Planning a trip to a French-speaking country? You'll definitely need a place to stay! While hôtel is the most direct and widely understood word for 'hotel,' the French language offers a variety of other terms to describe different types of accommodations. Knowing these words will not only expand your vocabulary but also help you find the perfect place to rest your head, whether you're looking for a luxurious resort or a cozy inn. Let's check out nine different ways to say 'hotel' in French and what each one really means!

1. The standard 'hotel' – un hôtel

The most common and direct word for 'hotel' in French is un hôtel. As a cognate, it's one of the easiest vocabulary words for English speakers to learn and use immediately.

Hôtel is a masculine noun. A crucial pronunciation point is its silent 'h' (known as an h muet). This forces a liaison, or linking of sounds, with the preceding word. For instance, un hôtel is pronounced as one fluid sound, /œ̃.n‿o.tɛl/ (sounds like uh-no-tel), not as two distinct words.

Because of the silent 'h', the articles used before hôtel are important to note:

un hôtel - a hotel
l'hôtel - the hotel (the article le contracts to l')
des hôtels - (some) hotels
les hôtels - the hotels (plural)

When you want to describe a hotel, the adjective usually comes after the noun. For example, you would say un hôtel moderne (a modern hotel) or un hôtel charmant (a charming hotel). For star ratings, you'd say un hôtel quatre étoiles (a four-star hotel).

Be careful with the phrase hôtel de ville. While it literally translates to 'hotel of the city', it does not mean a city hotel. This term actually means 'city hall' or 'town hall'—the main administrative building of a town or city.

💡 * Nous avons séjourné dans un bel hôtel près de la mer.

L'hôtel est complet ce week-end à cause du festival.

Pouvez-vous me recommander un hôtel bon marché ?

J'ai réservé une chambre à l'Hôtel Ritz pour notre anniversaire.

Les hôtels de cette chaîne sont connus pour leur excellent service.

The 'inn' or 'hostel' – une auberge

The 'inn' or 'hostel' – une auberge

In French, the word une auberge can translate to both an 'inn' and a 'hostel'. It generally describes lodging that is more rustic, communal, or budget-friendly than a standard hotel (un hôtel).

Traditionally, une auberge referred to a country inn, often a charming, family-run establishment in a small town or rural area that provided simple lodging and hearty meals for travelers.

Today, one of the most common uses of the term is in the phrase une auberge de jeunesse, which specifically means 'youth hostel'. These are popular with backpackers and students, offering affordable accommodation, often in shared dormitory-style rooms.

The main difference lies in the atmosphere and amenities. An hôtel usually implies private rooms, more services, and a higher price point. An auberge suggests a more social, simple, and economical experience. If you're looking for a private room with an ensuite bathroom, you'd typically search for un hôtel.

To summarize, use une auberge for a traditional country inn or, more frequently, une auberge de jeunesse for a modern hostel. The word itself carries connotations of simplicity, community, and affordability.

💡 * Nous avons dormi dans une petite auberge de montagne. (We slept in a small mountain inn.)

Je vais réserver une place dans une auberge de jeunesse à Paris. (I'm going to book a spot in a youth hostel in Paris.)

L'auberge offre un petit-déjeuner commun pour tous les voyageurs. (The hostel offers a communal breakfast for all the travelers.)

C'est moins cher de rester dans une auberge que dans un hôtel. (It's cheaper to stay in a hostel than in a hotel.)

The 'holiday home' or 'cottage' – un gîte

When planning a trip to France, especially to the countryside, you'll inevitably come across the term un gîte. This word is essential for understanding a popular type of holiday accommodation.

A gîte is a self-catered holiday rental, similar to a cottage, vacation home, or apartment. It's typically furnished and equipped with a kitchen, allowing travelers to cook their own meals and live independently.

The term often refers to a gîte rural – a holiday home in a rural setting, which might be a converted barn, a farmhouse, or a village house. It offers a more authentic and private experience compared to a hotel.

Unlike a chambre d'hôte (a B&B), where you rent a room in someone's house, a gîte is an entire, separate property. You rent the whole space, giving you more freedom and privacy.

Gîte is a masculine noun: un gîte. The plural is des gîtes. A common verb used with it is louer (to rent), as in louer un gîte (to rent a holiday home).

💡 * Nous avons loué un gîte en Dordogne pour une semaine. (We rented a cottage in Dordogne for a week.)

Ce gîte peut accueillir jusqu'à six personnes. (This holiday home can accommodate up to six people.)

Ils cherchent un gîte avec piscine pour leurs vacances d'été. (They are looking for a holiday home with a pool for their summer vacation.)

Le gîte était charmant et très bien équipé. (The cottage was charming and very well-equipped.)

The 'bed and breakfast' – une chambre d'hôtes

The French term for a 'bed and breakfast' is une chambre d'hôtes. It's a key phrase for anyone planning a trip to France and seeking cozy, local accommodation.

Literally, une chambre d'hôtes translates to 'a room of hosts.' This perfectly describes the concept: you are renting a room in a private home where the owners, or hosts (les hôtes), live.

This type of lodging is distinct from a hotel (un hôtel). It typically involves a more personal experience, limited capacity (usually no more than 5 rooms), and always includes breakfast (le petit-déjeuner), often homemade and served by the hosts.

Note that chambre is a feminine noun, so you always use feminine articles like une or la. The plural form is des chambres d'hôtes.

💡 * Nous avons réservé une chambre d'hôtes pour notre week-end en Normandie. (We booked a bed and breakfast for our weekend in Normandy.)

Cette maison propose des chambres d'hôtes avec vue sur la mer. (This house offers B&B rooms with a sea view.)

Le charme d'une chambre d'hôtes, c'est l'accueil personnalisé. (The charm of a B&B is the personalized welcome.)

Est-ce que le petit-déjeuner est inclus dans la chambre d'hôtes ? (Is breakfast included with the B&B room?)

The 'luxury hotel' – un palace

In French, un palace isn't just any luxury hotel. It's an official and prestigious distinction awarded by the French government to a select few five-star hotels that offer the highest level of service and quality.

While any high-end hotel can be called an hôtel de luxe (luxury hotel), the term palace is a protected designation. Think of it as 'beyond five stars'—it signifies exceptional characteristics like historical significance, unique location, and world-class amenities.

The word palace is a masculine noun in French. Therefore, you always use masculine articles like un palace (a palace hotel) or le palace (the palace hotel).

Use un palace when referring specifically to one of these officially designated, ultra-luxurious hotels in France. For other high-end hotels, un hôtel de luxe or un hôtel cinq étoiles (a five-star hotel) is more appropriate.

💡 * Pour notre lune de miel, nous rêvons de séjourner dans un palace à Paris. (For our honeymoon, we dream of staying in a palace hotel in Paris.)

Le service dans ce palace est irréprochable. (The service in this palace hotel is impeccable.)

Combien d'hôtels ont la distinction 'Palace' en France ? (How many hotels have the 'Palace' distinction in France?)

Il a économisé toute l'année pour s'offrir une nuit dans un palace. (He saved all year to treat himself to a night in a palace hotel.)

The 'roadside inn' or 'lodge' – un relais

The 'roadside inn' or 'lodge' – un relais

In modern French, un relais refers to a type of hotel or inn, often located along a main road or highway, that caters to travelers. Think of it as a roadside lodge or a coaching inn, providing both accommodation and meals. It implies a place to rest and refuel on a journey.

The word's origin gives a clue to its meaning. Historically, a relais (or relais de poste) was a station where horse-drawn carriages could change their tired horses for fresh ones—a relay station. These stops naturally evolved to offer food, drink, and lodging for the travelers as well.

Today, you'll often see the term used in the names of hotels and restaurants, like Le Relais de la Forêt. It evokes a sense of tradition and comfort for those on the road. A particularly famous and luxurious branding is Relais & Châteaux, an association of high-end hotels and restaurants, which has elevated the term's connotation.

While similar to hôtel or auberge (inn), relais specifically suggests a stopover point on a longer trip. You wouldn't typically call a city-center hotel a relais. It's the perfect word for a charming inn you find while driving through the French countryside.

💡 * Nous nous sommes arrêtés dans un petit relais pour la nuit. (We stopped at a small inn for the night.)

Le relais offrait un excellent dîner régional. (The lodge offered an excellent regional dinner.)

Ce relais de poste a été transformé en hôtel de luxe. (This old coaching inn has been converted into a luxury hotel.)

The 'private mansion' or 'townhouse hotel' – un hôtel particulier

The term un hôtel particulier is a classic French "false friend" (faux ami). While it contains the word hôtel, it does not refer to a commercial establishment where you book a room. Instead, it designates a large, luxurious private residence or townhouse, typically located in a city and often featuring a courtyard in front and a garden behind.

Historically, these were the grand city residences of aristocrats and the upper bourgeoisie, distinguishing them from their country estates (châteaux). Many of Paris's most famous museums, like the Musée Rodin or Musée Picasso, are housed in former hôtels particuliers.

The term is masculine, so you always use un hôtel particulier or l'hôtel particulier. The adjective particulier means "private" or "specific" in this context and agrees with the masculine noun hôtel.

💡 * Le Musée Rodin à Paris est installé dans un magnifique hôtel particulier.

De nombreux hôtels particuliers du quartier du Marais sont ouverts au public.

Elle rêve d'acheter un vieil hôtel particulier pour le rénover.

L'ambassade est située dans un hôtel particulier du 18ème siècle.

The 'aparthotel' – un appart'hôtel

The term un appart'hôtel (plural: des appart'hôtels) is a portmanteau, a word blending the sounds and combining the meanings of two others. In this case, it's a mix of appartement (apartment) and hôtel (hotel).

An appart'hôtel offers furnished, apartment-style accommodation that you can rent for short or long-term stays. It provides the space and independence of an apartment, including a small kitchen or kitchenette, combined with some services typically found in hotels, like a reception desk and housekeeping.

This type of lodging is a popular choice for business travelers, families, or anyone on an extended trip who wants more flexibility than a traditional hotel room allows. It bridges the gap between renting a private apartment and staying in a full-service hotel.

Remember that appart'hôtel is a masculine noun. You would say un appart'hôtel (an aparthotel) or l'appart'hôtel (the aparthotel).

💡 * Pour notre voyage à Lyon, nous avons réservé un appart'hôtel en centre-ville. (For our trip to Lyon, we booked an aparthotel in the city center.)

L'appart'hôtel est une solution pratique pour les longs séjours professionnels. (The aparthotel is a practical solution for long business stays.)

Cet appart'hôtel dispose d'une petite cuisine dans chaque studio. (This aparthotel has a small kitchen in each studio.)

The 'Guesthouse' or 'Boarding House' – Une Pension

The French word une pension translates to a guesthouse or boarding house. It refers to a type of accommodation that is typically smaller and more intimate than a hotel, often family-run, and provides rooms for travelers or long-term residents.

Unlike a standard hotel (un hôtel), a pension offers a more homely atmosphere. It's a popular choice for students, workers, or tourists on a budget who are looking for a simple, comfortable place to stay, often for an extended period.

Crucially, the term pension is also linked to meal plans. You will often see the options demi-pension (half-board), which includes breakfast and one other meal (lunch or dinner), and pension complète (full-board), which includes all three meals. This is a key feature that distinguishes it from many other lodging types.

💡 * Nous avons trouvé une petite pension de famille pour nos vacances en Provence.

L'hôtel propose des chambres en demi-pension ou en pension complète.

C'est une pension pour étudiants près de l'université.

Le prix de la pension est très raisonnable pour un séjour d'un mois.

Are there other ways to say 'hotel' in French?

Are there other ways to say “hotel” in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say “hotel” in French, but the language is full of specific terms for different kinds of lodging. From a rustic gîte (holiday cottage) to a quaint auberge (inn) or a modern appart'hôtel, there's a word for every type of stay.

You can expand your vocabulary by doing an online search for type de logement à followed by the name of a French city or region. This will help you discover local and specialized accommodation terms.

When you encounter a new term, be sure to check its precise meaning. For example, a chambre d'hôtes (bed & breakfast) implies a very different experience from a large hotel chain. Understanding these distinctions is key.

Pay attention as you browse French booking sites, read travel blogs, or watch videos about France. You'll start to notice how different accommodations are described and which terms are used in specific contexts.

If you're looking for more vocabulary related to travel and lodging, exploring a French travel guide website like the Guide du Routard or looking up logement on a dictionary site like Larousse can be very helpful.

I hope this guide has been useful for your travel planning. To finish, here is a wonderful quote from the French writer Gustave Flaubert: Voyager rend modeste. On voit mieux la place que l’on occupe. (Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.)

'9 ways to say "hotel" in French'