tables on a street-side terrace.

This charming hotel, set in a 13th-century stone manor about a mile outside Sarlat, has emerged as a top choice in the area and a great way to avoid Sarlat's high-season madness. Large, comfortable rooms make nice use of the building's historic features while being totally updated with bright, colorful decor and large baths. The attractive grounds are graced with several pleasant outdoor terraces and a pool, a plus in warm weather. The excellent in-hotel restaurant—with an elegant dining room that features a roaring fire in winter—rivals many in the area.

Just behind Place d'Italie and a short stroll from both the Jardin des Plantes and Rue Mouffetard, La Manufacture's lesser-known location makes you feel like a vrai (real) Parisian. The lobby has oak floors, subtle lighting, a wooden bar, and a cozy breakfast room. Rooms are decorated in clean lines and natural colors; options include triples and eight sets of connecting rooms for families. The most expensive top-floor rooms are more spacious and have Eiffel Tower or Panthéon views.

This former prison, built in 1850 and shut in 2006, has been reimagined as a boutique hotel that sits on the edge of the cathedral's square. Sets of two cells have been combined to create cozy hotels rooms with private bathrooms; all are accessible by the original prison corridor. Rooms come in various categories—the most spacious are on the top floor and come with great views. Traces of the hotel's less glamorous past are still visible throughout the building, from steel doors to iron walkways, but snug public spaces with comfy sofas and bookshelves can also be found. The restaurant (closed Mondays and Tuesdays) has been built into the space that was once the inmates' recreational yard. 

One block from the Canal de la Robine and another block from Place Salengro and the cathedral, Hôtel La Résidence has housed French arts icons like singer Georges Brassens and actor Michel Serrault; the 19th-century building is itself charming, and rooms combine old-fashioned warmth with modern comforts.