7 Best Hotels in Avignon, Provence

Once you get beyond the residential surroundings, an oasis of splendid gardens, indoor and outdoor pools, a full-service spa and fitness room, an excellent gastronomic restaurant, and an old-world welcome await. The country-elegant rooms in the 1850s farmhouse are bright and airy with ample bathrooms (some with bath and shower) and all the modern amenities. For the full experience, ask for a room with a terrace overlooking the garden. A dozen suites also are available. Although it's outside the city center, Avignon's sights are within an easy 10-minute bus or car ride, and, for this caliber of hotel, you might opt for tranquility over convenience.

You might not guess that this friendly, family-run, shabby-chic hotel, convenient to both the train station and the Palais des Papes, is a budget option. It's full of welcoming touches like vintage art and colorful linens, and it's comfortable, functional, and easy on the wallet.

This classic, vine-covered 16th-century home once hosted Emperor Maximilian (as well as Victor Hugo and Napoléon Bonaparte), and some of its guest rooms are emperor size. Regally discreet, it is notable for its walled, tree-shaded courtyard and an interior filled with Aubusson tapestries, porcelain, and Provençal antiques. Rooms are not state-of-the-art and can seem more than a little grandmotherly, but it's all part of the old-world experience. Two suites have views onto the Papal Palace. The highly acclaimed restaurant, La Vieille Fontaine, is among Avignon's best.

Perfectly situated in a historic building that's a short walk from Avignon's principal attractions, this chic boutique hotel has quiet, colorful, beautifully designed rooms with every amenity, ample bathrooms, and plenty of closet space; some rooms also have a balcony or a fireplace. The on-site wine bar is a fine place to sample the regional Rhône wines before heading out on the town. 

A romantic's dream of a hotel, this petit palais enables you to step into 18th-century Avignon—complete with painted coffered ceilings, precious antiques, extraordinary handmade wall coverings, and beautiful Asian rugs. Guest rooms, most with views of the palace, are both gorgeous and comfy, with extraordinary marble baths. Six stunning rooms in a separate garden building are lavishly decorated in the Empire style. The central lounge is a skylighted and jazz-warmed haven, while the costume-drama dining room is the perfect setting for the restaurant's sophisticated Michelin-starred cuisine, the best in Avignon under chef Florent Pietravalle. If you have the time, take advantage of the hotel's cooking classes conducted in its well-stocked, 18th-century, vaulted kitchens, or partake one of the classical music nights, with chamber music and gourmet delights.

One of Avignon's loveliest hotels is in an 18th-century mansion not far from the Palais des Papes and set amid lush gardens with towering plane trees, flowers, and palms, as well as a koi pond, swimming pool, and spa pavilion. Splendid antiques and contemporary art and design (including 200 paintings) create a setting that's as opulent and luxurious as it is witty and poetic.

Two minutes from the famous Avignon bridge, this contemporarily decorated B&B offers a rooftop terrace view of the palace but also tranquility away from the noisy palace streets. Opaque glass metal doors open into clean and bright guest rooms, with white bedding, white paint, and white furniture, with artwork providing bursts of color. Your friendly hosts offer all the amenities of a hotel, such as soaps, slippers, a welcome bottle of water, and a candy dish at the door, as well as a tasty breakfast (included) on the terrace or by the fireplace off-season.