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The Best Boutique and Cultural Hotels in Marseille, France

The Mediterranean French city of Marseille is awash with excellent hotels
The Mediterranean French city of Marseille is awash with excellent hotels | © Residence du Vieux Port Hotel

When looking for where to stay in Marseille, France’s oldest city has no shortage of answers. With sights including Notre Dame de la Garde to the old port, this Mediterranean city is filled with history and culture, perfect for exploring. With so much to discover, you’re going to need a superb starting point for your sightseeing adventures – here are some of the best hotels in Marseille for your next stay in this beautiful city.

C2 Hotel

Boutique Hotel

High ceilings with ornate plaster work and a modern chandelier loom over a contemporary dining space at the C2 Hotel.
Courtesy of C2 Hotel / Expedia.com

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.

Alex Hotel

Boutique Hotel, Resort, Spa Hotel

A seating area wit three contemporary seats around two small side tables in copper and white tones sit on a geometric print rug in a teal coloured room with oak floors.
© Hotel Alex Marseille

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.

Maison Montgrand Vieux Port

Independent Hotel

A comfortable lounge area leads through the the stylish bar at the Maison Montgrand Vieux Port.
Courtesy of Maison Montgrand Vieux Port / Expedia.com

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.

Pension Edelweiss

Independent Hotel, Bed and Breakfast, Inn

A hotel room with a marble fireplace and seating area arranged in front of an ornate vanity unit at the Pension Edelweiss.
© Pension Edelweiss

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.

nhow Marseille

Chain Hotel

A large, bright suite with contemporary furniture looks out over the shoreline from the nhow Marseille.
Courtesy of nhow Marseille / Expedia.com

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.

Sofitel Marseille Vieux Port

Chain Hotel

Cocktails on a table on a balcony overlooking Marseilles harbour at the Sofitel Marseille Vieux Port.
Courtesy of Sofitel Marseille Vieux Port / Expedia.com

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.

MGallery Beauvau Hotel

Hotel

A large suite with traditional furniture and large bed at the Grand Hotel Beauvau Marseille Vieux Port.
© MGallery Beauvau Hotel
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.

Le Petit Nice Hotel

Hotel, Villa

Mountains can be seen on the horizon across the sea from the pool and dining terrace at Le Petit Nice Hotel.
© Le Petit Nice Hotel

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.

Hotel Cézanne

Hotel

Modern and traditional furniture in a colour palette of yellow, purple and green combine in this room at the Hotel Cézanne.
Courtesy of Hotel Cézanne / Expedia.com
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.

Intercontinental Hôtel Dieu

Chain Hotel, Hotel

Iron gates open to a grand staircase and the imposing, palatial exterior of the Intercontinental Hôtel Dieu.
Courtesy of Intercontinental Hôtel Dieu / Expedia.com
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.

Mama Shelter Hotel

Boutique Hotel, Hotel

Concrete walls line this contemporary room at the Mama Shelter Hotel.
Courtesy of Mama Shelter Hotel / Expedia.com
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.

New Hotel Le Quai – Vieux Port

Hotel

Light fills this neutrally decorated room with two French door windows at the New Hotel Le Quai – Vieux Port.
Courtesy of New Hotel Le Quai – Vieux Port / Expedia.com
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.

For more options, discover our guide to the best hotels in Marseille and book now on Culture Trip.

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