A night in a resolutely design hotel? An unforgettable experience on board a barge? A stay in a charming bed and breakfast? Don't worry, the offer is large in Nantes and there is inevitably your happiness in this article.
In the first part, we will briefly present the neighborhoods we recommend for your stay, and then our narrowed down selection of hotels where you can sleep according to your expectations.
In the second part, we will present you in detail our 12 favorite hotels and finally we will propose you a complete tour of the districts where it is good to sleep in Nantes.
Our selection is made independently, based on our experience and research. When we stay in a hotel, we remain anonymous and pay in full.
The essential to know where to stay in Nantes
Why spend at least one night in Nantes
The city of Nantes is one of the most dynamic in western France and the 6th largest city in France by population. For a long time an industrial and port city, it reinvented itself at the end of the 20th century by focusing on culture and digital technology.
As a result, the city is young, colorful and ultra-creative! But it hasn't wiped the slate clean of its glorious past for all that. The shipowners' houses, although leaning, are still standing. The yellow crane of the shipyard still stands proudly, even though it sees a strange elephant of wood and metal pass by every day. LU is not only the acronym of Lefèvre-Utile (the founder of the famous LU cookies brand) but also of Lieu Unique (a contemporary art museum)!
The hotel offer is quite logically in the image of the city: plethoric, creative, resolutely urban or borrowed from the glorious history of the city. There is inevitably your happiness to spend a beautiful night in Nantes!
The best areas to stay in Nantes - map
We invite you to read in detail about the neighborhoods below (with their pros and cons), but if your schedule is tight, we'll tell you the basics right now:
- Bouffay district: the historical district of Nantes and the most lively
- Downtown: the most architecturally appealing and close to everything
- Erdre district: the most connected to nature in the city
- Graslin district: the most affluent district with the most beautiful restaurants
When to book your hotel
Nantes is both a tourist city and a city that hosts many conferences and events. Remember to book early enough (at least 1 month in advance) to have the choice and the best prices: I check the available hotels for my dates without waiting.
Other tips to keep in mind
- Throughout the downtown area, don't expect to be able to park without paying. If you don't want to add to your hotel bill, you'll have to leave your car near the ring road and take the streetcar.
- The traffic in the city center of Nantes is just nightmarish while the public transport network(3 tramway lines, 2 bus lines, 2 river shuttle lines, 43 bus lines...) is particularly efficient.
- The Nantes airport is close to the city center, which you will appreciate when you arrive, but which you will find much less pleasant when the air corridor passes over your hotel (especially on Sunday evening). As everything depends on the wind, we cannot help you to avoid this noise nuisance. We recommend crossing your fingers and buying earplugs!
- Like all cities that have grown rapidly, the city of Nantes has some security problems, especially in the Bouffay and Ile Feydau districts. Be careful!
- The weather in Nantes is, to say the least, changeable. Do not leave your hotel without taking precautions!
A LITTLE MORE patience
All the photos, maps, information, good addresses to make your stay in the Loire Valley a success, will soon be gathered in a single ebook!
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The best hotels in Nantes
The 3 best hotels in Nantes (our favorites)
- Luxury: Sozo Hotel (Station area) - see pictures and availability
- Unusual: The River House - Carpe Diem Barge (Peripheral - Erdre) - see photos and availability
- Good value for money: Coeur de Loire (Talensac district) - see photos and availability
The most romantic hotels in Nantes
- Even if you don't want to do your movie for him, offer him the favorite hotel of the stars shooting in Nantes (Jean Marais, Mireille Darc, Jacques Demy...): Hôtel de France - Océania (Graslin district) - see photos and availability.
- Big desire for cocooning and to feel like at home: Hotel Maison du Monde (downtown area) - see photos and availability.
- What could be better than a church for a wedding proposal: Sozo Hotel (Station district) - see pictures and availability.
The quietest hotels in Nantes
- Great silence in the heart of this old stone and marble courthouse: Radisson Blu Nantes (Graslin district) - See photos, prices and availability.
- And if you go in the middle of nature, while remaining 20 minutes from the center of Nantes: Hotel de la Régate - see photos and availability.
- In a city dotted with waterways, what could be more logical (and calm) than to sleep on a barge along the Erdre river: Carpe Diem barge (Peripheral district - Erdre) - see photos and availability.
The closest hotels to the best restaurants in Nantes
- For the most beautiful hotel-restaurant combo in Nantes, choose the wonderful table of the Manoir de la Regate and the adjoining Best Western Plus - La Régate hotel - see photos and availability.
- Want to try one of the beautiful brasseries of the Place Graslin, including the famous Cigale with its breathtaking art nouveau decor, choose the hotel Voltaire Opéra Nantes Centre - See photos and availability.
- New district = new table, stay at the tip of the island of Nantes to discover resolutely creative tables (Lulu Rouget, le 1...): chambre d'hôte de l'île de Nantes - See photos and availability.
Cheap hotels in Nantes
- If you want to reconcile low prices and agreat experience, we particularly liked this large 1930's house with a family atmosphere and carefully decorated: Hôtel cœur de Loire - See photos and availability.
In Nantes, it is still possible to combine cheap hotels with accommodation that is neither too out of the way nor without charm. Our selection:
- Hotel Abat-Jour (Station district) - see, prices, photos and availability.
- Hotel Saint Yves (Erdre district) - see, prices, photos and availability.
- Hotel le Cambrone (Downtown area) - see, prices, photos and availability.
- Hotel Le lieu-dit (10 minutes from Graslin district) - see, prices, photos and availability.
OUR TIPS FOR RENTING A CAR IN Loire
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars - one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a fairly compact car (many villages have narrowed the road).
- Think aboutfull insurance (parking in big cities is really tight).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
1. Sozo Hotel
Why stay at Sozo Hotel?
Sleeping in an old 19th century chapel with stained glass windows and vaulted ceilings? While enjoying the modern comforts of a 4 star hotel? All this at 2 steps from the magnificent and rich garden of plants of the city of Nantes and from the railway station?
As you can see, we really appreciated the experience of this night at the Sozo Hotel, between radical modernity and solemnity of the place...
Practical information
- Neighborhood: Station
- Type: Unusual
- Price range: 4 stars
- Restaurant: no
- Family rooms: no
- Facilities: sauna, hammam, ice room and sensory shower
- Parking: yes
- See photos, prices and availability - and book!
Read more
- read our complete article about our night at the Sozo Hotel in Nantes (review + photos)
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2. Radisson Blu Hotel
Why stay at the Radisson Blu Hotel?
The result of a long renovation project, the Radisson Blu in Nantes has occupied the former courthouse since 2014. This imposing neoclassical building built in 1851 is ideally located, relatively quiet, even though it is adjacent to the downtown area.
The decoration of the common parts is grandiose, you will take a glass in the old room of the not lost where so many litigants waited for their verdict. Breakfast is taken in the old Assize room, but from now on it is the light and the luxury that are called for. A real success that we owe to the interior architect and designer Jean Phillipe Nuel.
Practical information
- Neighborhood: downtown
- Type: Luxury
- Price range: 4 stars
- Restaurant: yes
- Family rooms: yes
- Parking: yes
- See photos, prices and availability - and book!
Read more
- read our complete article about our night at the Blu Radisson Nantes (review + photos)
PLAN YOUR STAY IN Nantes
Itineraries
Visits
3. Hotel de France Oceania
Why stay at the Hotel de France Oceania?
In the prestigious and commercial street Crebillon, near the Graslin square, hides in a beautiful building of the XVIIIth century, the hotel of France Oceania. This must-see hotel in Nantes had fallen asleep over the years, and it took all the know-how (and investments) of the Breton brand Océania to restore its former glory.
The decoration mixes the essentials of the big provincial hotels (chandelier, parquet floor and imposing lights), with design touches which wake up and lighten the atmosphere, without denaturing it.
Practical information
- Neighborhood: Downtown
- Type: Luxury
- Price range: 4 stars
- Restaurant: no
- Family rooms: yes
- Parking: no
- Facilities: fitness room
- See photos, prices and availability - and book!
Read more
- read our complete article about our night at the Hotel de France Océania (review + photos)
4. Okko Hotel
Why stay at Okko Hotel?
Particularly well located at 2 steps from the castle of the Dukes of Brittany, in the immediate vicinity of the city center, this 4-star hotel offers you the best of the contemporary urban hotel experience.
First born of the group, it wants to dust off the codes of the hotel chains, by proposing to its guests to adopt the Okko life style for one night. All this in a very refined setting, with a neat design that we did not find invasive.
Practical information
- District: Bouffay
- Type: Luxury
- Price range: 4 stars
- Restaurant: no
- Family rooms: no
- Parking: yes
- See photos, prices and availability - and book!
Read more
5. Maisons du Monde Hotel
Why sleep at the Maisons du Monde hotel?
When a major decorating brand, well known to the French, enters the hotel business, the result is Maisons du Monde hotels. We found the atmosphere that made the success of the brand, dark colors, thick fabrics, and neo-colonial style energized by zany touches. The rooms are themed to offer a different experience for each stay!
The hotel is located in the heart of the city center, in an old building, 2 steps from the famous Passage Pommeraye and close to many restaurants.
Practical information
- Neighborhood: Downtown
- Type: Luxury
- Price range: 4 stars
- Restaurant: no
- Family rooms: yes
- Parking: no
- See photos, prices and availability - and book!
Read more
- read our complete article about our night at the Maisons du Monde Hotel (review + photos)
PLAN YOUR TRIP IN
Loire Valley
The castles of the Loire Valley
- Discover our selection of the most beautiful castles of the Loire Valley
- Where to go to visit the castles of the Loire Valley - article to come
Cities and villages
- Visit the beautiful cities along the Loire River
- Stroll under the charm of the villages of the Loire Valley
- Choose from the best things to do in Nantes
Practice
6. Best Western Plus Hotel de la Regate - Erdre
Why stay at the Best Western - Hotel de la Regate?
If you feel like a green stopover without going too far from Nantes, the Best Western Plus - hotel de la Regate is a good solution.
Ideally located on the banks of the Erdre River, the hotel is only 20 minutes away from the center of Nantes (excluding traffic jams). The rooms are decorated with great care and everything is done to make you enjoy this soothing setting.
Cherry on the cake, the hotel is close to 2 beautiful restaurants in Nantes, the Auberge du vieux Gachet and the Manoir de la Regate held by the young starred chef Mathieu Pérou.
Practical information
- Neighborhood: Périphérique/Erdre
- Type: luxury
- Price range: 4 stars
- Restaurant: no
- Family rooms: yes
- Facilities: terrace, activities and massage on request
- Parking: yes
- See photos, prices and availability - and book!
7. La Rivière House - Péniche Carpe Diem
Why stay at the River House?
Moored on the Erdre River, about 20 minutes by car from downtown Nantes, the barge carpe-diem invites you to come aboard for a great experience.
Even though the weather was not great, we loved the beautiful common room, nicely decorated and flooded with light, with the river as our only horizon. On sunny days you can easily picnic on the deck!
The rooms adopt the codes of the marine decoration with small points of humor that we particularly appreciated.
Practical information
- Neighborhood: Erdre/Périphérique
- Type: unusual
- Price range: 3 stars
- Restaurant: no
- Family rooms: no
- Facilities: terrace, activities and massage on request
- Parking: yes
- See photos, prices and availability - and book!
Do not
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8. Hotel Voltaire Opera Nantes Centre
Why stay at the hotel Voltaire Opéra Nantes Centre?
This traditional hotel is located near Place Graslin, slightly set back from the city center. Its owners have worked abroad in large hotel chains before opening their own place.
The atmosphere is warm and the decoration of the common areas pleasant (we liked the points of philosophical humor of Voltaire). A friendly address where you can easily feel good!
Practical information
- District: Graslin
- Type: Traditional
- Price range: 3 stars
- Restaurant: no
- Family rooms: yes
- Parking: no
- See photos, prices and availability - and book!
9. Hotel Coeur de Loire
Why stay at the Coeur de Loire hotel?
This elegant 1930's house is located on a quiet street 15 minutes walk from downtown.
We liked the friendly atmosphere of the hotel, its decoration particularly well done for a 2 star hotel, the breakfast in the veranda, facing the garden.
We felt like we were in a big family house in Nantes full of guests!
Practical information
- Neighborhood: Talensac
- Type: traditional
- Price range: 2 stars
- Restaurant: no
- Family rooms: no
- Equipment: indoor garden
- Parking: no
- See photos, prices and availability - and book!
10. L'Hôtel
Why sleep in a hotel?
This traditional hotel, near the Nantes train station, makes a difference with its rooms that offer a beautiful view of the Dukes of Brittany castle.
But the show is not only outside, the owners have tried to give a unique spirit to each of the 33 rooms through a contemporary and warm decoration.
Practical information
- Neighborhood: Station
- Type: traditional
- Price range: 3 stars
- Restaurant: no
- Family rooms: yes
- Equipment:
- Parking: yes
- See photos, prices and availability - and book!
11. Bed and Breakfast on the Island of Nantes
Why sleep in a bed and breakfast on the island of Nantes?
If you want to sleep on the island of Nantes, you may find yourself in an apartment hotel. Even if some are very comfortable, it lacks a little character for our taste.
With this bed and breakfast ideally located near the machines, in the most interesting part of the island of Nantes, you can have 2 rooms in a bright and well equipped apartment.
Practical information
- District: île de Nantes
- Type: Bed and Breakfast
- Price range: 3 stars
- Restaurant: no
- Family rooms: yes
- Facilities: outdoor dining area
- Parking: yes
- See photos, prices and availability - and book
12. La suite de l'Abbaye Nantes
Why sleep at the Nantes Abbey suite?
The Chantenay district offers a truly different experience of life in Nantes. The Abbey Suite is a nice bed and breakfast that will make you appreciate it.
The studio is well arranged, bright and we love the terrace! The "indus" decoration, which gives pride of place to wood and metal, is a tribute to the working class soul of the neighborhood.
Practical information
- Neighborhood: Chantenay
- Type: bed and breakfast
- Price range: 3 stars
- Restaurant: no
- Family rooms: no
- Facilities: terrace, activities and massage on request
- Parking: yes
- See photos, prices and availability - and book!
Other options: Appart'hotel, chain and camping in Nantes
Appart'hotel
Like all major French cities, Nantes also has a large choice of Appart'hotels, ideal for medium-term family stays. Some of them are really well placed and very comfortable. For example:
- Serven Urban Suite (Île de Nantes area) - view, prices, pictures and availability
- Residhome Nantes Berges de Loire (Station area) - see, prices, pictures and availability
- Citadines Confluent Nantes (near the Ile de Nantes district) - view, prices, pictures and availability
Other hotels to consider
They have less charm in our eyes, but these chain hotels are also solid choices, depending on what you are looking for:
- Best western Hotel Graslin (Graslin district) - see, prices, pictures and availability
- Ibis Style Nantes Centre Gare (Gare district) - view, prices, pictures and availability
- Mercure Nantes Centre Grand Hotel (Downtown area) - view, prices, pictures and availability
Camping in Nantes
If you want to camp near Nantes, you have the choice :
- Nantes-camping (Peripheral neighborhood - near Erdre)
- Camping Belle Rivière (Saint Luce sur Loire - east of Nantes - 12km from downtown)
- Camping du chêne (Saint Julien-de-Concelles, east of Nantes - 20km from downtown)
The districts where to sleep in Nantes
As promised, we now take you on a walk through the districts of the city of Nantes where it is good to sleep. We will quickly travel the city from east to west, and visit the most touristic areas, with their advantages and (unfortunately) their disadvantages!
Station district
In Nantes, unlike many French cities, the Gare district is neither unpleasant nor far from everything.
Benefits:
- Close to the train station
- Directly connected to Nantes airport by shuttle bus
- Numerous parking lots
- Car rental companies
- Hyper-accessible by public transport
- Close to the Jardin des Plantes, where it's so nice to walk, and the Musée des Beaux-Arts, which makes your brain go wild
- 5 minutes from Lieu Unique, 10 minutes from the castle of the Dukes of Brittany
Disadvantages:
- Limited restaurant offer
- 20 minutes walk from the hyper center
- Not the most lively of Nantes' neighborhoods
Our favorite hotel in the station area: Sozo Hotel - see photos, prices and availability
Bouffay district
The historic district of the city, with its narrow streets, its historic houses, some dating back to the Middle Ages.
Benefits:
- Interesting architecture: half-timbered facades, ashlar buildings...
- Ultra-vibrant downtown district
- A plethora of bars, restaurants and shops
- Proximity of the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany and the Cathedral (currently under construction)
- Well served by public transport and quite close to the station.
Disadvantages:
- Not always the quietest to sleep...
- Hotels often have to deal with the constraints of medieval urbanism (size of the rooms, luminosity...)
- Many paved streets not always easy to walk on, especially with a suitcase
- Traffic and parking nightmare.
Our favorite hotel in the Bouffay district: Okko Hotel - see photos, prices and availability
Erdre district
This neighborhood is currently being transformed and attracts a number of Nantes families. It follows the course of the Erdre River, going up to the ring road at the level of the Beaujoire stadium and going down to the Cathedral.
Benefits:
- The banks of the Erdre are lively in the evening (ideal for a drink) and very pleasant to walk around by day (on foot or by electric boat).
- A neighborhood that is much more natural than the downtown areas, with 3 remarkable parks that cover more than 30 hectares.
- Much easier parking than downtown.
PLAN YOUR TRIP IN
Loire Valley
The castles of the Loire Valley
- Discover our selection of the most beautiful castles of the Loire Valley
- Where to go to visit the castles of the Loire Valley - article to come
Cities and villages
- Visit the beautiful cities along the Loire River
- Stroll under the charm of the villages of the Loire Valley
- Choose from the best things to do in Nantes
Practice
Disadvantages:
- The hotels and the urbanism in general lack charm (but there are still small treasures preserved).
- The district being less touristy, the rhythms of life can clash between inhabitants and visitors.
- Although the neighborhood is connected by streetcar bus to the city center, the transportation offer is less dense.
- Depending on the location you choose, it takes between 20 and 40 minutes to reach the city center.
Our favorite hotel in Erdre : La Rivière house - Carpe Diem barge - see photos, prices and availability
Talensac district
The Talensac market and its food halls color the atmosphere of this nice district of Nantes.
Benefits:
- High density of food trades, between the food halls and the numerous restaurants. Ideal to discover the gastronomy of Nantes!
- A real neighborhood atmosphere punctuated by market hours. It is good to stroll and hunt on the stands or in the antique shops ...
- Accessible by car, but parking and traffic can be a bit difficult.
Disadvantages:
- Who says market, says morning awakening and gouaille of the salesmen...
- Once the market closes, the area becomes quite quiet, with the population migrating to the livelier streets of downtown.
Our favorite hotel in Talensac: the Coeur de Loire hotel - see photos, prices and availability
Feydeau district
The Feydeau district used to be an island, and is now an integral part of downtown Nantes. Be aware while walking through the small streets, that the arms of the river have been definitively filled in only in 1946!
Benefits:
- A preserved architectural unity, with an eighteenth-century building and the famous shipowners' houses that seem to want to return to the sea
- Very nice restaurants and bars
- Immediate proximity to the city center and all the monuments of Nantes
- Very well connected to the public transport network
Disadvantages:
- Limited hotel supply that must be adapted to the constraints of historic buildings.
- The streets are quite narrow and the accommodations can be dark.
- The neighborhood is often very noisy at night and has experienced security problems.
- Mostly pedestrian area with cobblestone streets, not ideal with a suitcase.
- Only paid parking is available in the vicinity.
Our favorite hotel in Feydeau : the Coeur de Feydeau apartment - Kerveguan - see photos, prices and availability
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Downtown District
Cut in 2 by the course of the 50 hostages under which flowed a lower part of the Loire, the city center is a network of large majestic squares (Royale, Bouffay, Commerce, Graslin...) connected by very lively streets.
Benefits:
- Many bars, restaurants and shops.
- Wide streets and squares that allow you to breathe the invigorating air of the Atlantic.
- Many beautiful buildings, in very good condition and well valued.
- Proximity of all the monuments to visit in Nantes.
- Very well served by the public transport network
Disadvantages:
- Very little access by car and the parking lots are not free.
- The downtown streets are very busy, especially on Saturdays.
- When the wind blows, the wide streets can become an inconvenience...
Our favorite hotel in the Downtown area: the Maisons du Monde hotel - see photos, prices and availability
Graslin district
To the west of Place Graslin, a nice neighborhood that hesitates between downtown and residential area.
Benefits:
- Relatively quiet area.
- Accessible by car, although parking is difficult.
- Close to downtown.
- Some nice shopping streets approaching the Graslin square.
Disadvantages:
- Less well served by public transportation.
- Some streets are important traffic axes, source of noise pollution.
- Neighborhood much less lively, especially in the evening.
Our favorite hotel near the Graslin district: Radisson Blu Hotel - see photos, prices and availability
Île de Nantes district
The big island in the heart of the city. Once dedicated to industrial activity, it has become the economic lung of the city, attracting many digital players, but also a large cultural and creative center embodied by the machines of the Island and their famous elephant.
Benefits:
- Bordered on all sides by the Loire River and open to the ocean, you can really breathe the sea air.
- Recently built, it is generally easier to get around than downtown.
- Parking is abundant (but not free).
- For fans of contemporary architecture, the island of Nantes is a real laboratory of what is best (and worst) at the moment in terms of buildings.
- The tip of the island is particularly representative of the city's evolution. You can have a drink along the Loire River while enjoying the Buren rings.
Disadvantages:
- The island is still under construction, the life and the atmosphere are still to be invented. It still lacks a bit of soul.
- The restaurant offer is still a bit limited, especially in the evening.
- Without being far, it will take you 15 minutes to reach the city center.
Our favorite hotel in the Ile de Nantes area: the bed and breakfast on the Ile de Nantes - see photos, prices and availability
OUR TIPS FOR RENTING A CAR IN Loire
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars - one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a fairly compact car (many villages have narrowed the road).
- Think aboutfull insurance (parking in big cities is really tight).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
Chantenay district
On the butte Sainte-Anne, in the district of Chantenay, one takes a little height on the Loire and the city. This former rebellious working-class neighborhood has become largely gentrified and is home to many families from Nantes.
Benefits:
- Very quiet and residential area.
- The charm of the steep streets and the old workers' houses.
- The pleasure of walking between the Jules Verne museum and the extraordinary garden.
- Traffic and parking are easier than in the city center.
Disadvantages:
- A little away from the city center, it will take you a good 20 minutes to reach it by foot.
- When you think of a hill, you think of sloping streets, which you should avoid if you don't like stairs.
- The offer of bars and restaurants is quite limited.
Our favorite hotel in Chantenay : La suite de l'Abbaye - see photos, prices and availability
Nantes ring road
The city of Nantes is not a finistere, it is surrounded by a ring road that goes all around it. And as is often the case in France, many hotels have been set up nearby, for travelers passing through. But with the geography of Nantes, there are also good surprises for those who are looking for a little greenery.
Benefits:
- An abundant offer of hotels in all budgets.
- Easy access by car and parking.
- Standardized comfort without the risk of bad surprises.
Disadvantages:
- You will have to take the car to discover the city of Nantes.
- Sometimes quite noisy.
- The rooms are often impersonal.
Our favorite hotel near the ring road: Best Western Plus - La Régate - see photos, prices and availability
FOR QUALITY ADVICE
Support us
Do you enjoy all the free content you find on our blog, without intrusive ads?
Our independence, the only guarantee of qualitytips, is partly based on your generosity!
We offer you to give us a coffee (or several) in the hope of sharing it with you one day in person!
