Stays in Pau

I would choose Hôtel Bristol for a stay in Pau with some atmosphere. The hotel occupies a historic building near the Palais Beaumont, and some rooms have mountain views. It has a sun terrace, a garden, a restaurant serving French cuisine and a bar. Rooms are air-conditioned, with private bathrooms, work desks and free Wi-Fi, and a varied breakfast is served.

I would pick Parc Beaumont Hôtel & Spa for a family that wants a pool and a park on the same doorstep in central Pau. The hotel stands on the edge of Parc Beaumont, so children can run outside before dinner, and the spa adds a pool and a sauna for wet days. Two restaurants, Le Jeu de Paume and Le Grand Prix Brasserie, cover both a relaxed meal and a more elaborate one. Rooms are modern with en suite bathrooms.

I would suggest this Kyriad Prestige to families arriving in Pau by car, because free private parking removes any stress on arrival. Rooms are air-conditioned with flat-screen TVs, the on-site restaurant and bar save a trip out at dinner time, and the 24-hour front desk helps with late check-ins after a drive from the Pyrenees or the coast. Parents can use the fitness centre, and pets are accepted, which suits families travelling with a dog.

Families exploring Béarn and the Pyrenean foothills will find Hotel Eden Park Pau Est practical. Rooms come with separate kitchens, so breakfasts and simple dinners stay easy, and many look over the outdoor pool and garden, a welcome reward after a day out. The hotel is a short drive from the A64 motorway and from Pau city centre, handy for trips towards the mountains and the château where Henri IV was born. Its 8.7 score from 165 reviews is solid.

B&B HOTEL Pau Zénith is a budget base I would suggest to families because of one useful perk: guests receive discounts at the nearby Calicéo aquatic and wellness centre, a good plan for a rainy afternoon with children. Rooms are air-conditioned and soundproofed, a buffet breakfast is served, and private parking is on site. The Zénith and Palais des Sports are a short walk away, and the Château de Pau is a 10-minute drive.

The Château de Pau is only 500 metres from the Hôtel du Palois Pau Centre Bosquet, which I see as a fine walk for families visiting the birthplace of Henri IV. Rooms are soundproofed with classic decor, a real help for children's sleep in the city centre, and Wi-Fi is free. Secure parking on site is useful when arriving by car with luggage, and parents can use the fitness room and sauna. Pets are welcome too.

I would choose Ostal Pau Université for a family or pet-friendly stay in Pau. The hotel has a garden and a terrace, a restaurant and free Wi-Fi, and its rooms are air-conditioned. It also offers allergy-free rooms, which matters for guests who react to dust or pets. Family rooms are available, and the whole setting feels like a calm base for exploring the city and its surroundings.

I would book the Mercure Pau Palais des Sports for a family coming to Pau for a match at the Palais des Sports or a show at the Zénith, both right next door. The outdoor swimming pool is a good reward for children after the event, and free parking makes arrival simple. The hotel was renovated in 2019 and has a gym. Its restaurant serves healthy, seasonal cuisine, and the airport is easy to reach.

I would book the Fasthotel Pau-Centre Hôtel Adour for a family on a budget that still wants some character, since it occupies a historic building in Pau. Family rooms and ground-floor units are available, handy with pushchairs or young children. Rooms are soundproofed with private bathrooms, minibars and free WiFi. A terrace, a balcony and outdoor seating add space, a minimarket helps with snacks, and Palais Beaumont is nearby.

An 18th-century building in Pau's historic centre, Hotel De Gramont lets families walk to the Château de Pau in a few minutes, and I would mention the billiards and games room as a welcome extra for older children on a rainy evening. Rooms are classic and air-conditioned with private bathrooms, and an elevator helps with luggage and pushchairs. A buffet breakfast is served, Wi-Fi is free, and pets are welcome.

Quick Palace Pau Zénith is a simple stopover for families arriving by car, about 1 km from the A64 motorway in the north-east of Pau. Rooms are air-conditioned, with cable TV and a private bathroom, and the full buffet breakfast prepares everyone for the road. Vending machines cover snacks at any hour, a restaurant stands just opposite for dinner, and pets are welcome. A security guard is present on site at night and at weekends.

For a family on a tight budget with a car, I think this ibis Budget works well. Rooms are air-conditioned, each with a flat-screen TV and a private shower, and parking is free on site. Breakfast offers pastries and yoghurt before you set off. A restaurant and a supermarket sit 200 metres away, which helps when you need quick meals or snacks. It is a short drive from the centre of Pau, and pets are welcome.

Hotel Le Bourbon occupies a former 19th-century coach inn on the Place Clemenceau, the central square of Pau, and the Château de Pau, birthplace of Henri IV, is within walking distance. Rooms are air-conditioned with a TV and free WiFi, and a lift serves the floors, which helps with pushchairs and luggage. Shops, restaurants, bars and a cinema surround the hotel for easy evenings with children.

Hôtel Le Roncevaux is set in an early 20th-century private mansion in central Pau, which gives a family stay a touch of period character. Rooms have private bathrooms and flat-screen TVs and are served by a lift, useful with luggage and pushchairs. Breakfast includes French pastries, the front desk is open 24 hours and WiFi is free. Paid private parking is available, and pets are welcome. Guests rate it 7.5 out of 10 across more than 1,800 reviews.

I would book the Ibis Pau Centre for a family that wants to visit Pau Castle, the birthplace of Henri IV, on foot, since it is 700 metres from the hotel. Rooms are air-conditioned with free WiFi, which helps in the warm months of southwest France. A daily buffet breakfast with fresh pastries and local specialities sets everyone up for the day, and an early breakfast option suits families heading to the Pyrenees.

I would choose Hôtel Villa Navarre for a family that likes green space, since this 18th-century building stands in a two-hectare park in Pau. Children get room to roam outdoors, and parents can use the spa with its sauna and hot tub. Some rooms look out to the Pyrenees, which I would ask for. The hotel has a gourmet restaurant and a bar, and Pau train station and the Fine Arts Museum are close by.

Le Matisse Pau Centre is a short walk from the Palais Beaumont and its park, a pleasant green space for children in the centre of Pau. Rooms have private bathrooms, city views, a TV, a work desk and free WiFi. The restaurant serves French cuisine as well as brunch and high tea, a nice treat for a family afternoon, and the garden, terrace, bar and coffee shop give space outside the room.

I would book the Campanile Pau Est-Bizanos for a family on a road trip between the Pyrenees and Biarritz. The hotel is in Bizanos, 3 km from Pau city centre, with free parking that makes coming and going easy. The garden has a children's play area, a real plus after hours in the car. Rooms are double-glazed with satellite TV and free WiFi, and pets are welcome. It is a simple three-star, chosen for practicality.

Premiere Classe Pau Est-Bizanos is in Bizanos, just outside Pau, close to the motorway, Pau train station and Pau-Pyrénées airport, which makes it a practical stop for families on the move. Rooms are simple, with a work area, a private bathroom and satellite television. A buffet breakfast is available before an early start, WiFi is free, and both families and pets are welcome. Guests rate this two-star 7.2 out of 10 across more than 1,700 reviews.

Villa Montpensier is a villa-style hotel set in a garden in the centre of Pau, which gives families a calmer base than a street-front hotel. Family-size rooms are available, all served by a lift, a help with pushchairs and luggage. Rooms are air-conditioned, with flat-screen satellite TV and free WiFi for quiet evenings. On-site parking is a real plus in a city centre, and it makes day trips towards the Pyrenees easier.