Château hotels · Pau
Where to Stay Near the Château de Pau
Pau has one great château, the castle where Henri IV was born in 1553, and it stands at the western end of the old town, above the Gave river and facing the Pyrenees. None of the five hotels on this page is a château itself, and I would rather say so plainly: the label here means sleeping close to the castle. Two of them have real history of their own, an 18th-century building and a former 19th-century coaching inn, and three are modern, practical addresses. Four are within walking distance of the château, from 500 to about 700 metres, and one sits near the Zénith, a ten-minute drive away.
Pau is the capital of the Béarn and a city with a long history of visitors. The birthplace of Henri IV, it became a fashionable winter resort for the British in the 19th century, who left behind villas, parks and the oldest golf club in continental Europe. Its Boulevard des Pyrénées looks straight at the mountain chain, and a small funicular links it to the station below. The atmosphere is calm and southern, with the Pyrenees always on the horizon.
Updated October 13, 2026
Five bases for the castle and the boulevard
Staying near the Château de Pau puts the castle, the Boulevard des Pyrénées and the old streets of the town within a few minutes on foot. The boulevard runs along the edge of the plateau and offers one of the best mountain panoramas in France on clear days. The hotels listed here score between 7.5 and 8.5, with several thousand reviews between them, so the choice comes down to character, location and parking rather than to a single standout address.
Hôtel du Palois Pau Centre Bosquet, formerly a Quality hotel, is the most balanced choice. It stands in the city centre, 500 metres from the Château de Pau, with soundproofed rooms in a classic style, a fitness room, a sauna and free Wi-Fi. Secure on-site parking is a real advantage in a centre where parking is not always easy. With 2,354 reviews and a score of 8.5, it has the best record on the page. I would book it if you want to walk to the castle and the boulevard while keeping a car for excursions into the Béarn and the Pyrenean valleys.
Hotel De Gramont is the address with the most character. It occupies an 18th-century building in the historic centre, a short walk from the château, with classic air-conditioned rooms, a lift and a billiards and games room. A buffet breakfast is served, and pets are accepted, which makes it the only hotel here to mention animals. Its score of 7.8 from 2,204 reviews is solid without being remarkable, and I would see it as the right choice for travellers who prefer an old building close to the castle over modern comfort. Ask for a quieter room if you are sensitive to noise in the historic centre.
Hotel Le Bourbon Pau Centre, a former 19th-century coaching inn, stands on Place Clemenceau, the central square of Pau. Its rooms have air-conditioning and a TV, and the building has a lift. With 7.6 from 1,223 reviews, it is a simple address whose main asset is its location, among shops, cafés and cultural venues, and within walking distance of the château. The Ibis Pau Centre, about 700 metres from the castle, offers air-conditioned rooms and a buffet breakfast with local specialities, rated 7.5 from 512 reviews. Both suit a short, central stay where the hotel matters less than the walk outside.
B&B HOTEL Pau Zénith is the odd one out, about a ten-minute drive from the château, near the Palais des Sports and the Zénith concert hall. It shares the top score on the page, 8.5, from 1,363 reviews, with soundproofed, air-conditioned rooms, a buffet breakfast and private parking. Guests also receive discounts at the nearby Calicéo aquatic and wellness centre. I would choose it if you arrive by car for a concert or an event, or if you prefer easy parking to a walk through the old town. For a stay focused on the castle, the four central hotels are better placed.
A traveler's take
For two days in Pau focused on the château, I would choose Hôtel du Palois for its location 500 metres from the castle and its secure parking, or Hotel De Gramont if I wanted to sleep in an 18th-century building and travel with a dog. I would visit the castle in the morning, walk the Boulevard des Pyrénées at the end of the day for the view, and keep the car for a trip into the valleys. I would book B&B HOTEL Pau Zénith only for a concert at the Zénith.
Château hotels
5 stays in Pau
Château hotelsPau
B&B HOTEL Pau Zénith
Soundproofed rooms near Pau's sports venues with spa discounts
Why guests love itB&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.
Château hotelsPau
Hôtel du Palois Pau Centre Bosquet ex Quality
City centre hotel with fitness room, sauna, and secure parking
Why guests love itThe 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.
Château hotelsPau
Hotel De Gramont
Historic 18th-century hotel near Pau Castle with a billiards room
Why guests love itAn 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.
Château hotelsPau
Hotel Le Bourbon Pau Centre
A historic coach inn in Pau city centre with modern comforts
Why guests love itHotel 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.
Château hotelsPau
Ibis Pau Centre
Modern comfort in Pau city centre, near the historic castle
Why guests love itI 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.
Pau
Local tips
- 1Visit the Château de Pau early, then walk along the Boulevard des Pyrénées for the mountain panorama.
- 2Arriving by car? Hôtel du Palois offers secure on-site parking 500 metres from the castle.
- 3Travelling with a dog? Hotel De Gramont is the only hotel on this page that accepts pets.
- 4Take the funicular between the station and the Boulevard des Pyrénées if you arrive by train.
- 5Want character? Choose Hotel De Gramont or Hotel Le Bourbon, the two historic buildings on the list.
- 6Going to a concert at the Zénith? B&B HOTEL Pau Zénith is a short walk from the hall.
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Frequently asked questions
Château hotels · Pau
Not among the hotels on this page. None of them is a château; the label refers to their proximity to the Château de Pau, birthplace of Henri IV. Hotel De Gramont, in an 18th-century building, and Hotel Le Bourbon, a former coaching inn, offer the most historic settings close to the castle.