Where to stay in Strasbourg: the best neighbourhoods and hotels

The Grande Île is Strasbourg in concentrate, and the whole of it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At its centre stands the cathedral, with its single lace-like spire and astronomical clock; around it are the Palais Rohan and its museums, the carved façade of Maison Kammerzell and the big open square of Place Kléber. Between them run lanes of wine taverns, bakeries and shops selling gingerbread.

Hotels here come with history. One occupies a 16th-century courtyard inn, another sits a few steps from the cathedral door, a third is a 19th-century mansion on the riverbank, and there is a modern five-star with a garden terrace on a quiet square. During the Christmas market this is the place to be, and the hardest to book, so plan months ahead. The rest of the year it is simply the most convenient address in town.

At the western tip of the island the Ill splits into channels, and along them stands the most photographed quarter in Alsace. Petite France was once home to tanners, millers and fishermen; their tall timber-framed houses, with open lofts where hides were dried, now lean over the water above restaurant terraces. The towers of the Ponts Couverts guard the entrance, and the Vauban dam beside them has a rooftop view of the lot.

This is the romantic choice. The quarter’s leading hotel is a sleek five-star right on the water, with a spa and rooms overlooking the canals, and its smaller sister across the street has rooms looking over the river and the half-timbered roofs. Nearby, the former national stud farm has been turned into a striking design hotel. Summer days bring crowds, but the evenings are quiet and lovely.

Strasbourg’s station hides its 19th-century façade behind a vast glass bubble, and the semicircular square in front of it is ringed with hotels. Paris is about two hours away by TGV, which makes this the first and last stop for many visitors. From the square it is a ten-minute walk over the river to Petite France and the Grande Île, or two stops on the tram.

The hotels are a better class of station hotel: an Art Deco four-star restored to its 1930s glamour, an eco-minded boutique place, and several fresh, design-conscious chains. Prices are noticeably kinder than on the island. The streets immediately around are plain, so think of it as a comfortable base and spend your time elsewhere.

North-east of the centre, Strasbourg puts on a suit. This is where the European Parliament, the Council of Europe and the Court of Human Rights have their glassy headquarters, alongside the convention centre. It is also one of the greenest parts of the city, with the Parc de l’Orangerie, a favourite of joggers, Sunday strollers and nesting storks, at its heart.

Hotels here are larger and more modern than in the old town, with bigger rooms, parking and, at weekends when the delegates have gone home, some attractive rates. There is also a small spa hotel in a residential street by the park. Families and drivers will find it easy; the tram reaches the centre in about ten minutes.

South-west of Strasbourg, the Alsace Wine Route threads through a string of villages so pretty they look staged. Obernai is one of the most visited: a small walled town with a market square of gabled houses, a belfry and a fountain, set where the vineyards meet the foothills of the Vosges, below the hilltop convent of Mont Sainte-Odile.

It makes a restful alternative to the city, or a second stop after it. The hotels are traditional and proud of their kitchens, several with serious spas, indoor and outdoor pools and wood-panelled dining rooms serving Alsatian classics. A car helps for exploring the neighbouring villages. Strasbourg’s airport is about 18 km away.