Hôtel La Marine

We're a family of five with three daughters, so finding interconnecting rooms in France, especially in a historic city centre, can be hard. Vincent in La Marine took care of it all and was a superb host. We had a beautiful view over the old port, excellent rooms, and a delicious breakfast. The location couldn't be better. Vincent also recommended and booked dinner for us. We'll definitely return to La Rochelle and Hotel La Marine.

Hotel La Marine is right on the harbour front, among all the bustle, though our room was tucked away enough that noise wasn't a problem. It's a basic but pleasant, clean place in the heart of La Rochelle, and reasonably priced. Our family room had a queen/king-sized bed and two singles. It felt a little cosy, but worked fine for one night, and we all slept well. I can't say enough about the staff. Ursula was so friendly and helpful, especially with our youngest, who was having a hard time. He still has the balloon animal she made, even though it's slowly deflating. The day before we arrived, someone from the hotel called to explain where to park and how to find them, and answer any other questions. They really went out of their way to make our stay easy. They also happily kept our luggage behind reception while we went to a local cafe for breakfast, even though breakfast is offered in your room. You can't park at the hotel, as their website and post-booking emails explain. We used the old port west car park, about a 5-10 minute walk along the harbour front. The hotel is above bars and restaurants, and there are stairs to climb with your luggage. I don't think there's a lift.

A lovely little hotel on the harbour, with great value and great staff. Lin at reception went above and beyond to help us. I'd highly recommend it.

The port-side rooms have a view and location that are hard to beat. The beds were very comfortable and worked well for four adults, and the shower was good. We kept the windows open for the breeze and atmosphere, but it gets very noisy outside. Revellers were out on the streets until the early hours, then rubbish and delivery trucks started making their rounds around 04:30 am.