The Best Hotels in Perpignan, France for Every Traveller

Check in for well-proportioned modern apartments – ranging from double studios to three-room family affairs – decked out in pristine white with light-wood accents. It’s in a central location opposite the train station, framed by the Pyrenees. A short walk away, the city’s leading cultural institution in honour of Perpignan-born painter Hyacinthe Rigaud occupies two elegant private mansions.

These smart city-centre suites sleep three or four guests, depending on which one you choose, and are designed with comfort and style in mind. Each space features a sofa bed, a dining table and a kitchenette with a microwave and mini-fridge. At night, slip downstairs to Comptoir Nomade bar for a cocktail. If you fancy sightseeing, pop over to the Perpignan Cathedral of St Jean the Baptist to admire its handsome pebble-and-brick façade and Provençal wrought-iron bell cage.

Stay close to the heart of the city at the Campanile Perpignan Centre, a 10-minute walk from the charming Chapelle du Tiers Ordre de Saint Dominique, with its striking mural-topped altar. This modern hotel has 115 soundproofed rooms – many with leafy park views – all laid out with white bedding and colourful throws, cushions and chairs. On your way out to see the sights, pause in the vibrant 24-hour lobby, with its cosy purple and pink seating. It’s quite a looker.

The Hôtel La Fauceille’s autoroute-side location is perfect for guests on a road trip. Built around a floodlit pool, in secluded gardens on the outskirts of town, this modern low-rise hotel has unfussy, neutral rooms with terraces – some with views of the high peaks of the Pyrenees. The on-site restaurant, Le 860, serves posh burgers and a breakfast buffet ​breakfast that you can enjoy poolside during most months, and if you want to get active, there is an on-site fitness room and a pool, along with a wellbeing space with a sauna and soothing sports massages​.​

Pale greens and browns soften the pared-back rooms and suites in this modern hotel in Perpignan’s historic centre, opposite the Palais des Congrès in a swathe of lush parkland. Rooms have queen- or king-size beds and appealing park or city views. Serve yourself fresh fruit and flaky pastries in the breakfast room before exploring Square Bir Hakeim’s gardens, curving around the hotel’s boulevard.

The Hotel Kyriad Perpignan Sud, on the way out of town, keeps things simple. Its 50 rooms feature cool tiles and large statement headboards, including rustic-chic wicker with matching chairs; some rooms offer mountain views. The family suite has bunk beds and the luxury of double sinks so that there’s no arguing at toothbrushing time. Wholesome breakfast choices include nuts, fresh and dried fruit, and yoghurt, and dinner is also available. If you need a lazy day, pack your towel and SPF30 for a trip to the nearest beach, a 15-minute drive away.

Nyx Hôtel is just a 10-minute walk from Perpignan’s old town, with its cathedral, museums and raft of boutiques and bars. Every room at this small design-led hotel is different, and each floor follows a different theme (polka dots are a popular touch). The first floor represents Night, and its rooms feature silver headboards and dark, dramatic walls. On the second floor, the Day rooms are defined by soft greys and blues. Sun worshippers should book the deluxe rooms on the first floor for their pretty flower- and lounger-decked terraces. Take time over the generous continental breakfast buffet, including home-made jam, cured meats and cheeses, or a long, cold beer in the inviting, eclectic lobby bar-cafe.

With its brilliant location on the banks of the Basse, which runs through the medieval city centre, and its warm brick façade, this 19th-century gem truly stands out. Colourfully tiled bathrooms liven up bright rooms decorated in light colours; some have garden or river views. The breakfast room blends cream and grey contemporary seating, creating a relaxing spot for your breakfast buffet every morning. The landmark Le Castillet, with its crenellated towers, is right under your nose with a well-preserved artefact-lined museum inside.

With a lovely location in Perpignan’s main square, close to the cathedral, each spacious suite is individually decorated with beautiful colours. Expect warm reds, cool blues and welcoming yellows, along with fresh flowers adorning the tables. Standard suites come with kitchenettes, while the superior spaces have kitchens. One even has a rooftop terrace, an open-air shower and views of the Pyrenees. You’ll be spoilt for choice choosing where to sip a sundowner before dining in the atmospheric restaurants of the St-Jean neighbourhood.

At the southern end of the old city, these cosy and simple rooms come with colourful canvases of animals and beachscapes above the beds. The breakfast room downstairs is a similarly snug spot for a leisurely continental breakfast. The hotel is footsteps from Perpignan’s most famous building, the restored former Palace of the Kings of Majorca, dating back to the 13th century. Take an atmospheric walk admiring the stone, brick and arched architecture of this palace and gardens overlooking the Pyrenees.