Le Régence

I reserved for 3 nights, but checked out the first morning and found a different hotel, due to a bunch of small and medium problems with Hotel Regence. Any one or two of these issues, I could've worked around, but there were just too many. Such as: No hot water in the shower even after I ran it for several minutes. Refrigerator locked when reception closed, which is late afternoon, so no ability to keep food or chill drinks overnight! Your one key card has to be inserted in the slot in the room or ALL power outlets shut off - so you cannot charge anything, such as camera batteries, when you step out of the room (you need to take the key card with you). AC was weak and it took several hours to get the room feeling not humid. When I checked in after hours, note they left with my key did not have wi-fi info, which was hidden in an unlabelled booklet in the room which I did not find. So I checked in late, and left the next morning. Later, I saw they had charged my card for all three nights in advance. I wrote them several times asking about a partial refund. Even though they had responded to several of my emails before I arrived, they have completely ignored the emails I sent asking about a partial refund after I left, and have never written back.

LOCATION to historical sights, restaurants, shopping is perfect. If leaving on a Rhône cruise, literally a 5 minute, easy walk to port. Extremely clean, quiet and functional rooms, with very pleasant staff. Highly recommend! The only downside is no elevator, but staff will assist you.

Rick Steves recommended this hotel 24 years ago. I came back last Sep 2023 and the room we had was ok. The management has changed now owned by Eric and Valerie. On our 2nd day, we requested not to have our room cleaned hoping we had the option to get towels anytime. We informed Eric in the morning we left for Les Baux that we don't want our room cleaned since they don't have those door hangers. However, that night when we came back, my husband requested for toilet paper and extra towels. Eric gave him the toiler paper but not the towels. So I came down and as soon as I tried to request or say something, Eric got so upset, started talking in French saying "Merde", stood up angrily and kept talking in French from the time he went up to get the towels to the time he got back to the front desk. I watch French movies and I know what that word means. What a rude receptionist/owner! It was a very simple request and he was disrespectful. I paid the hotel fees. I did not deserve this kind of treatment. Their excuse is it's a mom and pop hotel and someone has to stay in the front desk and the cleaners come in during the day. The solution should have been to always have towels in hand in the private room next to the front desk. Normally hotels will give you towels no questions asked. Don't they know that guests can request towels any time? This owner was unkind and unfriendly. Never will I go to this hotel anymore based on my last experience.

We were boarding a riverboat the next day, so stayed just one night at this small hotel close to both the train station and our boat, so we didn’t have to pull our cases too far. The hotel is run by a pleasant man and wife who were always available to answer our questions. Our room although small was very clean and comfortable. Next morning we enjoyed an excellent breakfast. We would recommend Le Residence as an ideally situated hotel.

My wife and I stayed 3 nights in this 2* hotel located 500m south of the Arles station. We arrived after 2PM, meeting our nice hostess, who checked on our reserved room, then advanced the key card and showed us the newly carpeted stairs up to the 2nd floor. Room #15 opened to a tight carpeted hall passing a nice bathroom with a curtained tub shower, a closet, to the well lighted bedroom with a very comfortable queen bed, 3 chairs, small table with a hot pot and a nice sized TV with channel guide and BBC in English. A large insulated window opened to a quiet lane and overlooked the Rhone’s cruise port. The AC and heat registers were not needed. This impeccably clean 16 room family run hotel has a Utile grocery 200m south, a large Monoprix 200m northeast with several restaurants and a boulangerie 1 block over. Perfect spot for a photo like “Starry Nights over the Rhone” painted just 100m away in 1888.

Could not have enjoyed La Régence more. For a small local hotel it was perfect. Staff was welcoming and very helpful and accommodating. Room was small of course, but up to date and spotlessly clean. Will definitely stay at La Régence on my next solo trip to Arles.