Hotel Hermes Marseille

For travellers who would rather spend their money on boats, museums and bouillabaisse than on a hotel room, the Hôtel Hermès offers an unbeatable location at a modest price. It sits on the rue Bonneterie, a narrow street just behind the north quay of the Vieux-Port, at the edge of Le Panier, so the harbour, the fish market and the town hall are a minute or two away and the Mucem is a short stroll along the waterfront. It is a simple two-star hotel with 29 rooms, all soundproofed and air-conditioned, with satellite TV, and some of them look out over the port. The pride of the house is the roof solarium of about 60 square metres, where you can take your morning coffee or an evening drink with a view over the rooftops and the harbour towards Notre-Dame de la Garde. There is a lift, Wi-Fi, a concierge and two rooms adapted for guests with reduced mobility, and pets are accepted for a small fee. The staff speak English, Spanish, French and Portuguese. It is basic but well kept, and the location does the rest.

Location and getting around: the hotel is at 2 rue Bonneterie in the 2nd arrondissement, between the Vieux-Port and Le Panier. Vieux-Port metro station, the shuttle boats to the Château d’If and Frioul and bus 60 to Notre-Dame de la Garde are all within a few minutes’ walk, and Saint-Charles station is a short metro ride away. Everything in the historic centre, including the Mucem, Cosquer Méditerranée and the Cathédrale de la Major, is reachable on foot.

Rooms: rooms are compact and simply furnished, as you would expect at this level, so travel light. Port-view rooms are the ones to ask for, and the rooftop terrace makes up for the lack of space inside. Some rooms are very small, so check the room type before booking if space matters.

Who it suits: budget travellers, solo travellers and couples who plan to be out all day and want the best possible location for the money, and anyone arriving or leaving by boat.

Good to know: breakfast is available for a modest extra charge. There is no on-site parking; a guarded public car park about 100 metres away charges by the day. The streets around the Old Port are lively in the evening, so pack earplugs if you are a light sleeper, and expect a small local tourist tax per person per night.