ibis Avignon Centre Gare

I had stayed there before and was satisfied.

We chose this hotel on the basis of TripAdvisor reviews. Access was complicated as it's next to the central station and the whole station frontage has been dug up, surrounded by fences and apparently just left for years, with trees growing through. There was a path level with the station into the Ibis from the where the taxi dropped us which was fine. We did not need the car park but used the station on our last day to get on the direct shuttle to the TGV station, also the hub for hire cars. The other entry/exit was down a ramp underneath (unlit at night) with homeless people sleeping rough and crowds hanging around a fast food kiosk below. Creepy when on foot, but we had no trouble on the two nights we stayed. Behind the hotel run the main railway lines and in front the main route through town and the tramway but as it's triple glazed it was very quiet to sleep. Inside we had a warm welcome. The receptionist also ran the bar so was run off her feet at times. We did not try the restaurant - the city was too tempting, just across the main road and you're inside the walls, with restaurants everywhere. Our room was small but clean and functional. The bed was comfy with nice linen. Wifi worked fine, the a/c was quiet, and the TV was handy. Breakfast was the usual great Ibis selection which covers almost everything, even down to eggs and bacon. The only small problem was our key kept de-magnetising, despite keeping it away from phones so we had to bother the receptionist to fix it several times and we weren't alone in that. Otherwise, an ideal spot to visit Avignon.

This hotel is surrounded by works at the main station which seem to have stalled so the access to it is complicated and at night there are homeless people in doorways and people lurking in the dark underpass which you have to walk through which is a little daunting. However we had no problem during our stay and it is extremely convenient for the city, the station and the shuttle to the TGV, which is why we chose it. The room was clean, if basic and the bed comfy. The helpful receptionist runs the bar too so this can cause delays.

Smelly room, difficult to find the reception, not much natural light in the room. Positive: close to the train station and the city centre.

Excellent location right next to the train station, facing the old town walls, and a few second’s walk into the old town and all the main sights. We stayed three nights: the first in a room facing the train tracks and the second, for an extra €5, faced the Pope’s Palace. Good sized rooms, although we had to be creative when it came to finding space for our suitcases. Fantastically well insulated, we couldn’t hear a thing. There were five layers of glass in our first room! Bathroom was modern and spotlessly clean. A couple of tiny minus points were that the lift wasn’t working so we had to lug our cases up the stairs and the first receptionist we came across on our first evening wasn’t the friendliest. Note: As in other places in Provence, you need to be very careful with all your belongings. There are quite a few unsavoury and unlucky characters hanging around the station and in town.