Stays in Montpellier

Hôtel Richer de Belleval is listed as suitable for families, and its position steps from Montpellier Cathedral means the old town can be explored on foot with children. Air-conditioned rooms with balconies keep summer nights comfortable, and the sun terrace is a pleasant place for a break between visits. With a restaurant and a bar on site, dinner needs no planning. Pets are accepted, so the family dog is welcome. It suits calm families more than those after a pool.

Bikube is a four-star aparthotel in central Montpellier, and the kitchenette in each unit is what families will use most: breakfast or a quick meal for the children without going out. Units are air-conditioned, a real help in a southern summer, and there is a garden and sun terrace for some outdoor space. Adults have a fitness centre, a restaurant and a bar. Place de la Comédie is a short walk away, so I would explore the centre on foot.

Domaine de Verchant works better for families with teenagers than for those with young children. The spa's well-being area and indoor swim spa have a minimum age of 16, so younger children will not share the hotel's main draw with their parents. Larger families or groups can look at La Maison Verchant or Villa Sarnelly, the two houses the estate lets alongside its rooms. A lift and two rooms adapted for reduced mobility help grandparents, and pets are accepted, which spares a kennel search. The catch is location: the old town and the beaches both need a car or a taxi from Castelnau-le-Lez. With an 8.9 average across 650 reviews, it is a calm base for a slow stay, not a hub for daily outings with small children.

I would recommend Hôtel Domaine de Biar to families who want a four-star stay with a garden and a pool. The family rooms look over the garden and have air conditioning and a private bathroom. There is a swimming pool with a view, a sun terrace and a lush garden, plus a hammam, yoga classes and bike hire. A restaurant, a bar and a pool bar are on site, and pets are welcome.

Renovated in 2021, Hôtel Royal sits a short walk from Montpellier train station and the Place de la Comédie, so families arriving by rail can drop their bags and explore on foot. Rooms are air-conditioned with private bathrooms, which matters in a southern summer. A buffet breakfast starts the day, and the streets around offer plenty of places for lunch and dinner. The 24-hour front desk helps with late trains, and pets are accepted.

Privilège Hôtel & Apparts Eurociel Centre Comédie is a three-star address 350 metres from Place de la Comédie, with the historic town centre only 200 metres away, so families can walk everywhere. It offers rooms, apartments and suites, and I find the apartments the best choice with children. A 24-hour reception handles late arrivals and WiFi is free. Parking is paid and accepts cars and vans without height restrictions.

Hotel M Soleil is a four-star in central Montpellier, near Saint-Roch station, with air-conditioned rooms, private bathrooms and free Wi-Fi. Express check-in and check-out help when arriving with tired children, and the front desk is open 24 hours. The sun terrace and outdoor seating give families somewhere to sit outside, and there is a coffee shop on site. Pets are accepted. I recommend it to families who want a central base to explore Montpellier on foot.

Pullman La Pléiade is a four-star hotel in central Montpellier, a short walk from Place de la Comédie, and I recommend it to families mainly for its rooftop terrace pool, heated from April to October. Rooms are spacious, air-conditioned and contemporary in style, which gives a family room to spread out. The panoramic restaurant saves a search for dinner, the Mediterranean beaches are less than 20 km away, and pets are accepted.

Adagio access Montpellier Centre gives every family room a kitchenette, a balcony and air conditioning, and for a family wanting to cook near Place de la Comédie I would put it high on the list. The town hall is close, the minimarket on site helps with supplies, and the buffet breakfast features local specialities. A 24-hour front desk and bicycle parking add convenience, and pets are accepted. An 8.6 score over more than 2,500 reviews is reassuring.

I would recommend Hotel des Arceaux to families who like a quieter base a short walk from the historic centre of Montpellier. It is 400 metres from Peyrou Park, and it has a garden and a sun terrace to sit in after a day out. The rooms are air-conditioned with free WiFi, a continental breakfast is served and a snack bar is available. The garden gives it a calmer feel than a hotel on a busy square.

Hôtel Oceania Le Métropole has a swimming pool and a shaded garden terrace, two real assets for families in Montpellier's summer heat. It is a short walk from Place de la Comédie and the train station, so arriving by rail and exploring the centre on foot are both easy. Adults can use the spa, and some rooms have a seating area plus coffee and tea facilities. I would plan afternoons by the pool after mornings in the old town.

The Grand Hôtel du Midi occupies a Haussmann-style building on Place de la Comédie, opposite Montpellier's opera house, and I recommend it to families who want to explore the old town on foot. Each room is individually decorated and air-conditioned, which matters in a Montpellier summer, with satellite TV and free WiFi. Parents can end the day at the bar downstairs, and pets are accepted.

Belaroïa gives families a comfortable four-star base in central Montpellier: rooms are air-conditioned with city views, and the sun terrace offers a breather between outings to the Place de la Comédie and the old town lanes. The restaurant serves French and Mediterranean dishes, so dinner is easy after a long day. Parents can use the spa and fitness centre, the 24-hour front desk helps with late arrivals, and pets are welcome.

I would pick Novotel Montpellier for a family with young children. The air-conditioned family rooms have private bathrooms, and the hotel has indoor and outdoor play areas, a games room and a lounge. A seasonal outdoor swimming pool, a sun terrace and a fitness centre are on site. The restaurant is family-friendly and serves French and European cuisine, so mealtimes with children are simple to manage.

Miranove is a recently renovated four-star aparthotel in Montpellier, a short walk from the Town Hall, and its rooftop swimming pool is what I would point out to children first. There is also a sun terrace, a restaurant and a bar on site. Free WiFi covers the public areas, and the property welcomes pets. I find it well suited to city breaks and family stays where you want an apartment feel with a pool above the city.

I would pick the Courtyard by Marriott for a family that wants a modern hotel with an outdoor swimming pool in Montpellier. The air-conditioned rooms have flat-screen TVs and free WiFi, there is a fitness centre, and the restaurant serves Mediterranean cuisine. It stands next to Montpellier Town Hall, a 20-minute walk from the town centre, which makes it quieter than a central address and better for guests who have a car or use transport.

I would choose the Mercure Montpellier Centre Comédie for a family or couple who wants to walk to Place de la Comédie and to Le Corum Conference Centre. The rooms are air-conditioned and soundproofed with modern decor, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom. The restaurant serves regional specialties, there is a bar and a south-facing terrace, and a spa is on site. Pets are welcome.

I would pick Novotel Suites Montpellier Antigone for a family that wants room to spread out and a pool in summer. It stands on the banks of the River Lez, with an outdoor swimming pool and a fitness centre. The air-conditioned rooms and suites have a flat-screen satellite TV and a private bathroom. The city centre is a 10-minute walk and the Place de l'Europe tram stop only 5 minutes, so the trip into town is easy.

Best Western Plus Comedie Saint Roch is a few steps from Montpellier's train station, and for a family arriving by train I would book it for that reason. Rooms are air-conditioned, a real comfort in a Montpellier summer, and come with a mini-fridge and tea and coffee facilities for snacks and drinks. The buffet breakfast gets everyone fed before a day out, and there is an express option too. An 8.4 score over more than 3,000 reviews is reassuring.

The Campanile Centre St Roch gives families a central Montpellier base with family rooms that are air-conditioned and soundproofed, a real help in a lively city during summer. Some rooms have city views. The terrace, restaurant and bar mean you can eat without going far after a day of sightseeing, and the 24-hour front desk and concierge can help with plans. Pets are welcome, and there is bicycle parking if you ride.

A short walk from Place de la Comédie and Montpellier's central station, Appart'City Confort Saint-Roch is well placed for families arriving by train. The air-conditioned apartments have fully equipped kitchenettes, private bathrooms and flat-screen TVs with Chromecast, handy for a film night with children. On-site parking helps those arriving by car, and Wi-Fi is free in public areas. Pets are accepted, and more than 5,100 reviews average 8.4.

Hotel Abelia is a two-star 5 km from central Montpellier and close to the motorway, which suits families arriving by car. Private parking is free, rooms are air-conditioned and Wi-Fi is unlimited. A continental breakfast is served daily, with gluten-free options on request, useful for children with dietary needs. Pets are welcome. I would book it as a practical, quiet base outside the centre, not for exploring the old town on foot.

Just metres from Place de la Comédie, the Adagio Montpellier Centre Comédie puts families at the starting point of the city's pedestrian streets. Children have an indoor play area, which is handy on a rainy afternoon, and the family rooms give everyone room to settle. A shared kitchen helps with simple meals, the sun terrace and bar are pleasant in the evening, and the front desk is open 24 hours. Free Wi-Fi throughout, and nearly 480 reviews average 8.3.

JOST Hotel Montpellier Centre St Roch has a rooftop swimming pool and soundproofed family rooms, and for a family wanting a central Montpellier base with a pool I would put it high on the list. Rooms are air-conditioned, which matters in the southern summer, and the sun terrace gives parents somewhere to sit by the water. Pets are accepted and breakfast comes in several options. A score of 8.3 over more than 3,000 reviews is reassuring.

Holiday Inn Express Montpellier Odysseum has an outdoor pool with a children's paddling area, open in summer, and for a family stopping in Montpellier by car I would book it for that alone. A Mediterranean garden surrounds the hotel, rooms are air-conditioned and some include a kitchenette for simple meals. The TGV station and the airport are a short drive away. An 8.3 score over more than 3,000 reviews points to a steady stay.

Hôtel Ulysse Montpellier Centre sits in a quiet area a short walk from the Corum and Place de la Comédie, which is the balance I look for with children: calm nights, yet the centre on foot. Rooms are air-conditioned, with private bathrooms and free WiFi. A buffet breakfast with local products is served daily, with a terrace option in summer, and private parking is available for families arriving by car.

The Corum and the Musée Fabre are both a short walk from Résidence Nemea Beaux-Arts, which puts families close to Montpellier's main sights. One-bedroom apartments come with a kitchenette and a washing machine, so parents can keep meals and laundry under control on a longer stay. A shared kitchen and an outdoor seating area add space beyond the apartment, and adults can use the fitness room. The rating of 8.2 rests on only 38 reviews so far.

Each apartment at Domitys Les Sarments Blonds has a kitchenette, a private bathroom and a balcony, which gives families space and some independence in Montpellier. The leisure side is generous: an indoor swimming pool, a pool with a view, a sauna, a fitness centre and a sun terrace. An on-site restaurant serves French cuisine for evenings off from cooking. Pets are accepted. The rating of 8.2 rests on only 34 reviews, so it is still an early picture.