With its flower-filled villages and ancient monuments, Alsace is a picture-postcard region. But before we set off to discover this exceptional region, let’s take a look at where to stay in Alsace.
This region of north-eastern France is renowned for its atypical architecture, with its mix of colorful facades, half-timbered houses and medieval buildings. It’s a surprising mix, yet one that attracts more and more visitors from the four corners of the globe.
Whether you come for culture, gastronomy, wine or relaxation, you’re bound to find something to suit you in this region steeped in tradition. But where to stay in Alsace to make the most of your stay? We tell you everything in our practical guide to where to stay during your stay.
Main information
Before going into the description of the places to target when selecting your accommodation in Alsace, here are the essentials to know from a tourist point of view. This should give you a better idea of the region and its constraints.
Our favorite places to stay
For those in a hurry, here are our favorite places to stay in Alsace:
- $ this hotel, at the crossroads for easy travel.
- $$ this hotel, in a medieval village.
- $$$ this luxury establishment, overlooking the river.
Map of Alsace towns to stay in
To give you a quick overview of the different places we recommend to stay in Alsace, you’ll find on the map below all the Alsace accommodation recommendations we’ll be sharing in this guide. You can also use it to locate the varioustowns we’ll be detailing.
The essentials for choosing where to stay in Alsace
Where to stay in Alsace
Let’s get to the heart of the matter with a review of the main areas where to stay in Alsace.
Staying in Strasbourg, capital of Alsace
Known for its very famous Christmas market and its city center, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Strasbourg attracts many tourists every year. The capital of Alsace is full of the charm typical of this region of northern France: half-timbered houses, small canals and Gothic monuments are the hallmarks of the prefecture of the Grand Est region.
It is an essential stop on any trip to Alsace. There is so much to see that one day is not enough. Strasbourg is visited for its museums, including the Alsatian Museum, for its famous Gothic cathedral, for its city center, for its Place Kleber, and for so much more.
In Starsbourg, you can enjoy a lively atmosphere day and night, immersed in the charm of a city whose past is omnipresent, magnified by the vegetation present throughout the city. There are many restaurants and other bars that will treat you to local specialties at any time.
The bus and tram network extends throughout the city, making it much easier for you to get around. It is therefore easy to reach the various places of interest.
If you wish to stay in the heart of the Alsatian capital, plan for a substantial budget: prices are generally high, and even more so as Christmas approaches.
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Just a ten-minute walk from the station, this accommodation offers small, contemporary-style, well-equipped studios. It's an ideal option for staying on a budget!
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Located right next to Place Kleber, this establishment offers well-equipped apartments with kitchenettes. There's also a gym and children's playroom.
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In addition to its ideal location, this accommodation offers rooms with a view of the river. From here, you can easily reach the Cathedral or the main railway station.
Colmar, stay in a picturesque Alsatian town
Amust-see town in the region, Colmar offers a bucolic setting of half-timbered houses, colorful facades and green canals. Summer and winter alike, Colmar is a popular destination for tourists.
Visitors come not only to admire its unusual architecture, but also to stroll through its historic center, stroll along La Petite Venise, admire its churches and old buildings, or visit one of its many museums. These include the Musée du Chocolat, the Musée du Jouet, the Musée Bartholdi and the Musée Unterlinden.
The great thing about Colmar is that you don't need a bus or a car to get around; everything can be done on foot! You'll find everything you need for entertainment, accommodation and food without having to go far.
And if you're worried that you've seen it all, there's still plenty to discover in the surrounding area. Holidaymakers enjoy discovering typical Alsatian villages such as Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr and Eguisheim, all just a few dozen minutes' drive from Colmar.
Castle lovers will also be delighted: the Château de Saint-Ulrich, the Château du Hohlandsbourg and the Trois Châteaux d'Eguisheim can all be visited within a radius of no more than twenty kilometers.
Here, as in Strasbourg, accommodation is generally expensive. The best way to stay close to the sites of interest without breaking the bank is to book well in advance in the off-season, or opt for accommodation in the surrounding area.
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This cheap hotel of the Ibis Budget chain is a classic for this type of establishment. It offers triple rooms (double bed and bunk bed). The advantage of staying here is that it is located in the Center district, less than 10 minutes' walk from the historic city center.
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In the heart of Eguisheim, this hotel is ideally located for exploring this medieval village and enjoying the restaurants in the evening. It is possible to request access to a parking space in the public car park (for a few euros). It is a good place to stay in the Colmar area.
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This luxury hotel is opposite the station and a fifteen-minute walk from the city center. Housed in a building dating from the early 20th century, the rooms are decorated in a traditional style. It offers a spa service and underground parking, among other facilities.
Stay in Obernai and discover the surrounding area
At the foot of Mont-Sainte-Odile, on the Route de Vins, lies Obernai, whose old-world charm continues to attract tourists and locals alike. Here, fortified towers, ramparts, half-timbered houses and medieval alleyways come together to take you back in time for a few days.
There's so much to see here, including the historic belfry, the Saints-Pierre-et-Paul church, the Puits à Six Seaux and the Fontaine Sainte-Odile. It's easy to get from one monument to the next, thanks to the city's bus network. And here's a little bonus: the trips are totally free.
On the other hand, if you want to get around in the surrounding area, a car is recommended. You can visit the Fort de Mutzig, Mont-Sainte-Odile Abbey, Notre-Dame de Baumgarten or the Würth Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. All these visits will teach you more about theregion's history and traditions, as well as offering magnificent panoramic views.
If you'd like to stay the night, there's not a lot of accommodation available, with prices ranging from €100 to €200 per night, depending on the establishment.
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Le Gouverneur offers you the chance to stay in a typical Alsatian house in the heart of Obernai. Succumb to the old-world charm of this establishment, 350m from the Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul church.
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You can stay at the foot of Mont Sainte-Odile, in a setting that invites calm and relaxation. You'll find a swimming pool and tennis courts in a verdant garden setting.
Staying in Mulhouse
Behind its airs of a quiet little town, Mulhouse is surprisingly full of activities. In addition to its colorful historic center, culture buffs can visit one of the world's most prestigious automobile museums, with its Schlumpf collection, as well as the Cité du Train, reputed to be Europe's largest railway museum.
You can also take time to stroll through the Mulhouse market before visiting the Musée de l'Impression sur Etoffes or the Parc Zoologique et Botanique.
Mulhouse is also home to numerous street art frescoes, each as impressive as the next. Finally, if you're interested in history and the habits and customs of this region of eastern France, you can take a tour of the Ecomusée d'Alsace, an ancient village that lives to the rhythm of its artisans (and no, unfortunately, you can't stay there!). A fun and exciting outing for young and old!
Several accommodation options are available for staying overnight, costing around a hundred euros per night. But wherever you are, Solea buses will take you from one place to another with ease.
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The Berti Hotel is the ideal place to stay if you want to be close to the station. You can stay in the heart of Mulhouse's historic center and many museums, in a refined establishment.
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This hotel offers comfortable accommodation in the center of Mulhouse. Close to a tramway station and the Musée de l'Automobile, it also offers parking (at an additional cost).
Sélestat: stay in a medieval village
With a rich heritage dating back tomedieval times, Sélestat is a must-see destination for culture lovers and thrill-seekers alike.
Just a 40-minute drive fromEuropa Park, Sélestat is also surrounded by numerous rivers for canoeing and hiking.
Inland, you'll find many of the monuments for which Sélestat is famous, such as the churches of Sainte-Foy and Saint-Georges, the Tour de l'Horloge, the Vauban ramparts and the Humanist Library.
Gourmets can stop off at the Maison du Pain to discover the secrets of making Kougelhopf before sampling one.
You can also take the car to explore the surrounding area. You'll find some remarkable sites, such as theornithological observatory, as well as vestiges of the region's glorious past in the Château du Haut Koenigsbourg.
Sélestat offers a number of relatively affordable places to stay. It's the ideal place to stay if you want to get around the surrounding towns and enjoy fast road access.
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Ideally located at the crossroads of the D1083 and the D424, this accommodation makes it easy to get around.
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Close to the center of Sélestat, this charming 3-star accommodation features a gym, sauna and open terrace.
Summary
To get the most out of the Alsace region, we recommend you start in the north and work your way down, stopping now and again to discover the many places of interest the Grand-Est has to offer. The easiest way to do this is to stay in one of the major cities and then wander around the surrounding villages during the day.
From Strasbourg to Mulhouse, via Colmar, Obernai and Sélestat, you now know where to stay in Alsace to make the most of your stay and not miss out on any of the activities on offer.