593 Best Hotels in France

This glamorous Philippe Starck–designed property takes the art and poetry of Cocteau-era Paris as its theme and couldn't be more stylish or better located. Located in the heart of the lower Marais, it's minutes from the major sights and an easy walk to dining, shopping, the Centre Pompidou, and Île de la Cité. The cozy rooms are bright, glamorous, and full of artsy charm, and the roomier upper-floor suites offer splendid Marais views. 

This onetime Cistercian abbey tucked away in the lush Ouch valley, a 30-minute drive west of Nuits-Saint-George, has been converted into a high-end hideaway hotel. The spartan monastic decor has been ousted, and the interior now leans towards a luxury country house feel, with tartan-covered armchairs, stained glass windows, antique furniture, and a wood-burning stove. The rooms, which have oodles of charm, vary in size and style, from flamboyant Baroque to quirky contemporary, and most have whirlpool baths. Walk around the grounds to discover oversized bronze Paul Day sculptures, century-old trees, a lake, and a watermill. There are two eateries, a bistro in the former monk's kitchen, and a fine dining restaurant, Le 1131. The latter are both helmed by award-winning local chef François Pelletier.

This may be Fontainebleau's costliest hotel, but it does promise old-world elegance, graceful service, and oodles of atmosphere. Housed in a 17th-century mansion near the palace, the spacious guest rooms conjure up the past through period furnishings, toile fabrics, and antique engravings, without skimping on any of the modern conveniences. You can't go wrong if you request one overlooking either the garden or the palace.

In a quiet residential area—a 15-minute walk uphill from La Croisette and beaches—this neo–Art Deco mansion has tastefully decorated white and blue rooms that are both minimal and tidy. You can have breakfast on the flowered, shady terrace or in the family-style salon. The owners speak English and take friendly service to a new level.

This reasonably priced boutique hotel, in a beautiful historic building across from St-Charles train station, has contemporary rooms done in rich neutral tones and equipped with flat-screen TVs and iPhone docking stations. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and the Alex Hôtel's pancakes, omelets, croissants, and freshly squeezed orange juice enjoyed in the inner courtyard or the breakfast room should do the trick. And while you’re dining, you can check your email with an excellent Wi-Fi connection. It’s within walking distance from the Vieux Port and Le Panier, which is a good thing because there are no notable restaurants in close proximity.

Like Itterswiller—the cute wine village it overlooks—this yellow-walled, half-timber, hillside hotel exudes charm, from the wood-beam lobby with its wrought-iron staircase right through to the \"country deluxe\" lodgings with views across the nearby vineyards. Rooms, while not overly spacious, are well done, with large wood-framed beds, colorfully upholstered furnishings, capacious windows, and all the modern conveniences (including a pool, hammam, and sauna). Across the street, the hotel's winstub-style restaurant features a vintage winepress and serves Alsace wines by the jug; homemade foie gras, pike perch in Riesling sauce, and traditional choucroute top the menu.

One of the best things about this comfortable six-story hotel is that it's smack in the middle of Rue de Buci, in the lively St-Germain-des-Prés district. This means you can breakfast at Paul (the well-known French boulangerie), shop at the Marché St-Germain indoor market, and then relax with an espresso at Bar du Marché. The hotel's contemporary rooms are 1950s retro-colorful, while bathrooms are in marble and chrome. Although there's no restaurant, you can enjoy a generous breakfast buffet in the downstairs breakfast room and room service from Café Mabillon next door.

Close to the ramparts, this 19th-century hotel has a gorgeous, white-shuttered facade that blends in beautifully with St-Émilion's stonework. Public areas have vineyard views, and guest rooms (some with exposed stone walls, others with bright murals) range from pint-size to generously proportioned; Rooms 2, 3, 7, and 8 overlook the small garden.

For the feel of an authentic family-run mountain lodge—complete with wood paneling, flower-festooned balconies with delicious mountain views, and a resident golden retriever—this a great choice. As a bonus, it's all within walking distance of the city center. Although on a smaller scale than Chamonix's luxury hotels, this place's cozy lobby, charming rooms, and friendly staff make it a find.

Alain Ducasse may no longer be here, but his taste and touch are palpable in the style, the ultracontemporary equipment and accoutrements, and, especially, in the regional Basque cuisine with international accents at this hotel in a 100-acre park around a 17th-century farmhouse. Although some of the complex is modern and cold, various rooms and suites remain lovely settings for Basque woodwork, regional textiles, and sleek sculptures. The landscape is superlatively Basque and the nearby Iparla Ridge hike, one of the greatest in the Pyrénées, will keep appetites primed for fine dining. As an optional extra, you can be brought here from Biarritz airport by helicopter. Ostape also has a private museum of Porsche cars.

Across the street from the basilica, this smart hotel has design-focused guest rooms with a subdued contemporary color palette and ultramodern bathrooms. Opt for a room at the front or the side which have great views of the basilica or one of the rooms at the rear which are quieter and have terraces offering far-reaching views of the lush countryside. Guests can enjoy the hammam, spa, and indoor pool, as well as creative cooking in Cuvée 31 restaurant.

In business since 1685, this historic hostelry is five minutes from the cathedral and welcomes visitors with its cozy accommodations and venerable dining room. The restaurant's dining room produces sturdy traditional cuisine (trout, lemon sole, guinea fowl) and good-value prix-fixe menus.

A gracious welcome and infinite sea views greet you at this beachfront hotel, handsomely accented with a terra-cotta facade and stylish mansard roof. Tastefully decorated in pale earth tones, the guest rooms are bright, comfortable, and meant to harmonize with the sea and sky just outside your window or private terrace, should you be lucky enough to nab one of the six on offer; bathrooms are petite but modern and well equipped. Although meals are limited to a bountiful breakfast, a lovely café-bar area, overlooking an expanse of beach and sea, offers wines, teas, and coffees throughout the day. For active types, the famed La Digue promenade just in front is ideal for an early morning jog along the beach.

Right on Chinon's most charming square—a picture postcard come to life with a splashing fountain and a bevy of cafés—stands this agreeable inn, which has been housing guests since 1577. Many regional notables lodged here before the Revolution, when it became the Hôtel Lion d'Or, the first hostelry in the region. The wood-beam rooms are comfortable and cozy; some overlook two tiny, flowerpot-bedecked courtyards, while others take in views that include Chinon's fortress. The restaurant, Nemrod (closed Sunday and Monday), serves regional cuisine, and there's also a brasserie for lighter, less expensive fare.

On the a quiet backstreet, this hôtel de charme is actually a series of 16th-century houses rebuilt from ruins, replete with an extraordinary old garden. An elevator and state-of-the-art white-tile baths have been added, but Le Guilhem retains its original casement windows, slanting floors, and views toward the cathedral. Tiny garret-style rooms at the top are great if you're traveling alone; if not, ask for the largest available.

On Chartres' main square, not far from the cathedral, this Best Western Premier hotel in a converted coaching inn warmly evokes the 19th century; many guest rooms are outfitted with brick walls, attractive antiques, lush drapes, and modern bathrooms (the best are in a separate turn-of-the-20th-century building overlooking a garden, while the most atmospheric are tucked away in the attic). Downstairs, the stylishly decorated—and Michelin-starred—Georges Restaurant serves such delicacies as pheasant pie and offers prix-fixe menus. It's closed Sunday and Monday, but the hotel's brasserie La Cour is open daily.

Designed by the famed architect Auguste Perret, and located by the soothing waters of the Bassin de Commerce, this hotel's light, airy guest rooms have contemporary furniture and bathrooms; a few—like Room 63—have balconies and views of the port. Room service dining, in partnership with neighboring Italian, Japanese, and French restaurants, provides bistro-style dishes; the bar, a sleek and soigné sanctum in teak woods and designer fabrics, is inviting.

Established in 1880, the Dieppe remains up-to-date thanks to resolute management by five generations of the Guéret family who welcome guests to their fine restaurant and compact accommodations (Room 22 is the largest); all have modern color schemes, refurbished bathrooms, and flat-screen TVs. The restaurant, Café Victor, serves seasonal plates with an emphasis on fish, such as the sole meunière, but is best known for its pressed duckling, made using Michel Guéret's 1932 recipe—just be sure to reserve the dish 24 hours in advance. 

It's hard to know which is better: the charm of this small boutique hotel or its location, just steps from the Luxembourg Gardens. Renovated with care, the hotel has airy, pleasant rooms with nature themes. Book one of the rooms with a private terrace and you can enjoy breakfast or an evening drink overlooking neighboring rooftops. If you're planning a sudden trip to Paris, check the website for last-minute discounts on room rentals.

One of Lyon's historic hotels, this grand dame, elegantly sheathed in shades of pearly white with miles of gold and silver and pretty pale green and mauve accents, channels an Italian opulence. The creamy white-carpeted guestrooms tend to be more spacious than the usual Lyon hotel room. Facing the Rhône River near the Bellecour district, guests benefit from river views and a central location close to shopping, sights, dining, and transport. The spa boasts a pool (which can be privatized), sauna, steam room, and a full list of spa treatments. There's also a lovely Italian restaurant and bar.

Three blocks from Cours Mirabeau and the train station, this smart, spiffy, and cozily stylish hotel is a very handy option. Just a minute's stroll away is the Quartier Mazarin, an 18th-century district lined with some of Aix's most beautiful buildings and antiques shops. While the hotel is set on a busy avenue, noise and distractions disappear with just one foot inside the glowing red lobby, mightily warmed by the friendliness of staff. Upstairs, the guest rooms are stylishly contemporary with design lighting and comfy beds. A fitness and massage room are great for keeping in shape, and the Aix garden-courtyard has massive trees that would tempt Cézanne's own paintbrush—so try to book a room in the back to ignite your own imagination.

This boutique hotel on a cobbled old town street has 15th-century bones (it was once a private mansion) and a thoroughly contemporary spirit. Though much of its historical character was lost in the transition, you'll appreciate the comfortable, functional, amenities-filled rooms and the small but refreshing pool and sundeck. Enjoy an apéro on the rooftop terrace, which has stellar views of the cathedral and the town's pretty tiled rooftops.

With a Provençal-yellow facade, blue shutters, balustraded sea terrace, and pretty pastel guest rooms, Brise Marine embodies a picturesque Cap Ferrat hotel. Guest quarters are well maintained and feel like bedrooms in a private home—many have windows that provide views of the gorgeous peninsula, stunningly framed by statuesque palms. Spend the extra €60, and get a balcony.

In Vieux Troyes's topsy-turvy 16th-century former mint, this bargain find has a quaint inner courtyard and pleasant rooms. The \"comfort\" rooms might be too basic and small for some, but the \"charm\" category offers iron bedframes and authentic brick fireplaces. The largest room, on the second floor, is also one of the only ones with a bathtub.

Previously occupied by a prominent Marseille family, this 19th-century home now holds 20 beautifully designed accommodations. On the first floor there’s just one guest room in what was once the parlor, while the fourth floor is home to two that are sought after for their balconies. Each spacious room is unique, with brick walls, a high ceiling, and impeccably placed lighting. There’s a grand piano by the staircase just waiting for spontaneous fingers. A bountiful breakfast is served in the lounge, and you don't want to go elsewhere for Sunday brunch. Local chicsters join guests for a fun cocktail hour and a regular program of DJ nights, live jazz, and other hip musical moments, which can occur on any night of the week.

No-frills it may be, but this marine-theme beachfront hotel has everything you need for a more than agreeable stay, including comfortable, functional rooms—many with spacious balconies overlooking the sea—and friendly service that takes pains to assure your happiness. Expect a top-notch breakfast with fresh croissants, jams, fruit, cereals, and good coffee (and delightful Looney-Tunes cartoons projected silently on the wall). At lunch and dinner, the restaurant serves a limited menu of high-quality potted dishes and serviceable pizzas. There’s a nice bar, too, with specialty cocktails. 

This idyllic, palm-shaded 19th-century town house surrounded by a leafy garden feels like an oasis in often-tumultuous Collioure. The main building is more charming than the annex, but all rooms are comfortable and tastefully appointed; if you'd rather relax outdoors, the hotel has its own pool and is just a five-minute walk from the water's edge.

This family-run hotel and restaurant over the Nive is a vintage venue (note the 200-year-old oak staircase)—it's also the best value in town. The owners speak Basque, Spanish, French, English, and some German, so communicating is rarely a problem. The cuisine is nourishing, especially the lamb and duck breast.

Though the clean-lined, contemporary interior of this 17th-century, stone-faced, wine-producing mansion may not speak to everyone, the vines growing right up to the property, the luxury rooms, and the sommelier's dream of a wine cellar (with more than 200 different Champagnes alone) are definite inducements. The château's own cru bourgeois is a wine worth getting to know over dinner at the hotel's superb partner-bistro, Café Lavinal, a few steps from the front door.

With princely opulence, overstuffed chairs, wall sconces, and antiques, this family-owned château and its elegant 18th-century facade fulfill the Hollywood notion of a palatial property. Guest Rooms 19 and 20 have peaked ceilings with exposed wood beams, and the enchanting restaurant has white wainscoting, crystal chandeliers, and gilt accents. One unexpected offering is a 750-square-foot luxury tree-house suite, complete with air-conditioning, bathroom with bathtub, and a terrace overlooking the gardens. At Le Séran, chef Samuel Gaspar highlights local ingredients in dishes like Culoiseau chicken with local morels and wild garlic or scallops with spinach and sorrel, which are complemented by an extensive wine list.