The Cloître Saint Louis is one of Avignon's most unusual places to stay, because its heart is a seventeenth-century cloister in the city centre. It is a four-star hotel with about eighty rooms, and its address at 20 rue du Portail Boquier puts it on the southern side of the walls, a short walk from the Avignon Centre railway station and from the lively streets around the Place de l'Horloge and the Palais des Papes. The old cloister gives the hotel a calm courtyard feel, and around it you find a garden, a terrace, a bar and a restaurant serving French cuisine. Unusually for a hotel inside the ramparts, it has both an indoor pool and an open-air pool, which makes a big difference on hot summer afternoons after sightseeing. The rooms are spacious and modern, with air conditioning and in-room Wi-Fi, and two are adapted for guests with reduced mobility. There is a lift, an on-site car park and a pay car park, so drivers can settle in without circling the narrow lanes.
Location and getting around
The hotel sits just inside the southern ramparts, so you are about a ten- to fifteen-minute walk from the palace, the bridge and the Rocher des Doms, and only a few minutes from the station, which is handy for day trips by train and for early departures. The covered market of Les Halles and many restaurants are within walking distance. If you arrive by car, ask for directions to the car park, because the one-way streets around the centre can be confusing.
The rooms and what is good to know: the hotel's range of rates is wide. Doubles start at a modest level in the quieter months and rise in July and on festival weekends, and breakfast is an extra, usually served on the terrace or in the garden in good weather. The mix of old cloister and newer wings means rooms differ in style and outlook, so request a garden or courtyard view if quiet matters to you.
Because the property is large, it also works for groups and families, and family-sized rooms are worth requesting early. The pools are shared with other guests, and opening times can change by season.
Who it suits
Families who want a pool and parking inside the walls, drivers heading out to the Luberon or the Pont du Gard, and travellers who want comfort at a more moderate price than the grand mansions. It is a good base for a first visit because everything in town is walkable.
If you prefer a very small, intimate guesthouse or a view of the palace from your window, consider one of the other hotels in our list. Book ahead for July, when the festival fills the city, and ask about packages that include dinner or a room with a terrace.
Why stay here
- ✓Seventeenth-century cloister
- ✓Indoor and outdoor pools
- ✓Garden and terrace
- ✓Restaurant and bar
- ✓On-site car park
- ✓Air conditioning
- ✓Lift and accessible rooms
- ✓Walk to Avignon Centre station
Good questions
Does the hotel have a swimming pool?+
Yes, it has both an indoor pool and an open-air pool. Opening times can change by season, so check before you plan around them.
Is it close to the train station?+
Yes, it is on the southern side of the old town, a short walk from the Avignon Centre station. The palace is about a fifteen-minute walk.
Is there parking?+
Yes, there is an on-site car park and a pay car park. Ask the hotel about directions and fees when you book.
