Hotel du Palais, Montpellier

Next to pretty Place de la Canourgue and a stone’s throw from the impressive cathedral, L’Arc de Triomphe and classy Rue Foch, Hotel du Palais couldn’t be better placed for exploring Montpellier’s centre. The 26-bedroom hotel recently gained its third star, and the owners are going through the rooms, adding new bathrooms and working with a Montpellier based artist-designer whose pretty work, different in each room, includes painted details on the walls and furniture. Many of the rooms – which include family rooms for three, doubles and a handful of singles – have attractive wrought-iron balconies which overlook the streets below and while rooms are on the small side, the location makes up for this. A resident cat welcomes guests in the reception, which doubles up as breakfast area (alongside the terrace in summer) and gallery with local artists exhibiting work.