For a trip to Provence the real question is which town to sleep in. Avignon is the best all-round base, Arles suits Roman and Van Gogh sights and Aix is the elegant city for strolling. This guide covers the three, with eight hotels. It does not list a Luberon village hotel, because many village hotels and restaurants close for part of the winter, so check any you consider before booking.
Avignon, the palace quarter
La Mirande is a five-star private hotel at the foot of the Palais des Papes, with about two dozen rooms and suites, a gourmet restaurant, a bistro, a garden, a tea room and a cooking school. It is the splurge, and the right choice for a special occasion or for anyone who wants to step out of the door into the old town. Ask about breakfast, which is usually charged separately, and about the short break the hotel generally takes in January or February.
Avignon, the station side
The Hôtel Cloître Saint Louis, at 20 Rue du Portail Boquier, is a four-star hotel with 80 rooms in a historic cloister, a pool, a garden, a restaurant and parking, with the station close and the palace about ten minutes on foot. It is the mid-range pick, especially for drivers and families. A few doors away, the Hôtel Boquier is a small family-run three-star with 13 rooms in an eighteenth-century building, air conditioning and a modest breakfast. It is the budget pick. It has no lift and is not accessible by wheelchair, and drivers must use a nearby car park.
Arles
The Jules César Hotel and Spa, at 9 Boulevard des Lices, is a five-star hotel in a former Carmelite convent, with 52 rooms and suites, a spa with sauna and hammam, a garden with a seasonal pool and a gourmet restaurant. The amphitheatre is about five minutes on foot, and the Roman and Van Gogh sites are all within the old town. Choose it if Arles is your main base or if you want a spa in November. Valet parking is offered for a daily fee.
Aix-en-Provence
The Boutique Hôtel Cézanne, at 40 Avenue Victor Hugo, is a four-star hotel with 55 Provençal-style rooms, a courtyard terrace under a century-old plane tree and private parking by reservation. The Cours Mirabeau and the old town are a few minutes on foot. Choose it if you want an elegant city, cafes and markets. Aix is farther from the Luberon, so it is a better base for Arles, Les Baux and the coast than for the hill villages.
More character, in all three towns
If you want atmosphere over amenities, the Hôtel d'Europe is a sixteenth-century mansion on the Place Crillon beside the Avignon ramparts, with a courtyard garden and antique-filled rooms. In Arles, the Hôtel Nord-Pinus on the Place du Forum has long been the artists' and bullfighters' address, with eclectic rooms and a famous bar, though the square can be lively at night. In Aix, Villa Gallici is a garden bastide with a seasonal pool a short walk above the old town, the romantic choice and one of the more expensive.
How to choose
For a first visit, stay in Avignon: La Mirande for a splurge, the Cloître Saint Louis for comfort with parking or the Boquier for value. For Roman Arles and Van Gogh, pick the Jules César. For a city of fountains and cafes, pick the Cézanne. Trains link Avignon and Arles in about twenty minutes, so you can also stay in Avignon and visit Arles for a day. November is quiet and rates are generally lower than in summer, but weekends and the Christmas period can still fill, so book early for the dates you want.
