Your stay — Brit Hotel
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The Property — Brit Hotel
Brit Hotel sits in the gritty-near south of Tours, a short walk from the tram and the Loire. Its lobby feels like a 2000s business hotel: practical vinyl floors, a breakfast room that doubles as a meeting space, and staff who hand you a city map without being asked. The rooms are compact, with good blackout curtains and free Wi-Fi that actually holds speed. It suits solo travellers or couples who want a clean base for exploring the châteaux without spending on frills.
Chronicles of Tours
Tours grew as the fortified capital of Touraine, its cathedral and old town built on Roman foundations. In the 15th and 16th centuries it became a royal retreat, with silk weaving and printing flourishing under the Valois kings. The French Revolution gutted its aristocratic quarter, but the 19th century saw wide boulevards and the railway linking it to Paris. Today it’s a university city and the gateway to the Loire Valley’s UNESCO-listed châteaux, mixing half-timbered lanes with concrete post-war rebuilding along the river.
Best Time to Visit
Full Tours guide →Best months
June and September: warm, dry days (22-26°C) and long sunlight, with school crowds thinning out after July. September means harvest fairs and late-lingering terrace weather.
Peak / festival surge
July: school holidays and the Tour de France stages that sometimes cut through the Loire. Hotel prices spike 30-50% above June rates; book Brit Hotel early as it fills with château bus tours. The Fêtes de la Loire (every two years, 2024 was last) clogs the city.
Budget shoulder season
April to mid-June, from late September to October: rooms at Brit Hotel drop 15-20%, weather is 15-20°C with rain showers, and tourist sites like Château de Villandry have short queue times. April brings cherry blossoms along the Loire, October has cheaper wine tasting.
Weather & packing
July in Tours is often sultry but can flip to cool drizzle in an afternoon. Pack a light rain jacket (not an umbrella; wind on the river flats spreads it) and a mid-layer for evenings in the Vieux Tours beer gardens.
Live City Briefing — Tours
- Tours tram line A is undergoing summer track resurfacing between 6 July and 18 July 2026; the Gare de Tours stop will be replaced by a temporary shuttle bus, adding 10 minutes to airport tram connections.
- The Loire riverbank walk has reopened after flood damage repairs – you can now cycle from the Pont Wilson to the botanical garden without detours.
- For 2026, the Tours International Garden Festival has moved to mid-July instead of its usual early June slot, so expect extra families at the Pavillon de l'Eau from 14 July onwards.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Brit Hotel, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the 3rd or 4th floor facing the rear courtyard (if available) — these are furthest from street traffic and above the lift machinery. The hotel has a lift, so upper floors are accessible.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid rooms on the 1st floor and those facing Avenue André Maginot. The 1st floor suffers from street-level noise and lobby activity; the avenue is a main road with constant traffic.
Best views
Rooms facing the rear offer a quieter outlook onto neighbouring buildings or gardens; front-facing rooms look onto Avenue André Maginot's traffic and a commercial strip.
Quietest floors
Floors 3–4 (top floor) are quietest, away from street noise and service areas.
🔊 Noise notes
Avenue André Maginot is a busy dual carriageway leading into Tours centre, with heavy traffic from early morning to late evening. There's a supermarket nearby, adding delivery truck noise in the day.
Insider tips
Ask for a top-floor rear room at booking — they're quieter and often have more light. If driving, street parking is available but fills fast; the hotel's own car park is small, so arrive before 5pm to secure a space.
- 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 — Brit Hotel
Free for all guests; speeds around 20 Mbps down; password given at check-in.
Single lift serves all floors; no stairs-only areas.
No physical newspapers; free digital access via PressReader app (login at reception).
Check-in from 14:00; early bag-drop available from 10:00. Late check-out until 12:30 costs €15, after 12:30 charged half the room rate.
Free, behind the front desk; ask staff for a tag.
Step-free entrance from the street; one ground-floor accessible room available; lift fits a standard wheelchair. No grab bars in all bathrooms.
No on-site parking. Public car park Parking Maginot (100m away) costs €14 per 24h; no EV charging at hotel or car park.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: €1.50 per person per night (charged at check-in)
Deposit & card hold: No upfront deposit required; a €50 incidental hold on your card at check-in
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: Chapelle Saint-Martin (631 m · ~8 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
La Petite Arche — 696 m · ~9 min walk
Jardin de la Grenouillère — 454 m · ~6 min walk
Cabaret Extravagance — 2.2 km · ~27 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Nearest — 598 m · ~7 min walk
Pharmacie de l'Horloge — 112 m · ~1 min walk
Paris Store — 527 m · ~7 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Euro, EUR
Use bank ATMs for the best rates; avoid airport and tourist bureau exchange counters which charge poor rates and high fees.
Visa and Mastercard widely accepted; contactless payments common; American Express less so; small shops and markets prefer cash.
No obligation to tip; rounding up the bill or leaving small change for good service is fine; taxis and hotel staff don't expect tips.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →A standard espresso or filter coffee from a café or brasserie costs about €1.50–€2.50.
Formule du jour (set lunch) at a local bistro or café, including main and drink, around €12–€15.
A main course at an affordable restaurant, like a plat du jour, roughly €14–€18.
Tours has regular markets (e.g., Place des Halles) with food stalls and crêpe stands; street food is limited but affordable near central squares.
Common budget supermarkets include Lidl, Aldi, and Leclerc, with Carrefour Market and Intermarché also nearby.
High-street chains like H&M, Zara, and C&A are in the city centre; the shopping street Rue Nationale and Les Halles market area offer affordable options.
A single bus ticket in Tours is €1.70; a day pass (Ticket Liberté) costs €5.20. From Tours Val de Loire Airport, the cheapest way is the shuttle bus (€2–€3 one-way) into town.
Eat at market stalls or buy picnic supplies from supermarkets for cheap meals; visit museums on the first Sunday of the month for free entry; walk or rent a bike (Tours has a Vélociti bike-share scheme) instead of using taxis.
Good to know — Tours
Type C/E · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ €0.88 · EUR
Where to Eat
Book a table →💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Tours, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Brit Hotel
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Nearest — 598 m · ~7 min walk — pharmacy · Pharmacie de l'Horloge — 112 m · ~1 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Find train tickets →Aéroport Tours Val de Loire (bus stop 'Aéroport') → Gare de Tours (train station—200m walk to hotel)
💡 Buy a ticket at the automated machine near the stop (coins only) or via the Fil Bleu app. The bus drops at Gare de Tours: walk down Rue de la Gare—the hotel is opposite the station entrance.
Gare de Tours (tram stop 'Gare de Tours') → Various spots across Tours (e.g., Université, Charcot, Vaucanson)
💡 The tram is the best way to reach the old town (stop 'Place Jean Jaurès'—10 min walk) or the Palais des Congrès. Buy a 10-trip Carnet (€14.40) if staying multiple days—valid on bus and tram. Validate your ticket in the machine onboard.
Main French cities (e.g., Paris Montparnasse, Bordeaux, Lyon) → Gare de Tours (directly opposite the hotel)
💡 TGV from Paris Montparnasse takes 1h05—book at least 2 weeks ahead for €15–30 fares. The hotel is literally across the street from platform 1 exit. Avoid the slow TER regional trains from Paris (3 hours).
Tours Val de Loire Airport → BestWestern Plus L'Artist Hôtel (1 Rue de la Gare, Tours Centre)
💡 Fixed-rate taxi stand outside arrivals; confirm price before getting in. The hotel is 10 minutes from the airport by the D910 road.
About Tours
Wikipedia ↗
Tours ( TOOR; French: [tuʁ] ) is the largest city in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the prefecture of the department of Indre-et-Loire. The commune of Tours had 138,668 inhabitants as of 2022 while the population of the whole metropolitan area was 526,370. Tours sits on the lower r...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Brit Hotel?
Request a room on the 3rd or 4th floor facing the rear courtyard (if available) — these are furthest from street traffic and above the lift machinery. The hotel has a lift, so upper floors are accessible.
Which rooms should I avoid at Brit Hotel?
Avoid rooms on the 1st floor and those facing Avenue André Maginot. The 1st floor suffers from street-level noise and lobby activity; the avenue is a main road with constant traffic.
Is Brit Hotel noisy?
Avenue André Maginot is a busy dual carriageway leading into Tours centre, with heavy traffic from early morning to late evening. There's a supermarket nearby, adding delivery truck noise in the day.
Which rooms have the best views at Brit Hotel?
Rooms facing the rear offer a quieter outlook onto neighbouring buildings or gardens; front-facing rooms look onto Avenue André Maginot's traffic and a commercial strip.
What are insider tips for staying at Brit Hotel?
Ask for a top-floor rear room at booking — they're quieter and often have more light. If driving, street parking is available but fills fast; the hotel's own car park is small, so arrive before 5pm to secure a space.
What time is check-in at Brit Hotel?
Check-in at Brit Hotel is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Brit Hotel have Wi-Fi?
Free for all guests; speeds around 20 Mbps down; password given at check-in.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Brit Hotel?
€1.50 per person per night (charged at check-in)
Where can I eat cheaply near Brit Hotel?
Formule du jour (set lunch) at a local bistro or café, including main and drink, around €12–€15.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Brit Hotel?
A single bus ticket in Tours is €1.70; a day pass (Ticket Liberté) costs €5.20. From Tours Val de Loire Airport, the cheapest way is the shuttle bus (€2–€3 one-way) into town.
When is the best time to visit Tours?
June and September: warm, dry days (22-26°C) and long sunlight, with school crowds thinning out after July. September means harvest fairs and late-lingering terrace weather.
Top Attractions in Tours
💡 Skip the tourist-trap crêperies near the fountain. Head to 'Le Vieux Mûrier' on the north side for a decent galette at €10. The square is busiest between 19:00 and 21:00.
💡 Step behind the altar to see the 13th-century 'Tree of Jesse' window. Climb the north tower for a view of the Loire (small fee, but the nave is free).
💡 Go to the crypt (free) to see the original tomb. The Sunday morning mass at 10:30 includes a small choir—worth timing your visit.
💡 Visit in spring when the magnolias are in bloom. The greenhouse is only open on weekend afternoons.
💡 The permanent collection is free every first Sunday of the month. The garden's cedar of Lebanon, planted in 1804, is worth a look.