Stays in Annecy

Les Jardins du Chateau is a three-bedroom city apartment in Annecy with two bathrooms and a fully equipped kitchen, which gives a family plenty of room and makes mornings easier. The private terrace and the garden give children space outside. The Château d'Annecy is a minute's walk away, so the old town and its sights are on the doorstep. WiFi is free. As a self-catering apartment, it has no restaurant or reception services listed, so meals are prepared in or taken out.

La Chapelle is a 4-star hotel in Annecy with family rooms that have a private bathroom, air-conditioning and free WiFi. The buffet breakfast includes local specialities and gluten-free options, which helps families with dietary needs. Children can spend time in the garden or on the terrace, and a lift makes pushchairs and luggage easy. The 24-hour front desk is useful for late arrivals. Parking is private but off-site and paid, so families arriving by car should allow for that.

Hôtel La Cour du 6 in Annecy offers air-conditioned family rooms with private bathrooms and city views, served by a lift. The restaurant cooks French cuisine, there is a coffee shop, and room service helps on tired evenings with children. The front desk is open 24 hours. An ice-skating rink and boating are close by, two easy outings with children. I recommend it to families who want a well-rated three-star in Annecy with dinner on site.

Allobroges Park Hôtel is a short walk from Annecy Château and the lake, and for a family wanting to explore the old town on foot I would see it as a well-placed base. Rooms are soundproofed and air-conditioned, which helps children sleep in the centre during summer, and some have exposed beams. The summer terrace is pleasant for a break. With a bar open around the clock the mood leans adult. An 8.9 score over nearly 3,000 reviews is excellent.

A terrace with views of the lake and the mountains sets the tone at Le Pélican, a 4-star hotel in Annecy that works well for families. The seasonal outdoor pool is a favourite with children in summer, and the family rooms are air-conditioned with private bathrooms. The modern restaurant serves French and European cuisine, so dinner is easy after a day around the lake. Free Wi-Fi covers the whole property, pets are welcome, and nearly 5,000 reviews average 8.9.

Rivage Hôtel & Spa Annecy is a four-star hotel that covers the practical basics for families: air-conditioned rooms, some with a balcony, a buffet breakfast to start the day and a restaurant with a terrace for evenings when nobody wants to go far. The spa gives parents a break, and pets are welcome, which helps if the dog travels too. Its 8.9 score across more than 2,600 reviews is a reassuring signal for a family booking.

Hotel Les Terrasses is in central Annecy, five minutes on foot from the SNCF station, with the lake about fifteen minutes' walk away. Its large landscaped garden is the main asset for families: a green space in the city where children can sit outside. Breakfast is served in the room or, in fine weather, on the terrace overlooking the garden. Rooms are soundproofed and air-conditioned, with a desk, flat-screen TV and bath or shower. Guests rate it 8.9.

The lakeshore setting is what makes the Impérial Palace work for families: the shaded terrace overlooks Lake Annecy, and many rooms have balconies with lake or park views, a pleasure when children are asleep and the evening is still young. Rooms are air-conditioned, and the casual brasserie is an easy option with children alongside the terrace restaurant. The spa suits parents taking turns, and the casino is strictly for the adults.

Auberge du Lyonnais is in central Annecy, and I like it for families who want to walk the old town and eat well without going far. Family rooms are air-conditioned and soundproofed, with a private bathroom and free WiFi. The restaurant serves French cuisine with vegetarian options from brunch to dinner, which keeps mealtimes simple with children. Room service, a concierge, luggage storage and a terrace complete a well-rounded stay.

Hébé Hotel stands about 250 metres from Annecy's train and bus stations, so families arriving without a car can drop their bags quickly. The lake is a short walk away, as is the old town, and many restaurants are close for easy dinners with tired children. Rooms are straightforward, with satellite TV and private bathrooms, and breakfast is continental. I would use it as a base for days around the lake and the canals of the old town.

Families who want to walk everywhere in Annecy get a useful address here: the Hôtel du Château stands at the foot of the castle, above the old town, with the lake a short stroll downhill. Rooms are simply decorated, with private bathrooms and a TV, so this is a base rather than a resort. The panoramic terrace is the place to start the day after the continental breakfast. A score of 8.8 from more than 2,200 reviews is reassuring.

Hôtel Le Pré Carré is a four-star hotel in central Annecy, 250 metres from the lake, and I recommend it to families who want the lake shore and the old town on foot. On-site parking is a real advantage in the city centre, family rooms are available, and every soundproofed room is served by a lift and has a flat-screen TV and free WiFi. The buffet breakfast can be taken in your room, and the reception is open 24 hours.

Appart Hotel Neostelia in Annecy offers recently renovated aparthotel rooms, and I see it as a sensible choice for families who want to cook and spread out a little. Each unit has a private bathroom, a fully equipped kitchenette and a balcony, with garden and mountain views. Air conditioning and soundproofing help children sleep well. It stands near local attractions and gives easy access to outdoor activities, so days out are simple to organise.

Le Clos Des Sens is a refined 5-star hotel in Annecy-le-Vieux, close to Lake Annecy, built around a gourmet restaurant serving delicate, creative cuisine in the dining room or the garden. The spacious rooms have modern decor and a spa bath. The listing describes a luxurious break with fine dining rather than a family stay: no family rooms, pool or play area are mentioned, so families with young children may find other addresses around the lake more practical.

The Carlton is 200 metres from Annecy station, with a bus stop and taxi rank close by, so families arriving without a car have an easy start. Lake Annecy is about a ten-minute walk away and the medieval old town is right nearby. Rooms are soundproofed and air-conditioned, and breakfast can be a buffet in the dining room or served in your room, handy with young children. I would ask for a room with mountain views. A bar rounds out the evenings.

Le Splendid Hotel Lac d'Annecy - Handwritten Collection is a four-star hotel on the lakeside, in the old town, with a beach about 200 metres away, which makes summer days easy with children. It has a spa and a fitness room, and the rooms are comfortable with modern amenities. Shopping, dining and cultural sites are close, so you can walk everywhere. Pets are welcome, so the family dog does not have to stay at home.

ROYAL Annecy Apparthôtel is a self-catering aparthotel just 200 metres from Lake Annecy and 350 metres from the Palais de l'Isle, which I find a strong position for families. Each apartment has a flat-screen TV, a seating area, a fully equipped kitchenette and free WiFi. A fitness room and luggage storage are available, useful on arrival and departure days. Pets are welcome, so the dog can stay in the apartment with you.

Hôtel Catalpa is a three-star hotel just off the banks of Lake Annecy, 1.5 km from the town centre, and I find that a calm setting for families who accept a short ride to the old streets. Rooms have an LCD TV with satellite channels and an en-suite bathroom with free toiletries. A continental breakfast is available and a traditional restaurant opens for lunch and dinner on select days. Private parking is offered for an extra cost. Pets are welcome.

Arriving by train with children is easy at the Hôtel du Nord, a two-star a few minutes' walk from Annecy station, the lake, shops and restaurants. Rooms are air-conditioned with en suite bathrooms, useful on hot Alpine summer days. A continental breakfast is served daily and the reception is open around the clock, which helps with late arrivals. Facilities stop at the essentials, so this works as a walking base for days spent by the lake.

Hôtel de Bonlieu is 500 metres from Lake Annecy and a short walk from Annecy Castle, so a family can reach the water and the old town on foot. Rooms are air-conditioned and soundproofed, with free WiFi, which helps on warm summer nights. Breakfast is a continental buffet, and it can also be brought to the room for a slower start. The front desk is open 24 hours, and families and pets are welcome. More than 1,300 reviews give it 8.6.

For a family, the point of Les Loges is space: apartments rather than rooms, with a full kitchen and room for up to 18 guests across the five units, so two families can take neighbouring apartments. The duplex and three-level layouts give parents and children separate floors, but they also mean stairs inside the apartment, a real concern with toddlers. The hammam and the open fireplace need supervision with young children. Outside, the pedestrian lanes of the old town and the lakeshore a few hundred metres away make car-free walks easy, and the family dog is welcome too.

Hotel des Marquisats stands 200 metres from Lake Annecy, with views over the water and the Alps, and I like it for families who want the lake close by and a quieter base than the old town, which is a 20-minute walk away. Rooms are individually decorated, breakfast is continental, and WiFi and parking are free, which helps with a car full of luggage. Parents can use the sauna and hammam, and the lounge bar is carved into the rock.

Aparthotel Adagio Annecy Centre offers studios and apartments 500 metres from the castle and the old town, and for a family that wants its own kitchen in Annecy I would put it near the top. Lake Annecy is 1 km away and the train station a short walk, so a car is optional. Pets are accepted, the reception is open 24 hours and there is a fitness centre. An 8.4 score over nearly 3,000 reviews suggests a reliable stay.

Moxy Annecy offers air-conditioned family rooms with soundproofing, a desk and a TV, which makes sharing a room with children easier. The restaurant serves French cuisine at dinner, so there is no need to go out again in the evening, and breakfast is a buffet. Guests can sit on the outdoor terrace, use the fitness centre or book time in the spa. Pets are accepted. More than 2,800 reviews give this three-star an average of 8.4.

The Thiou canals, the Palais de l'Isle and the Pâquier lawns by the lake are all within pushchair range of this ibis, which makes it a walking base for families rather than a holiday hotel. There is no pool or garden, but the building has a lift and three rooms adapted for guests with reduced mobility. The lounge bar serves snacks around the clock, handy when children are hungry outside French restaurant hours. Pets are accepted with a supplement. Who should look elsewhere: families who need space to spread out, since these are functional ibis rooms rather than suites, and anyone who wants parking on the hotel's own premises.

Le Bel Abri is a three-star in a former family home, a minute's walk from Lake Annecy, so families can be at the water's edge within moments. Some rooms have balconies with lake or mountain views. The restaurant, bar and sun terrace mean meals without driving back into town, which is a short drive away. Free public parking is available and pets are accepted. I recommend it to families who want the lake on foot and a calmer setting than the old town.

Atipik Hôtel is 200 metres from Lake Annecy, at the entrance to the medieval old town and its pedestrian shopping streets, which is hard to beat for a family on foot. Rooms are en suite and air-conditioned, with free WiFi and flat-screen TVs showing international channels. A breakfast buffet starts the day. It is a two-star, so rooms are simple and facilities limited, but the location does most of the work. More than 1,300 reviews give it 8.3.

Located in Seynod, on the edge of Annecy, Ace Hotel is a straightforward base for families who want easy roads in and out of the city. The shore of the lake is within 5 km and a golf course is nearby, so days out are simple to plan. Rooms are air-conditioned with a TV and private bathroom, Wi-Fi is free throughout, and the front desk is open 24 hours. Pets are welcome, and more than 4,800 reviews give an average of 8.2.

For a family on a budget, I would consider Centre Jean XXIII for its space to spread out: a sun terrace, a shared lounge and rooms with private bathrooms, some with lake or city views. It sits 1.8 km from Lake Annecy and 3 km from the old town, so plan on walking or driving. There is no air conditioning, which matters in July and August. A score of 8.2 over more than 3,000 reviews is reassuring.

Hôtel des Alpes is 100 metres from Annecy station, so families arriving by train walk from the platform to the door in minutes, and Lake Annecy is about a 10-minute walk away. One point to plan for: there is no lift, although staff help with luggage. Rooms are simple, with private bathrooms and flat-screen TVs, and a continental breakfast is served daily. I would pick it for a short, practical stay focused on the old town and the lakeshore.