France can be visited in many ways, and your choices will determine the type of vacation you have. There are many different types of accommodations in France and we list the main options below.
We hope that it will help you think about what you really expect from your trip to France and choose the type of accommodation that suits you best.
French Bed & Breakfast accommodation
Our favorite type of accommodation in France is the chambres d’hotes - premium Bed and Breakfasts. While staying in these French B&Bs, you will have the opportunity to meet and interact with French people and better understand the French culture.
You will enjoy breakfast and spend some time with your hosts and other travelers in a warm and familial atmosphere. French B&B accommodation is a lovely way to meet the locals while enjoying a very nice and unique type of accommodation.
It’s also the best value for money to visit all the different regions of France today. For our travelers comfort, we only select premium B&Bs in France, with the nicest rooms, private bathrooms, and in the best locations. To read more about how we select the B&Bs we work with, see our selection process.
Boutique Hotels
These are smaller hotels normally with 15 to 30 rooms. The small number of employees gives a 'family atmosphere', and they are helpful and available for our travelers. The decoration of the boutique hotel we have selected in Paris is charming and lovely, and usually specific to each room.
We organize stays in boutique hotels in Paris, perfectly located to explore the capital city of France while having a pleasant pied a terre. The reception desk will also be here to assist you in booking a taxi, restaurants or any other practical aspect of the trip. We personally know the receptionists and we will be in touch with them if anything should happen.
Hotel Chains in France
The most common hotel chains in France are owned by Accor group. Along your way in France you will see Best Western, Ibis, Première Classe or Novotel. They guarantee a good level of service with an identical decoration, room layout and continental breakfasts throughout the entire world.
The only place where we will suggest staying at a hotel chain is at Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport because it is the only type of accommodation available. For our travelers, we have selected only two hotels at Paris CDG Airport: a 4-star and a 5-star hotel. We want our dear travelers to spend their last night in France in the most pleasant place possible.
5 star Luxury Hotels in France
According to Atout France - the government entity that provides all tourism accreditations in France - there are 16 Luxury Hotels in the whole of France.
Eight of them are in Paris:
- the George V, Royal Monceau, Shangri-La, Le Bristol Hotel, and the Plaza Athénée are near the Champs Elysées-Eiffel tower district
- the Park Hyatt Vendôme, Hotel Meurice, and the Mandarin Oriental are located in the very center of Paris, near the Louvre
The eight other 5-star luxury hotels in France are located on the Riviera, in the Alps, and in Biarritz:
- On the French Riviera: La Réserve Ramatuelle, le Château de la Messardière, and Hotel Byblos are in the Saint Tropez area. Le Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat is near Nice.
- Three are in Courchevel, a very trendy ski resort in the Alps: K2 Hotel, Les Airelles and Le Cheval Blanc.
- the last one is on the Atlantic coast in Biarritz: Hotel du Palais
These luxury hotels have their own customer base coming from all around the world and they do offer the most sophisticated quality of service. However, they might not be the best place to interact with French people. Also, of course, prices are sky rocketing and are not really in line with the type of itineraries we design.
Apartment Rental in Paris
If you want to experience Paris like a Parisian, apartment rental in Paris can be a great option. For our tours we will select an apartment according to your wishes. In terms of price, it is usually better to stay in a hotel if you only plan to spend around three nights in Paris. For more than four nights, or if you are two or three couples traveling together, apartment rental in Paris is a great option to consider.
Gites - Vacation cottage rentals
Out in the French countryside, you will often find gites, which are like vacation rentals or cottage rentals. They are lovely houses usually to rent for an entire week from Saturday to Saturday. This does not always suit our travelers’ needs. Renting a gite house offers the independence and freedom to cook your own meals, but you won't have much interaction with the gite’s owner (as you do in French B&Bs). The owner of the place will only meet you when you arrive to give you the keys and at departure for check out.
The main disadvantage of gites or vacations rentals is that travelers have to stay in the same house for an entire week. We prefer to offer two different accommodations in a region to reduce the driving time necessary for exploring.
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We keep working hard for our travelers to have the best experience in France.
