Kyriad Pau Centre, Pau

Advantages: Clean, basic accomodation
Disadvantages: In the middle of traffic hell

...was painless, I'd booked online and just waved my confirmation at the polite chap at the desk. He gave me a key for my trouble and a map of Toulouse. He even helpfully circled the city centre for us, and it was telling that the hotel was quite some distance away - don't let the 'Kyriad Toulouse Centre' name fool you, it's easily within walking distance but certainly not central. We took the lift to our room, and we were... satisfied. Big comfy bed, television with basic satellite channels (including BBC World and the German and Spanish equivalents), clean and fully stocked en suite bathroom, and tea and coffee making facilities. We looked around and said, yup, pretty good. OK, the cups for the tea and coffee were flimsy plastic that you wouldn't trust to hold scalding hot liquid, but we weren't in France to hide in a hotel room... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Motor racing is abolutely fantastic, not too expensive, nice shops
Disadvantages: Not really a tourist town, limited places to visit

...fly to Toulouse airport, which is about a 2 hour drive away. Easyjet fly there from Gatwick. I haven't taken any public transport in Pau, so I can't comment on this. I would recommend hiring a car though - parking is not difficult to find. Where to stay ++++++++++ When I have been to Pau, I have stayed in the Kyriad Pau Centre. Kyriad is a chain of hotels. The rooms are basic but comfortable, and the staff are friendly. Rooms cost 80-100 Euros per night, but a continental breakfast costs extra. The hotel has its own car park which is free. When the motor racing is on, officials are invited to stay for free in a local school. I stayed there for one night - never again! The rooms have only a plastic covered bed (you have to take a sleeping bag) there are no locks on the doors, and the loos are communal. The showers were hot enough to... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: mountain views, warm climate (March - October)
Disadvantages: none

...I lived in Pau for a year last year as part of my French university degree. It is just over an hour's drive inland from Biarritz (you can fly to Biarritz cheaply with Ryanair) and is about two and a half hours away from Toulouse. If you're travelling around the South of France or the North of Spain on the Atlantic side, I thoroughly recommend a visit to this town. If you've flown to Biarritz with Ryanair, take a train or hire-car to Pau for the day. You won't regret it and here's why: Pau is near the Pyrenees and is on a hill, so it has the most beautiful panoramic view of the mountains. There is a cafe and palm-tree lined boulevard which looks out onto this view. On a clear day it's spectacular, especially in winter when the mountains are sparkly white with snow. Pau is an hour's drive away from Cauterets, the nearest ski... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful