Nantes: 5 charming hotels for a weekend between castle and Graslin

For a long time, we slept in Nantes as we passed through: in a breeze, between two meetings or a train to the coast. Today, the city has the luxury of hotels that tell a story, from the first five-star hotels within the walls to old residences reinvented as urban refuges. We come to see Les Machines de l’île, the castle of the Dukes of Brittany, the banks of the Loire… and we find ourselves spending almost as much time at the bar or in the garden as at the museum.

Maison Maubreuil, five-star pocket in the heart of Nantes

Member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World collection, Maison Maubreuil resembles less a hotel than the highly organized fantasy of a collector who would have left his trunks in the heart of Nantes. Behind the 19th century facade, only 13 rooms and suites, each staged like a journey – Okinawa here, Empire of Jade there, Palazzo di Amore further on – between woodwork, objects and subdued lights which give the corridor the look of a theater backstage.

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We go down for a drink in the cellar as if we were going to search a cabinet of curiosities, we dine at Chez Albert wondering if we are still in Nantes or already elsewhere, then we go back up to get lost in our room, letting the cathedral just a stone’s throw away make the background noise.

For whom? For couples who don’t like hotels but love inhabited houses, weekends where you want to impress without overdoing it, and those who prefer a five-star pocket hotel to a large, anonymous ship.

Le prix : From €300 per night in a double room.

Maison Maubreuil6, rue du Roi‒Albert, 44000 Nantes. Tel.: +33 (0)2 40 50 40 00.

Oceania Hôtel de France, large town hall in the Graslin district

Rue Crébillon, between Place Graslin and Place Royale, the Oceania Hôtel de France plays the part of the grand town hall in Nantes: a former 18th century private mansion, a listed hall, monumental staircase and contemporary rooms which have retained something of the height and bourgeois decor. We cross the lobby like we would pass through the door of a theater, we put down our bags, then we set off on foot to the Passage Pommeraye, to the Graslin theater or towards the quays of the Loire, the city at the end of the corridor.

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For whom? For couples and travelers who want to be in the heart of the Graslin district, mixing shopping, restaurants and outings without ever taking the car, and for those who like large city center hotels with a real past.

Le prix : double room from €140 per night depending on the period.

Oceania Hôtel de France24, rue Crébillon, 44000 Nantes. Tel.: +33 (0)2 40 73 57 91.

SOZŌ Hotel, 19th century chapel transformed into a boutique hotel

Facing the Jardin des Plantes, an old 19th century chapel has swapped its benches for beds and its stained glass windows for designer lighting: the SOZŌ is one of those hotels where you spend as much time looking up as unpacking your suitcase. With its 24 rooms only, stone vaults, suites installed in the choir and lobby under the arches, the address manages to be both spectacular and surprisingly intimate.

We go out to get some fresh air in the Jardin des Plantes, we walk to the Château des Ducs de Bretagne or to the city center, then we return to take refuge in this somewhat unreal bubble where the liturgy has given way to breakfast and room service.

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For whom? For urban couples who love architecture, train travelers (station and center within walking distance) and those who favor unique atmospheres over big brands.

Le prix : double room from €170 per night depending on the period.

SOZŌ Hôtel, 16, rue Frédéric‑Cailliaud, 44000 Nantes. Tél. : +33 (0)2 40 04 70 00.

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Radisson Blu Hotel, monumental former courthouse

In the old courthouse, an immense stone vessel located between Graslin and Place Bretagne, the Radisson Blu has undergone a spectacular conversion: large hall which resembles a station hall and the Salle des Pas Perdus, monumental staircases, XXL volumes where contemporary design clings to the moldings. The rooms are simpler but comfortable, the perfect base for a weekend for two or a group.

We cross the city on foot – Graslin theater, Passage Pommeraye, banks of the Loire – before returning for a last drink under the ceilings of the old court, with the impression of briefly occupying places of power.

For whom? For those who like grand decors and standardized comfort, weekends with family or friends, and stays with a car (easier parking than in the historic center).

Le prix : double room from €150 per night depending on the period.

Radisson Blu Hotel Nantes6, place Aristide‑Briand, 44000 Nantes. Tél. : +33 (0)2 72 00 12 00.

The Hotel, a chic three-star hotel facing the Château des Ducs

Opposite the ramparts of the Château des Ducs de Bretagne, L’Hôtel plays the card of a small contemporary boutique hotel: around thirty rooms, sober colors, a few touches of design and, above all, this breathtaking view of the towers of the château for certain categories. We are a two-minute walk from the tram, the Lieu Unique, the city center: the city can be explored in a star pattern from the hotel door.

Here, no show off or big effects, but a well-kept, efficient address, which makes you want to come home for an hour between two walks, with the ramparts as a backdrop.

For whom? For travelers without a car, couples and families who want to do everything on foot on a budget, and those for whom the view of the castle is more important than the spa.

Le prix : double room from €110 per night depending on the period.

L’Hôtel, 6, rue Henri IV, 44000 Nantes. Tel. : +33 (0)2 40 89 75 00.

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