LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON - France 2014 - page 867

sleep five, with kitchenette, private terrace, and sweet personal touches. Inquire in the
small boutique, and say bonjour to happy-go-lucky Nicole (Db-€55-65, larger apartment-
like Db-€65-85, €10-extra person up to 4, includes self-serve breakfast, cash only, 8 Place
du Grand Puits, tel. [phone], mobile [phone], http://legrandpuits.free.fr ,
[e-mail] ) .
$ Hostel Carcassonne is big, clean, and well-run, with an outdoor garden courtyard,
a self-service kitchen, a TV room, bar, a washer/dryer, bike rental, pay Internet access,
free Wi-Fi, and a welcoming ambience. If you ever wanted to bunk down in a hostel, do
it here—all ages are welcome. Only summer is tight; reserve ahead (bunk in 4- to 6-bed
dorm-€22-25/bed, 2-bed private room-€37-49, includes sheets and breakfast, open all day,
Rue du Vicomte Trencavel, tel. [phone], www.fuaj.org or www.hihostels.com , car-
[e-mail] ).
Just Outside La Cité
Sleeping just outside La Cité offers the best of both worlds: quick access to the ramparts,
less claustrophobic surroundings, and easy parking.
The first two hotels listed below are run by the same family and offer travelers a full
range of price options. An easy walk to La Cité, both offer a free guest computer and Wi-
Fi, air-conditioning, and charge €12 for a forgettable breakfast and €10 for parking. They
also share a snazzy pool (heated all year), a Jacuzzi and spa, view terraces to the walls of
Carcassonne, two lazy hounds, and a sweet cat who hangs out in the lobby ( www.hotels-
carcassonne.net , [e-mail] ).TheownersalsorunHôtell'Octroi,lis-
ted later. All three hotels are well-run and offer Rick Steves readers a 5 percent discount
off the best available price through 2014 (use code RS2014 ).
$$$ Hôtel du Château**** lies just across from La Cité's walls, offering four-star
comfort and prices, with 17 sumptuous rooms, a welcoming terrace, and an elaborate spa
(Db-€170-250, Db with terrace on pool-€200-250, 2 Rue Camille Saint-Saëns, tel. 04 68
11 38 38, www.hotelduchateau.net ) .
$$$ Hôtel le Montmorency***, a block behind the Hôtel du Château (same re-
ception, same pool), has a split personality. Half the rooms are neon-colored-mod (Db-
€130-190), and half are purely Provençal and a bit smaller (Db-€90-120, extra person-
€15). Several rooms have views to the ramparts, and many come with private decks or
terraces (2 Rue Camille Saint-Saëns, tel. [phone], www.lemontmorency.com ).
$$$ Hôtel Mercure*** hides a block behind the Hôtel le Montmorency, a five-
minute walk to La Cité. It rents 80 overpriced, snug-but-comfy, air-conditioned rooms
and has a refreshing garden, a good-sized pool, big elevators, and a warm bar-lounge. A
few rooms have views of La Cité (small Db-€105-170, bigger Db-€135-200, guest com-