Stays in Calais

Hotel Meurice is a three-star hotel on rue Edmond Roche in Calais, and I find its antique furniture, elegant facade and individually decorated rooms a pleasant change from chain hotels. Rooms have satellite TV, tea and coffee facilities and a private bathroom, and free outdoor parking is available. Gare de Calais-Ville is 500 metres away, the port 550 metres, and the sea a five-minute walk. Family rooms exist and pets are accepted.

I would recommend Hôtel Richelieu to families who like a small, personal bed and breakfast in Calais. It stands on rue Richelieu, less than fifty metres from the Musée des Beaux-Arts et de la Dentelle and a fifteen-minute walk from the beach. Rooms have free WiFi, a television and a balcony over the park, and extra-long beds are available. Breakfast is served daily, and the hotel has a bar, a garden and a sun terrace.

This B&B HOTEL in the Saint-Pierre district of Calais is thoughtful with young families: family rooms are available, a children's high chair is provided, and there is a picnic area with outdoor furniture and a sun terrace for a break in the open air. Free parking and a buffet breakfast every morning make an early start for the ferry or Eurotunnel easy, and pets are accepted too.

The Résidence du Golf faces the beach on the Digue Gaston Berthe, so children can be on the sand within minutes. Rooms sleep up to four and come with a microwave, fridge and electric hotplate, handy for simple meals and early breakfasts. Satellite television offers French and English channels, useful for British families. Parking is free on site, and the town centre is 800 metres away, an easy walk with children.

ibis Styles Calais Centre on rue Royale is the address I would suggest when rain threatens a family weekend on the Opal Coast. It has an indoor play area, a children's playground, a games room with billiards and a fitness centre. Family rooms are available, pets are accepted and the reception runs 24 hours. Breakfast is a buffet under a glass roof, and Calais-Ville station is 500 metres away, with Cap Blanc-Nez a ten-minute drive.

Metropol Hotel is a three-star hotel on Quai du Rhin in central Calais, a two-minute walk from the train station, which makes arriving with children and luggage easy. Rooms are soundproofed, with free WiFi, a flat-screen television with satellite channels and a private bathroom with hairdryer. A buffet breakfast is served daily and a private garage is available at extra cost. The bar is an English-style pub, so expect some evening life downstairs. Pets are welcome.

I would consider the Breeze Hotel for families who want a central three-star in Calais with good facilities. It stands on Place d'Armes, three minutes on foot from the Quartier des Pêcheurs and 400 metres from the Phare de Calais. Rooms have parquet floors, private bathrooms with a bath or shower, a work desk and a television. A Mediterranean restaurant, a bar, a coffee shop, a lounge and a sun terrace are on site, with a lift and a 24-hour front desk.

Calais-La Plage and the Dragon de Calais are at the door of the Holiday Inn Calais Centre, on Boulevard des Alliés between the beach and the harbour, which makes it easy for families to fill a day on foot. Family rooms and suites are available, air-conditioned in season. Breakfast is served overlooking the harbour, and the restaurant offers dinner Monday to Thursday. The car ferry terminal is five minutes away by car.

Logis Hôtel & Restaurant & Bar Le Cottage is a three-star Logis on rue de Tunis in Calais, 800 metres from the town centre and Calais-Ville station, and I find its garden and terrace a real plus for children. Rooms have satellite television, tea and coffee facilities and a private bathroom. Regional cooking and a buffet breakfast are served in the dining room or on the terrace, and parking is free under video surveillance. Family rooms exist and pets are accepted.

Families who want the beach at the door get exactly that at the Hôtel De La Plage, which faces the sea from the Digue Gaston Berthe in Calais. Family rooms are available, some rooms look straight out to sea, and the restaurant serves regional cooking, so dinner needs no planning. Eighty free private parking spaces make arriving with bikes and luggage simple, and pets are accepted. The town centre and Calais station are about five minutes away by car.

Brit Hotel Calais is in the centre of town, 1.9 km from the ferry terminal and 850 metres from Calais-Ville station, which makes it a practical stop for families crossing the Channel. Family rooms are available, and the games room keeps children busy on a rainy evening. There is a lift, a bar, a shared lounge and a 24-hour front desk for late arrivals. The beach is 2.4 km away. Guests rate it 7.4 out of 10 across 236 reviews.

For a family catching a ferry or the Channel Tunnel, this ibis is a practical night before the crossing: the harbour is four kilometres away and the tunnel a ten-minute drive. Rooms are soundproofed with wooden floors and a private shower room, and free private parking keeps a loaded car close. The buffet breakfast includes pastries baked on site, a good start before an early departure, and pets are accepted.