Avignon Grand Hotel

We had a two-room suite, with a TV in both the bedroom and living room. The bed was incredibly comfortable, and the towels were large and luxurious. My husband used the shower while I had a lovely bath, and everything about the hotel was amazing. We skipped the lavish breakfast because we weren't hungry enough, though we should have tried it! The hotel is just steps from the central train station, and all the main Avignon sights and restaurants are within walking distance. Fabulous in every way!

The location was excellent, just outside Avignon's walls, with parking nearby. But I don't think the price or hotel rating is justified. On a family trip, we were put in a duplex “suite” with the upstairs windows wide open so the A/C could work. The staircases rattled and squeaked, as shown in the video. We had told them some of our family members were injured and couldn't use the second floor, but were essentially told there were no other rooms and to deal with it. We stayed three days, and they never offered to move us.

It was really hot on the night we stayed, and the portable A/C struggled to cool the room. Even so, this was a great place to stay. The room was clean and very spacious, bigger than any others we came across in France.

The location beside the train station may suit some people, but it's not very close to Avignon's old city center. I would strongly discourage friends from staying here. The hardship and fatigue affected the rest of our trip and honestly ruined Avignon for me. I'm not sure I'll come back, but if I do, this hotel is ruled out. This is definitely not a 4-star hotel. Some rooms only have portable A/C, and to get cool air you have to leave the balcony doors or window wide open all night, letting in hot air, dust and mosquitoes. The hallways are damp and musty, the furniture is very worn, and the breakfast was one of the worst I've had, worse than the Holiday Inns I've visited in the U.S. Some employees were competent and professional, but most, including the cleaning staff, wouldn't say hello even when we greeted them first. They actually yelled at my father when he went back to his own room to retrieve something five minutes after leaving. He hadn't checked out yet. The amenities are at a 2- or 3-star level by U.S. standards, and there's no A/C near or in the bathrooms. Filled water bottles are complimentary only at check-in, not every day as you'd expect from a 4-star hotel. Be warned if you're booking the family suite. Most seem to be two-floor units, and you can't choose one without stairs. Two people in our family had foot injuries. They switched one room, but wouldn't accommodate us in the second. The stairs were poorly secured to the wall and felt like a safety hazard. Two people had to sleep on the couch because getting upstairs was difficult, and no one could carry suitcases up there easily, injury or not.