The Best Boutique and Cultural Hotels in Marseille, France

A striking five-star hotel, the C2, named after the hotel’s founders Claire Fatosme and Christian Lefèvre, is an opulent choice for visitors looking for a luxurious stay in the city. This Marseille boutique hotel features many of the building’s beautiful original features, including the original grand staircase with original bronze balustrade, and 12 dazzling Paolo Rizzatto chandeliers which welcomes guests as they enter. The room, crafted by a team of dedicated designers, have subdued colours and suitably premium amenities, such as Hermes toiletries, floor-to-ceiling windows and deep sink baths. C2 also features one of the few dedicated hotel spas in the city, with a range of treatments and massages available to book, as well as an indoor swimming pool.

A modern hotel in a classic setting, the Alex Hotel is one of our favourite places to stay in Marseille. Providing a sanctuary during your time in the city, each of Alex Hotel’s spacious rooms include a number of thoughtful features – soundproofing from the busy streets below; flatscreen HD TVs with a satellite connection; blackout curtains – giving guests a truly restful night’s sleep. Be sure to take advantage of the complimentary breakfast buffet.

Created within a collection of former townhouses, the Maison Montgrand Vieux Port is a boutique hotel in the heart of Marseille, and a perfect choice for romantic breaks or longer stays away. Made up of five separate but closely spaced buildings that date back to the 18th century, this hotel is a special blending of its historical setting and modern amenities. The recently refurbished guests rooms are perfectly sized and include everything you’d need for a weekend away. It’s the hotel’s apartments that are the true highlight, however. Furnished with original artwork from the local Michel Jouenne museum and decorated with the colours of the local area, they give guests a true home-away-from-home experience.

This cute and cosy, privately run guest house next to the Old Port district of Marseille personifies the old saying “quality over quantity”. Each of the five individually designed rooms include local furniture dating back to the 1930s, giving guests a taste of the city’s style, while still offering a comfortable and relaxing stay. The personable staff have a wealth of knowledge about the surrounding area and are more than happy to help with your visit to some of the city’s nearby highlights including Abbaye Saint-Victor and Le Parnier.

Part of the popular nhow group of hotels, Marseille’s edition offers guests a contemporary experience and is a popular choice for business travellers to the city. Although the original hotel was first built nearly 50 years ago, the nhow recently underwent refurbishment to give its rooms a luxurious modern feel. Nespresso coffee machines and extra comfortable beds featured in the rooms, and the hotel is also home to 14 spacious meeting rooms, each featuring the latest technologies. A 300-seat auditorium is available to hire, making this hotel a favoured choice for events, work conferences and conventions in the city.

Overlooking the peaceful Old Port and just next door to the historic Pharo palace, the Sofitel Marseille offers guests a luxury option, with a great location for exploring the city. Inspired by Marseilles rich history, the hotel has every bit the charm and style that has made the city famous, with the rooms traditionally furnished and a number of indulgent in-house restaurants and bar, including the rooftop Dantes Sky Lounge with scenic views across the city and Les Trois Forts, a delicious gourmet offering. With such a central location, the Sofitel Marseille is well suited for visitors looking to spend as much time seeing everything the city has to offer.

Tourists who want a more classic hotel should head to MGallery Beauveau, a five-star establishment that is also centrally located by the fabulous Vieux Port and the lively Canabière. Upon entering this Marseille hotel, visitors will be able to admire fantastic period style decor, with antique furnishings that are reminiscent of royalty and aristocracy, with rich textures evoking past times. It has recently been renovated, so it is anything but stuffy. The first-floor bar has great views over the port and is a great first stop for a night out in the city or just for a great drink.

This hotel is startlingly different from the previous one on this list; it aims for an elegant and sophisticated approach, with a typical Mediterranean villa feel, bright rooms decorated in neutral tones, and a great location. The hotel’s highlight however, is its three-starred Michelin restaurant, which is of course famous in the entire city for its excellent food and superb quality. It is the only eatery in the city with three stars, so it is the most distinguished establishment visitors can go to in Marseille if looking for an unforgettable sensory experience.

Located in Aix-en-Provence, which is a mere 16 miles from Marseille and is connected to it by train, this hotel has a clear cultural focus: the French artist Paul Cézanne. Apart from the hotel’s art collection, clients at this establishment will be able to enjoy access to Cézanne’s art studio, and they will be able to explore the town where many important French artists spent time painting, as well as being within short distance of Marseille.

The Intercontinental Hôtel Dieu is one of the most luxurious and elegant five-star hotels in Marseille, so it is only normal that its restaurant is simply excellent. Their upscale brasserie, Les Fenêtres, run by chef Lionel Levy, has an amazing selection of Mediterranean and Provençal cuisine, with a menu that ranges from black tomato gazpacho to vegetable cassolettes. The hotel’s grand staircases, vaulted ceilings and manicured gardens are representative of grand Mediterranean architecture; so all in all a stay at this hotel enables visitors to discover the area’s culture.

This cool boutique hotel in Marseille has one of the best brunches in the entire city, and an amazing bar that specialises in pastis, a typical local drink. At the bar, visitors will be able to play with the giant chessboard that is floating in the pool or go to the delicious brasserie. The hotel’s interior was completely designed by Philippe Starck in an urban chic style – black ceilings, graffiti and sex toys – that is functional and fun without being pretentious.

Also situated close to to the city’s fabulous harbour, this quirky hotel houses modern and stylish guest rooms and suites with terraces that overlook beautiful Marseille. Inside, clients will discover the world of contemporary art, with numerous artworks scattered around, decorating this establishment in a fun and lively way. The hotel’s rooftop swimming pool is great for France’s hot summer days, and the hotel’s restaurant and bar are excellent options for discovering some of the city’s best cuisine.