Stays in Versailles

For a family day at the Château de Versailles, the location of Hôtel Les Lumières is hard to beat: the 18th-century townhouse faces the palace, so the visit starts on foot and there is no transfer to plan. Some rooms look onto the château. Breakfast is continental, families are welcome and pets are accepted. Versailles Chantier station gives a train link to central Paris for the rest of the trip, and public parking is nearby if you arrive by car.

Apparts de l'Oncle Louis offers city apartments a 4-minute walk from the Château de Versailles, so families can visit the palace and come back for a nap or a meal. Each apartment has a kitchenette, a washing machine, a dishwasher and a private bathroom, with soundproofing and free WiFi. Bike hire is a good way to explore the palace grounds, and the 24-hour front desk and luggage storage help on arrival.

A short walk from the Château de Versailles, Le Louis Hotel suits families who want the palace close without giving up comfort, and I would single out the connecting rooms, which let parents and children sleep side by side with their own space. Rooms and suites are air-conditioned. The on-site restaurant serves French cuisine, the lounge bar and terrace cover the evening, and parents can use the fitness centre, hammam and sauna. Pets are welcome.

Mercure Versailles Chateau is a modern hotel in the centre of Versailles, one kilometre from the Château de Versailles and its gardens, a walk that suits most children. Rooms are air-conditioned with free WiFi, a welcome detail after a summer day in the palace. Restaurants and the Royal Opera are within walking distance, families are welcome and pets are accepted, which helps when travelling with a dog.

Being opposite Versailles Chantiers station is what makes this three-star useful to families: children can do the palace one day and Paris the next without anyone driving. The château is a 19-minute walk, manageable for most children but long with a pushchair after a day in the gardens, when the bus is worth it. The building is modern and accessible, rooms are air-conditioned, and there is a car park for those who arrive by road. Restaurants and grocers are within walking distance for a simple dinner. Families who want to step out of the door into the château's avenues should look nearer the palace instead.

Hôtel d'Angleterre is a good fit for families visiting the Palace of Versailles. It is a few minutes' walk from the palace, so you can reach the gates early and come back for a break when children tire. The 17 rooms are bright and comfortable, and the quiet street helps everyone sleep. Rue de Satory, close by, has shops and restaurants for an easy dinner. The hotel is known for its welcoming, family atmosphere.

I would choose Royal Hotel Versailles for a family visit to the Château, since it is only a nine-minute walk away, in the Saint-Louis district. The accommodation is apartment-style, with rooms and studios that have free Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom. The studios also have a kitchenette, which is what makes the place suitable for families. Transport links are good.

Hôtel du Jeu de Paume is a short walk from the Palace of Versailles, so families can reach the château and its gardens on foot and come back for a break in the middle of the day. The building is a converted office block, and the rooms have original, unusual decor that children often find fun. A small flowered garden gives a quiet corner to rest after hours of walking through the palace.

Hotel des Lys sits in Versailles city centre, a short walk from the Château de Versailles, and I see that as its main family asset: you can reach the palace early, before the queues grow, and return to rest at midday with tired children. Rooms are simple with private bathrooms and free WiFi, a continental breakfast is available, and there is a bar for parents. Pets are accepted. There is no pool or play area listed.

A one-minute walk to the Palace is the line I would underline for families at Hôtel Le Versailles: no transport to plan, and an easy return to the room for a break between the palace and the gardens. Family rooms are available, all rooms are air-conditioned with a flat-screen TV and free Wi-Fi, and a buffet breakfast is served every day. Accessible rooms are offered too, which helps when travelling with grandparents. The bar is on site.

Families are not who Le Solstice is built for: it is a residence where older people live, with a calm, quiet building, and it refuses party groups. That said, a family visiting grandparents in Versailles, or parents who want a kitchen and an indoor pool for the children after the palace, can stay here as long as they respect the rhythm of the place. The apartments give more room than a standard hotel room and the kitchen allows early dinners, though reviews often say utensils are short, so bring the basics for a baby. The location in the Chantiers quarter works well by train, with Versailles-Chantiers station about 470 m away in a straight line, but the palace is about 1.3 km off as the crow flies, more on foot, a long way for small legs. Pets are accepted, which helps families travelling with a dog.

Novotel Château de Versailles is a short walk from the Château de Versailles and the town centre, ideal for a family day at the palace and its gardens. Rooms are air-conditioned and en suite, with satellite TV and free WiFi. The restaurant serves traditional French cuisine, there is a bar, and room service helps on tired evenings. Private parking is available, pets are welcome, and the nearby RER station links you to Paris. Guests rate it 8.3 out of 10 across more than 1,800 reviews.

I would choose À l'Hôtel des Roys for a Versailles visit where the Château itself is the plan, because the hotel stands directly opposite it. The building dates from the 18th century, and the rooms are individually decorated, each with a private bathroom. A buffet breakfast is served, and restaurants are within walking distance. Tickets for the Palace can be arranged at reception, and pets are welcome.

I would choose Hôtel du Cheval Rouge for a family or pet-friendly stay in Versailles with a garden. The hotel has an on-site bar, free Wi-Fi and private parking, and the rooms have satellite TV and private bathrooms. Breakfast is available daily. The Palace of Versailles is a 15-minute walk away, so the visit is perfectly manageable on foot for most families.

Few hotels sit as close to the Château de Versailles park as the Waldorf Astoria Trianon Palace, and for families that proximity is the main asset: the gardens are right there for a morning walk before the crowds. The heated indoor pool keeps children busy whatever the weather, and some rooms have balconies or fireplaces. Parents can book the Guerlain Spa and hammam, and the dining options include a Michelin-starred restaurant. Pets are accepted too.

I would choose the Mercure Versailles Paris Ouest for a stay by car near the Parly 2 shopping centre, a short drive from the Palace of Versailles. Rooms are comfortable, with a minibar, free Wi-Fi and a flat-screen TV. Free on-site parking is included, and the hotel is pet-friendly. Motorways and public transport links to Paris and Versailles are easy to reach.

Two hundred metres from the Palace of Versailles is the figure that matters for families at the ibis Versailles Château: children can walk to the palace gates without a long march. Rooms are modern and air-conditioned with free Wi-Fi, and the buffet breakfast with fresh pastries is served every morning. The 24-hour reception helps with early starts or late returns, the bar serves drinks and snacks, and pets are accepted.

I would choose Hôtel Le Home Saint Louis for a stay in the historic Saint-Louis district of Versailles. The family-run hotel has comfortable rooms with free Wi-Fi and a flat-screen TV. It is a short walk from the Château de Versailles, and the Versailles Chantiers RER station is easy to reach for trips to Paris. The hotel is pet-friendly, which suits a family with a dog.

I would choose L'Espérance for a family visit to Versailles, since it offers family rooms with private bathrooms and tea and coffee makers. Rooms look onto the city or a quiet street. The hotel has a terrace, a restaurant and a bar, and free Wi-Fi covers the property. It stands 700 metres from the Château de Versailles, which is a comfortable walk.