The 55-room Hotel Tourisme Avenue is an mid-range boutique property with elegant modern decor but limited amenities. It's situated in the 15th Arrondissement in walking distance to cafes, restaurants, shops, and the Eiffel Tower. Contemporary, wood-floored rooms range from tiny entry-level rooms to three- and four-person suites. Amenities include AC and flat-screen TVs, but mini-fridges and kettles aren't standard. Bathrooms are particularly appealing with rainfall showers, heated towel racks, and toilets with bidet functions. A daily continental breakfast is served up with cooked-to-order add-ons, but it all costs an extra fee. Travelers on the market for splashier decor might consider the nearby Hotel Ares Paris, though amenities are about the same.

Hotel Gaston is an artsy, modern design-conscious boutique hotel situated in a quiet residential area a 10-minute walk from the metro. For a mid-range option, this hotel is clean, bright, and well-staffed, though it's far from tourist attractions and extra amenities are limited. The lobby doubles as a breakfast room; it's stylish, but the continental breakfast costs an extra fee. Apart from that, there's little else on-site -- the hotel has no full-service restaurant, bar, or wellness facilities. The property's 43 rooms, which are mostly Singles and Doubles, are trendy, clean, and air-conditioned, but they can be downright tiny, and amenities are limited to HDTVs, safes, toiletries, and free Wi-Fi. For a stylish mid-range option closer to sights, guest might consider Hotel des 3 Poussins, situated in the 9th Arrondissement. 

Nestled amid the Burgundy wine route's vineyards, the Chateau de Citeaux La Cueillette is an upscale property bordering the village of Meursault. Castle settings and Old World decor ooze charm in refined interiors, although the look is minimalist modern in the 19 rooms. Surrounded by local wineries, and near Beaune, the property draws wine enthusiasts and couples, for whom a swish spa and indoor pool are relaxing, and sunsets are romantic. Fine dining accompanies the region's fine wines in elegant bar and restaurant spaces, but prepare for high prices. Hotel les Hauts de Meursault is a more affordable, but also less central, alternative.

Built in the early 1920s using 18th-century French châteaux as models, the 56-room Château d’Artigny is an upscale hotel set on a hill overlooking the Indre River and Valley. It’s an imposing structure, with stately interiors featuring high ceilings with moldings and trompe-l’oeil paintings, grand dining rooms with period furniture, and huge windows dressed with heavy curtains. Rooms have traditionally elegant decor along with modern amenities such as free Wi-Fi, minibars, and flat-screen TVs. But some units are a little disappointing, with worn furnishings, patterned bedspreads, and underwhelming decor that feels more dated than charming. The hotel has a French restaurant, a spa, a small outdoor heated pool, and free parking. The location near Tours and several other famous Loire Valley châteaux is a plus. Those looking for something more contemporary may want to compare rates at stylish Château de Perreux.

The Room Mate Alain is an upscale boutique hotel well-located near the Arc de Triomphe and the Palais des Congrès convention center. Rooms are modern with luxe details such as upholstered walls and Eames chairs, plus marble bathrooms with rainfall showers and luxe little extras like loaner smartphones and minibars. The hotel's bar serves up small plates, drinks, and daily breakfast in a darkly romantic atmosphere, though breakfast isn't standard with the room rate. The Room Mate Alain also has a small spa with a treatment room, hammam, and gym. Another alternative to consider could be the nearby Hidden Hotel, though it lacks a spa.

Hotel Hannong is an upper-middle-range property in Strasbourg's center, within walking distance of top sights, shopping, and transport hubs. Though entry-level units are small and lack kettles, the 72 rooms are streamlined and mostly contemporary, outfitted with work desks, sleek bathrooms, and minibars. While rooms have a rather bland design, decor is more elegant in downstairs areas. Features are limited here, as there are no full restaurant or wellness facilities, but a (pricey) sumptuous breakfast buffet is available, as are an intimate wine bar serving light appetizers and a sun terrace that can be booked for functions. Meeting spaces, discounted parking nearby, and free property-wide Wi-Fi round out amenities. Couples looking for a more romantic vibe and a spa should consider Le Bouclier D'Or.

The nautically themed Hotel Le Nouveau Monde, an upscale property built in 2012, faces the sea in Saint-Malo, France. Its location is about a 15-minute walk to the maze of narrow streets in the city's historic, walled center. This beige, masonry hotel riffs on the themes of French explorers, with wall-spanning maps and floor-to-ceiling leather bound books. Most of the lovely 83 rooms face the waterfront, as does the gourmet restaurant and bar; breakfast costs extra. An indoor pool, on the top floor of the hotel, has lap lanes and water jets and the spa includes a hammam-style sauna. If Le Nouveau Monde is booked, travelers can try a similar property, Residence Reine Marine. 

The Autour du Petit Paradis is a simple inn housed inside a 17th-century building that's within walking distance to Les Halles market and many of Avignon's historic tourist sights. It has 11 studios and one-bedroom apartments decorated in elegant period style, though they're a bit sparse. The well-equipped kitchenettes have older appliances, but they're sufficient for guests to fix their own breakfasts; an important note since none is offered here. There's no restaurant or common space other than a small courtyard garden patio. Travelers looking for a step up in amenities can consider Hotel de l’Horloge.

The six-floor, 29-room Hotel du College de France is a quiet gem in a quintessentially Parisian location, halfway between the Pantheon and Notre Dame in the bohemian Latin Quarter. The hotel is welcoming and wonderfully French. This clean, comfortable hotel is a great value for such an ideal location, and has plenty of character (particularly for a budget property). Rooms are basic, with carpets and comforters, but they're perfectly adequate for the price.

Formerly the Hi Hotel Eco Spa & Beach, this three-and-a-half-pearl property promises funky accommodations and assorted upscale amenities within a quick walk of the popular Promenade de Anglais. Its 38 rooms -- all outfitted with iPod docks, LCD TVs and free Wi-Fi -- were designed by Matali Crasset whose eclectic eye and taste for vibrant colors is evident throughout. Haute style, however, sometimes takes precedence over practicality (open-plan bathrooms are a case in point). Crasset designed the common areas, too, which include an organic restaurant, a lively bar, and a rooftop pool. The Spity also manages a private pay-for-use beach nearby. If you’d prefer a more subdued and subtle alternative nearer the promenade, consider the Hotel Beau Rivage instead.