Hotels in France

As the most visited country in the world, it is no wonder that there are about as many different hotel choices in France as types of cheese. Whether you are looking for a luxury hotel, a boutique hotel with a lot of character, a bed and breakfast or a budget hotel–France certainly has a wide-range of options within each of these categories.

Peak Season
It’s pretty obvious that hotels are going to cost you a lot more when there is a lot of demand for rooms–and in Europe those are the summer months. Because most cities and resorts have high season and low season, it’s quite easy to save money if you decide to travel during the off season.

Autumn is generally off season in France. If you want to go skiing, prices at ski reasons are at their lowest right before Christmas; that’s because the snow is not guaranteed and it can be really cold. Another off season in the mountains is March and April.

Spring, however, is peak season for visiting Paris. The weather is warmer than in other parts of Europe and prices are affordable. Summer is peak season on French Riviera. Winter holidays are quite popular in the cities so expect some high prices around Christmas and New Year’s.

Prices

Practically, the closer you are to the tourist attractions, the higher the prices will be. But with a great transportation system existent in most of the French cities, it’s easy to choose a hotel located further from the attractions, hence saving money on accommodation, and taking the metro or tram to the center of the town.

Booking in advance doesn’t guarantee lower prices but as the peak season approaches it will be harder to find available rooms.

In the center of Paris (District 1), for a double room in a 2 star hotel expect to pay about €70 per night. In the same district, a double room in a 4 star hotel can cost up to €300 per night. If you decide to stay in a 2 star hotel around the city, prices are lower and you will pay about €90 per night per double room.

If you are heading for French Riviera during summer and want to stay in Nice, for a double room in a 2 star hotel you’ll pay about €80 per night, while for a double room in a 4 star hotel you’ll pay about €200. Contrary to what many people would think, Nice is not that expensive when it comes to accommodation. During the off season -spring- you can easily find accommodation at €70 per room per night in a double room, in a 2 star hotel.