679 Best Hotels in France

The most desirable rooms at this simple yet welcoming 1950s hotel have balconies with sweeping panoramas—so who needs luxury fittings and fabrics when you can have a view of the old harbor for a reasonable rate? Even the kid's breakfast (€5) is half the regular price. The hotel is about a 10-minute walk from the bustle of the town center, an advantage in peak season.

This prosaic old town option has 12th-century exposed stone walls, a 15th-century spiral staircase, weathered wood everywhere, and homey touches like cream-color linens. Among the many pluses are good beds, flat-screen TVs, and free (although sometimes weak) Wi-Fi.

Nestled in a cove on a quiet strip of sandy beach on the Bay of Douarnenez, this mansion, with its sturdy round tower, is a remote retreat perfect for long, restorative walks; some of the comfortably furnished guest rooms face the water, as does the glass-front restaurant, where reservations are essential. After a seafood starter (sea bream tartare, oysters), try the grilled lobster \"Sainte Anne,\" the turbot with marrow, or the fillet of beef \"Rossini.\"

Capitalizing on the village's gorgeous bay views is just one of this lively, Art Deco–style boutique hotel's many virtues—it also has light-drenched guest rooms (some with private balconies), a spa with a steam room and solarium, two restaurants (one on the beach), and an irresistible wine bar. True to its name, the hotel sits right on Bestouan Beach, so fun in the sun is easy. There's also easy access to both the village and Calanques National Park.

Guest rooms at this erstwhile family winery, in the center of Ribeauvillé and with an ornate Renaissance fountain outside its front door, are modern, spacious, and well positioned for experiencing the atmospheric town by night; those on the top floor have exposed timbers and wonderful views of ramshackle rooftops. As you would expect, given the history of the hotel, the owners can provide expert advice when it comes to wine tours.

With a nod to the work of postmodern designers like Putman and Starck, this stylish boutique hotel is both contemporary and cozy. Rooms are sleek and streamlined, with backlit custom cabinets, glassed-in bathrooms, and fabric or faux-leather wall coverings. A spacious outdoor terrace is off the breakfast room. Head to the bar area and lobby lounge for a predinner aperitif. A small fitness room and sauna also woo guests. Although it's accessible to major monuments and museums, the hotel attracts mostly business travelers.

If you're looking for a room in a chic area with gentler prices, Hotel Delavigne is a reasonable option on a quiet street. The reception area is tiny, but the welcome is friendly and professional and the rooms are clean and comfortable. It is also a short stroll to the Luxembourg Gardens and the neighborhood's best cafés and restaurants.

Directly across the street from the historic art studio Académie de la Grande Chaumière, where drawing and painting lessons are still taught, this hotel embraces the creative history and significance of the neighborhood, once home to many painters and artists. The lobby is an intimate art gallery, while craftsman woodwork gives the rooms a sober, retro-sleek feel. A drawing workspace is available for those who are feeling creative, and artists are welcome to gather at the honesty bar. 

On an elegant square opposite the Théâtre des Célestins, this chic hotel has a sense of theatricality—logically enough because it has long been popular among stage and screen artists (many of whose photographs adorn the lobby walls). The guest rooms are smallish but modern and comfortable, and the friendly reception staff and great location appeal to all comers.

Designed to evoke an Alsatian tobacco barn, replete with Havanese woods, this hotel has rooms named after famous cigars and a lovely country-luxe decor. For that quintessentially romantic moment, opt for breakfast (additional price) afloat in a boat dug out of a bamboo trunk, complete with wicker basket, white tablecloth, and personal punter.

This property exudes Provençal style, with its tiny square with a trickling fountain, venerable plane trees, green valley views, and two massive imposing rocks (and that’s just on the outside). The fireplace in the salon and the bright, mixed fabrics in the bedrooms round it all off. Enjoy breakfast (€15) or dinner in the romantic stone-and-beam restaurant or on the terrace under the trees by the fountain.

Close to the city's key sights, this street-corner hotel is a convenient choice to start a tour of Dijon. Guest rooms are light and soberly decorated with touches of color varying in tones from beige and gray to black and orange. Streetside rooms have Old World wrought-iron balconies, while those at the front of the hotel give you a peek of the Philippe Le Bon tower. A buffet breakfast is served under a vast glass-and-metal veranda at the rear of the hotel. There are also 10 fully equipped apartments in the main hotel building, and six rooms in annex buildings nearby. It's worth upgrading to a superior room, as the standard rooms are on the small side.

Set at an altitude of 3,000 feet, this four-star Châteaux & Hôtels Collection escape has breathtaking panoramas of La Palud's countryside from the breakfast table, plus plenty of activities for non-hikers. You'll also find the right amount of post-day pampering for the whole family, including a spa and heated pool. Traditional cuisine makes up the daily changing menus (with vegetarian options), and the hotel also opened a second restaurant, Le Styx, in town.

Distributed among a trio of three-story buildings set back in a quiet cobbled courtyard, Madame Le Floch's rooms have a distinct grandmotherly vibe because of their flowery wallpaper and lace bedspreads, but they're spacious for this part of Paris. Enter through two massive wooden doors, then proceed to the pretty courtyard and garden, which becomes a second living room in warm weather and is a perfect breakfast spot. Modern touches include Wi-Fi access, room service, and personal safes.

The "great men" this hotel honors with its name rest in peace within the towering Panthéon monument across the street. The hotel's look combines urns and laurel-wreath motifs with plush fabrics and plaster busts of writers and statesmen. All rooms have period furnishings, handsome wallpapers, and interesting architectural details. Book online early for substantial room-rate savings.

The old Auvers-sur-Oise post office is the setting for this charming, functional hotel a two-minute walk from the Maison de Van Gogh and other sights in town. Cozy rooms, with spacious bathrooms, borrow from the great artist's palette for their pretty color schemes. Exceptional prices, welcoming service, and a bright, cheerful tearoom for breakfast, lunch, and teatime all recommend this small boutique hotel.

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.

This modern hotel is full of delightful surprises, including sliding doors leading directly out to breakfast nooks beside a stream. At night you can fall asleep to the sound of the water tumbling over the gorge. Owner Dominique \"Dumé\" Colonna, one of France's (and certainly Corsica's) greatest soccer stars, drops by from time to time. The nearby Auberge de la Restonica serves fine Corsican fare.

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.

On the main street through Corte, the Hôtel du Nord is perfect for budget-conscious travelers. The oldest hotel in Corte, the marble stairs still remain from the original 1833 building. Hardwood floors make the place rather charming, as do the common areas with filled with books. Breakfast is served in the neighboring bar, and packed lunches are available for those who hike to the nearby valleys.

"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.