Spa and wellness hotels in Colmar

L'Esquisse Hotel & Spa is a five-star MGallery hotel set in the green surroundings of the Champ de Mars, and I would choose it for a special family occasion in Colmar. The 62 rooms and suites blend contemporary design with French elegance, and the historic centre is on the doorstep. Parents can book time in the on-site spa, and the gastronomic restaurant suits a celebration dinner. Pets are welcome, and a 9.2 rating from about 1,500 reviews is exceptional.

Hotel Le Colombier sits in Colmar's Little Venice, and for a family that wants to step straight onto the canals I would rank it among the best-placed choices in town. Rooms and suites are air-conditioned with minibars, the garden gives children a quiet corner, and a buffet breakfast is served each morning. Pets are welcome and parents can use the spa. An 8.9 score over nearly 3,000 reviews is excellent.

The indoor play area is the feature parents will notice first at Novotel Suites Colmar Centre, especially on a rainy afternoon. The suites are generously sized, air-conditioned and soundproofed, so children can sleep while adults stay up. I would choose it for travellers arriving by rail, as it is close to Colmar train station, and the wellness area with sauna, hammam and fitness room is a welcome extra after a day in the old town. Pets are accepted too.

At the entrance to Colmar's old quarter, Hôtel Maison Turenne lets families reach the historic streets on foot while keeping the car in private parking. Rooms are air-conditioned with free Wi-Fi, a comfort in summer. Parents can enjoy the spa after a day of sightseeing, and the bar is a quiet place for the evening. St Martin's Church is about 750 metres away. Families and pets are welcome, and more than 5,200 reviews average 8.7.

The heated indoor pool and its paddling pool are what make La Petite Venise work for families in any season, with a garden play area outside for younger children. Apartments with a kitchen let you eat at children's hours, and the duplexes for five give parents their own floor, although the inner stairs need watching with toddlers. Linen and towels are included, so there is no need to pack them. The old town and Little Venice are about 300 m away on foot, and the station about 800 m, which makes a car-free stay realistic. Expect a residence rather than a hotel: no restaurant and limited key-collection hours.

Ibis Styles Colmar Nord has an outdoor swimming pool and a playground, and for a family touring Alsace by car I would choose it for those two alone. The cafe terrace looks out to the Vosges mountains, rooms are air-conditioned, and the A35 motorway is close for day trips along the wine route. It lies north of Colmar rather than in the old town, so plan the car for Little Venice. Pets are welcome. An 8.3 score over nearly 2,700 reviews is reassuring.

Mercure Colmar Centre Unterlinden is a four-star hotel in central Colmar, a short walk from the Unterlinden Museum and Petite Venise, so families can explore on foot. Rooms and suites are air-conditioned and soundproofed, with satellite TV and free WiFi, and the hotel adds a fitness centre, a sauna, a sensory shower and an outdoor terrace. It is pet-friendly and welcomes families, and I find it a comfortable base after a day among the half-timbered streets.

Hôtel Quatorze is a four-star design hotel in central Colmar, and I find it better suited to couples and older children than to toddlers. It offers free WiFi and private spa access for an hour to its sauna and hammam, and some rooms feature a spa bath. The hotel bar holds regional wine and champagne tastings. Pets are welcome and parking is available, which is practical for a family arriving by car.

Every unit at this Colmar aparthotel has a kitchenette, which matters for families: breakfasts and early dinners for children happen on your own schedule, and the swimming pool with counter-current and massage jets gives everyone a reason to come back in the afternoon. I would pick it for several nights in Colmar, since the Saint-Martin Collegiate Church and the House of the Heads are within walking distance and the train station is close by.

Hôtel Le Rapp is in Colmar's old town, so the historic streets are right outside and walks with children stay short. The indoor swimming pool is the real asset for families: it works in any season, including a cold December evening after the Christmas markets, and the sauna gives adults a quiet moment too. Rooms are air-conditioned, which helps in summer. Pets are welcome, and an 8.2 score from more than 950 reviews is solid.