Historic hotels · Arles
Best Historic Stays in Arles, Provence
Historic stays in Arles come in four distinct shapes, all inside or beside the Roman and medieval centre that UNESCO listed in 1981. Hôtel Le Relais de Poste is a former 18th-century coaching inn, three minutes from the main sites. Hotel Spa Le Calendal occupies a 17th-century building between the Théâtre antique and the Amphitheatre. Hôtel du Musée is a 16th- and 17th-century mansion with two patios and a small art gallery. Le Cloître offers a modern interior inside the historic centre. The list is short, and so are the lifts, which is part of the honest picture.
Arles wears its age lightly. The amphitheatre still hosts bullfights and concerts, the Alyscamps necropolis is a shaded walking avenue, and Van Gogh's Café La Nuit stays open on the Place du Forum. Locals use these places daily, so the old town feels lived in rather than preserved. Outside féria weekends the streets are quiet by ten at night. In July the Rencontres photography festival fills the courtyards and cloisters, and then hotel rooms become scarce.
Updated October 14, 2026
Where to stay
Sleeping inside Roman and Provençal Arles
What makes a historic hotel in Arles different from one in the Loire or the Alsace plain? Here the stone is Roman first and Provençal second: the 1st-century Arènes and Théâtre antique frame streets of 16th- and 17th-century townhouses, and the Cloître Saint-Trophime adds Romanesque carving. Hotels occupy these houses rather than replacing them, so the charm comes with trade-offs: narrow stairs, uneven floors and sometimes no elevator. Think of a stay as sleeping inside the old town, not beside it.
Hôtel Le Relais de Poste is the clearest example of a Provençal coaching inn turned hotel: a former 18th-century staging post in the centre of Arles, with the main historic sites only a three-minute walk away. Rooms are furnished in a Provençal style, and some have air conditioning, so check which category you are booking in high summer. Its tags list a restaurant, a terrace and pets allowed. The location is the real asset, since the Amphitheatre, the Place du Forum and the pedestrian streets lie within a short walk on foot.
Hotel Spa Le Calendal sits in a 17th-century building in the historical centre, between the Théâtre antique and the Amphitheatre, which is hard to beat for sightseeing. Rooms carry traditional Provençal decor and pleasant views, and guests get free access to the adults-only spa, Les Bains du Calendal. The hotel restaurant serves light meals through the day, including organic bread sandwiches, salads, quiches and fresh juices. Staff are available 24 hours, and the hotel works as a base for the Camargue and the Alpilles. The old walls mean rooms vary in size, so ask for the category that suits you.
Hôtel du Musée is a mansion built in the 16th and 17th centuries in the historic part of Arles, with 28 air-conditioned rooms, satellite television and two patios for breakfast or a drink. It runs a small art gallery where photographers, painters, graphic artists and sculptors regularly show recent work, which fits a city that hosts a world-famous photography festival. There is no elevator, so luggage and mobility matter, and parking is public and nearby rather than on site. Choose it if the building itself is the reason for your stay.
Le Cloître is the modern alternative inside the same historic fabric: the building has contemporary rooms with mosaic-style tiled floors, a flat-screen TV and a fan, but the setting is the historic centre, 500 metres from the Van Gogh museum. It has a 24-hour reception, a rooftop terrace bar and a breakfast made with local produce, served in the breakfast room or on the roof. Bikes can be borrowed free, and secured public parking is 400 metres away. Pets are allowed, which is rare among older stays in Arles. Check the exact room type before booking.
A traveler's take
For a historic stay in Arles I would choose Hôtel du Musée, set in a 16th- and 17th-century mansion with two patios and an art gallery that shows contemporary work, a fitting address in the town of the Rencontres photography festival. There is no elevator, so I would pack light. For a spa alongside the history, Hotel Spa Le Calendal, in a 17th-century building between the Théâtre antique and the Amphitheatre, adds free access to its adults-only spa.
Historic hotels
4 stays in Arles
Historic hotelsArles
Le Cloître
Modern rooms and a rooftop bar in the historic centre
Why guests love itFamilies who like to cycle will enjoy the free bike loan, which turns the flat ground around Arles into an easy plan. The rooftop terrace is a pleasant place for breakfast or an evening drink while children are still awake, and the Van Gogh museum is 500 metres away. Rooms are modern and simple, with a fan and a TV, and there is no pool, so the town supplies the entertainment.
Historic hotelsArles
Hôtel du Musée
Renovated 16th-century mansion with two patios and an art gallery
Why guests love itThis is a family choice for older children who enjoy a building with stories: patios for breakfast, a gallery on the ground floor and a historic centre outside. Family rooms are available, rooms are air-conditioned and the stairs are the only catch, since there is no elevator. Parking is public and nearby, so families without a car manage best, and the Roman sites are within walking distance.
Historic hotelsArles
Hotel Spa Le Calendal
17th-century house with a free adults-only spa
Why guests love itFamilies can stay at Le Calendal, but the spa is reserved for adults, so the stay works best when parents take turns or when the children are old enough to explore the old town. The Théâtre antique and the Amphitheatre are next door, family rooms are available, and the restaurant serves simple light meals, with organic fruit juices and smoothies for the younger ones.
Historic hotelsArles
Hôtel Le Relais de Poste Arles Centre Historique
Former 18th-century coaching inn in Arles' historic centre
Why guests love itA family stay in an old coaching inn gives children something to look at: stone, Provençal furnishing and a short walk to the Roman monuments. The three-minute distance to the main sites means short outings and quick returns for naps. Family rooms are available, though not every room has air conditioning, so July travellers should ask. There is no pool, so the town itself is the entertainment.
Arles
Local tips
- 1Ask about stairs and elevator access when you book Hôtel du Musée or Hôtel Le Relais de Poste, because old Arles buildings often have narrow staircases and no lift.
- 2Request a quiet room away from the street at Le Calendal, since a 17th-century centre building means voices and bells carry on festival weekends.
- 3Visit the Arènes and the Théâtre antique early in July, then return to your hotel patio or terrace during the afternoon heat, when stone and cobbles are hottest.
- 4Check which rooms have air conditioning at Le Relais de Poste before a summer booking, as only some rooms are described as air-conditioned.
- 5Book at least two months ahead for the Rencontres photography festival in July, when historic hotels in the centre fill with visitors.
- 6Walk the Alyscamps avenue in the evening light after dinner, because it is a short walk from the historic centre and quieter than the Roman sites at midday.
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Frequently asked questions
Historic hotels · Arles
Hôtel du Musée occupies a mansion from the 16th and 17th centuries, and Hotel Spa Le Calendal a 17th-century building, while Le Relais de Poste was an 18th-century coaching inn. Hôtel La Muette goes older still, with a house built in the 12th and 15th centuries.