🇫🇷 Arles, France
Hôtel du Forum
📍 10, Place du Forum, Arles, 13200
Your stay — Hôtel du Forum
Live forecast for your dates · what's on · air quality & pollen📅 Pick your check-in & check-out above to unlock your day-by-day forecast, what's on during your stay, and live air quality & pollen for Arles.
The Property — Hôtel du Forum
Hôtel du Forum is a modest 3-star tucked behind a 17th-century façade in central Arles. The lobby feels quiet and Provençal, with stone floors, a small fountain, and a breakfast terrace that catches the morning sun. It suits independent travellers who want a clean, practical base without frills — think good location over designer touches.
Chronicles of Arles
Arles began as a Greek trading post (Arelate) in the 6th century BCE, later became a key Roman port with a 12,000-seat amphitheatre still in use today. Its Romanesque churches and narrow medieval streets earned it a UNESCO World Heritage listing for its monuments. Van Gogh painted over 200 works here during his 1888-89 stay, drawn by the intense light and the city’s ancient character. Today Arles balances its Roman heritage with a contemporary arts scene, anchored by the annual photography festival.
Best Time to Visit
Full Arles guide →Best months
May and September offer reliably warm, sunny days (low 20s°C) with fewer tourists than summer. April is also good for spring flowers and lighter crowds.
Peak / festival surge
July is peak, driven by the Les Rencontres d'Arles photography festival (early July to September) and summer holidays. Hotel prices double or triple; booking a year ahead is normal.
Budget shoulder season
June and October are the sweet spots: June has long daylight and moderate heat before the July rush; October is still pleasant but quiet, with discounted rooms and empty terraces.
Weather & packing
Arles gets the fierce Mistral wind, especially in spring and autumn — it can drop temperature 10°C in minutes. Pack layers: a thin fleece or windbreaker, even in July, and a sunhat for the exposed Roman arenas.
Live City Briefing — Arles
- New cycle lane along the Rhône quayside (opened 2025) makes it safer to pedal from the hotel to the amphitheatre — bikes available for hire at the tourist office.
- The thermes (Roman baths) near the Camargue roundabout are closed for restoration until 2027; no access.
- From July 2026, the Arles train station's south entrance will be closed for a lift upgrade — use the main north side entry from Avenue Lamartine.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Hôtel du Forum, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the 2nd or 3rd floor facing the inner courtyard (cour arrière). These are quieter and often have direct windows onto the shaded patio rather than the square.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid ground-floor rooms or those overlooking Place du Forum directly — the café tables and foot traffic go until late, and the hotel’s main entrance is on the square.
Best views
Rooms on the Place du Forum side – 2nd or 3rd floor windows – look onto the Romanesque church of St. Trophime and the café terraces. Worth the noise if you want the classic Arles postcard view.
Quietest floors
2nd and 3rd floors, especially rooms on the courtyard side. The 1st floor still catches street-level noise, and upper floors sit above the restaurant/bar hum.
🔊 Noise notes
The main noise source is Place du Forum itself: café chatter, clinking glasses, and foot traffic until 1am in high summer. The hotel’s own restaurant/bar adds indoor chatter. No service entrance visible from the address, but delivery trucks use the adjacent Rue de la République early mornings.
Insider tips
Park in the public underground parking ‘Parking Jean Jaurès’ (5-min walk) — cheaper than any hotel valet. Request a courtyard-side room if you’re a light sleeper, and note that the hotel doesn’t have a lift to the top floor (3rd) — if stairs are an issue, ask for the 1st or 2nd floor.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Hôtel du Forum
Free, unlimited, password-protected Wi-Fi throughout; typical speed ~15 Mbps download (adequate for streaming and video calls)
No lift – all guest rooms are on first to third floors via stairs (no ground-floor rooms); historic building constraint
No complimentary digital newsstand; a few French printed newspapers at breakfast. The hotel occupies a 17th-century former convent with a shaded inner courtyard
Check-in from 15:00; early bag drop from 11:00 (free); check-out by 11:00 – late check-out until 13:00 for €20 (subject to availability)
Free at reception during reception hours (08:00–22:00 daily); after-hours by arrangement
Not suitable for wheelchair users – step at main entrance, narrow staircases, no lift. No adapted rooms
No on-site parking. Nearest public car park: Parking des Lices (just off Place de la République), €12 for 24h (walk 5 min). No EV charging on-site
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: €0.88 per person per night (mandatory, paid at check-in)
Deposit & card hold: No advance deposit for standard bookings; a pre-authorisation of €50 for incidentals is taken at check-in
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: Église Saint-Blaise (177 m · ~2 min walk)
- Church: Cloître Saint-Trophime (214 m · ~3 min walk)
- Church: Cathédrale Saint-Trophime d'Arles (251 m · ~3 min walk)
- Church: Église Notre-Dame de la Major (257 m · ~3 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Jardin d'été — 152 m · ~2 min walk
Conservatoire du santon provençal — 219 m · ~3 min walk
Théâtre antique — 82 m · ~1 min walk
Jeux de table romain — 1.4 km · ~18 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Nearest — 39 m · ~1 min walk
Pharmacie de l'Hotel de Ville — 299 m · ~4 min walk
O'Delices — 377 m · ~5 min walk
Gare Routière — 1.1 km · ~14 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Euro, EUR
Use bank ATMs in central Arles for the best rates; avoid exchange bureaux at Gare d'Arles or tourist offices as they add high fees.
Visa/Mastercard contactless is widely accepted in shops, cafés and restaurants; Amex is rare. Small markets and some bakers prefer cash under €10.
No tipping expected; rounding up to the nearest euro for coffee or leaving small change (€1–2) for a meal is fine. Taxis and hotel staff do not expect tips.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →A standing espresso at a bar costs about €1.50; sit-down café coffee is €2.50–3.
Takeaway baguette sandwich or quiche from a bakery for €6–8; a sidewalk crêpe is €5–7.
Pizza or plat du jour in a modest restaurant: €12–16 for a main.
The weekend market on Boulevard des Lices has cheap sandwiches, socca and grilled merguez; also look for food trucks near the amphitheatre on summer evenings.
Carrefour City, Intermarché and Lidl are common in and around Arles.
Chain stores like Kiabi and H&M in the centre; second-hand shops near the Place du Forum for budget finds.
Walking is free; a single bus ticket within Arles costs about €1.50. For airport connections, take the bus to Avignon TGV (€5–8) then train to Arles (€10–15).
Eat at lunchtime market stalls or bakeries instead of sit-down restaurants; buy a multi-attraction pass for Roman monuments (€10–15) to skip separate tickets; fill water bottles at public fountains.
Good to know — Arles
Type C/E · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ €0.88 · EUR
Where to Eat
Book a table →💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Arles, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Hôtel du Forum
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Nearest — 39 m · ~1 min walk — pharmacy · Pharmacie de l'Hotel de Ville — 299 m · ~4 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Find train tickets →Arles city centre (Place Lamartine) → Mas du Prieur (stop: Mas du Prieur)
💡 Tickets from the driver or Envia app. Bus 1 runs along Route de Crau; the stop is literally outside the hotel. Avoid Sundays when service is reduced.
Marseille Provence Airport → Arles city centre
💡 Buy tickets at the airport kiosk—cheaper than online. The bus drops you at Place Lamartine; from there, it's a 15-minute walk or quick cab to Mas du Prieur.
Avignon TGV station → Arles train station
💡 If flying into Paris, take a TGV direct to Avignon TGV (2h40), then connect. From Arles station, Mas du Prieur is a 10-minute taxi ride (€12–15).
Marseille Provence Airport (MRS) → Mas du Prieur, Arles
💡 Book ahead with a local company like Taxi Arles for a fixed rate; avoid airport touts. The drive via A54 is straightforward.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Hôtel du Forum?
Request a room on the 2nd or 3rd floor facing the inner courtyard (cour arrière). These are quieter and often have direct windows onto the shaded patio rather than the square.
Which rooms should I avoid at Hôtel du Forum?
Avoid ground-floor rooms or those overlooking Place du Forum directly — the café tables and foot traffic go until late, and the hotel’s main entrance is on the square.
Is Hôtel du Forum noisy?
The main noise source is Place du Forum itself: café chatter, clinking glasses, and foot traffic until 1am in high summer. The hotel’s own restaurant/bar adds indoor chatter. No service entrance visible from the address, but delivery trucks use the adjacent Rue de la République early mornings.
Which rooms have the best views at Hôtel du Forum?
Rooms on the Place du Forum side – 2nd or 3rd floor windows – look onto the Romanesque church of St. Trophime and the café terraces. Worth the noise if you want the classic Arles postcard view.
What are insider tips for staying at Hôtel du Forum?
Park in the public underground parking ‘Parking Jean Jaurès’ (5-min walk) — cheaper than any hotel valet. Request a courtyard-side room if you’re a light sleeper, and note that the hotel doesn’t have a lift to the top floor (3rd) — if stairs are an issue, ask for the 1st or 2nd floor.
What time is check-in at Hôtel du Forum?
Check-in at Hôtel du Forum is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Hôtel du Forum have Wi-Fi?
Free, unlimited, password-protected Wi-Fi throughout; typical speed ~15 Mbps download (adequate for streaming and video calls)
Is there a city or tourist tax at Hôtel du Forum?
€0.88 per person per night (mandatory, paid at check-in)
Where can I eat cheaply near Hôtel du Forum?
Takeaway baguette sandwich or quiche from a bakery for €6–8; a sidewalk crêpe is €5–7.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Hôtel du Forum?
Walking is free; a single bus ticket within Arles costs about €1.50. For airport connections, take the bus to Avignon TGV (€5–8) then train to Arles (€10–15).
When is the best time to visit Arles?
May and September offer reliably warm, sunny days (low 20s°C) with fewer tourists than summer. April is also good for spring flowers and lighter crowds.
Top Attractions in Arles
💡 Sit at Café Van Gogh (Le Café la Nuit) – it’s the one from his painting, but prices are high for drinks. For a cheaper coffee, try Bar de la Rue behind it.
💡 Open 24/7, but best at sunset. Bring water – no shade late afternoon. Few tourists know about it.
💡 Buy a combined ticket with the Théâtre Antique for €12, valid 2 days. Go early morning to avoid crowds and heat.
💡 Free to view from the rue de la Calade steps outside. If entering, the best spot is the top row of seats for a city view.
💡 Visit late afternoon for cool shade and good light for photos. Combined with the Musée de l’Arles et de la Provence antiques for €6 total.