6 Best Hotels in Toulouse and the Languedoc, France

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.

Original hardwood floors and conservatively fine interiors make a night at Castell Rose feel like staying with a modern-day French bourgeois family. Complete with tennis courts, swimming pool, and pretty gardens, the atmosphere is genteel yet welcoming—and just a 10-minute walk from Prades' city center. Breakfast is included.

On a sprawling wine estate, far from Carcassonne's madding crowd, this serene retreat is owned by ever-hospitable hosts who happily share their best vintages and fine countryside lifestyle with guests. Self-catering accommodations are in cottages, including one cozy retreat for two, some that sleep 2–4, and a couple that are ideal for large family groups and sleep 8–10. They're decorated in neutral tones and accented with exposed barn beams and lime-washed plaster walls; the 314 surrounding acres are wrapped in rolling hills with grapevines and a few olive groves. 

With its central lower city location, this hotel isn't only handy to Carcassonne's shops, restaurants, and nightlife; it also has special touches that belie the sweet prices here—many guest rooms feature Louis XV-style and Louis XVI-style  furniture, some of it genuine. Rooms on the second floor are more 19th-century romantic, with gilt-iron bedsteads under sloping oak beams.

Founded in 1734, this eminently comfortable hotel in the center of town is one of the oldest in France and has been run by the same family for five generations (note the Toulouse-Lautrec sketches given to the owner's great-grandfather, a friend of the painter). Modern renovations have brought everything up to speed in terms of comfort. Room 30 has a pleasing view of the garden; pristine white furnishings give it a spacious feel.

Don't let the bland street-front facade of this late-1800s town house deter you—inside, the renovated interior mixes stately original attributes with contemporary edges, and natural light spills in from the quiet gardens and terrace with front-row views of snowcapped Mont Canigou. Although all four rooms are spacious and combine modern style with nice antique details, the upstairs Terrace Suite stands out with its glassed-in Florida room and outdoor terrace.