Family Hotels with a Spa in Nantes

A wellness area in a city hotel matters most on the days when the itinerary is full. Nantes rewards families who walk, between the château, the Passage Pommeraye and the tram rides out to the Île de Nantes, and a sauna or quiet room back at the hotel gives parents a short reset without crossing town. The four listed hotels are central, rated between 8.6 and 9.0 by guests, and three of them also accept pets.

SOZO Hotel is the most unusual address on this list. It is a 4-star boutique hotel set inside a 19th-century chapel, with its stained-glass windows still in place, and it stands directly opposite the Jardin des Plantes. Guests rate it 8.8 across more than 1,200 reviews. Alongside the spa and wellness centre, it lists a kids' club, which is rare in a city-centre hotel of this size. Rooms come with Nespresso machines and kettles, and the reception is open around the clock, useful when a train arrives late at the station next door.

Oceania l'Hôtel de France Nantes has the highest guest score of the four, 9.0 from more than 1,400 reviews. The building combines 18th-century architecture with contemporary design, and it sits a short walk from the main sights of the centre. For families, the useful combination is the spa and wellness area together with family suites, so parents and children are not split across two rooms. It also welcomes pets, which makes it one of the few options here that covers wellness, space and a dog in the same booking. Its central position also means the Loire quays are close by.

OKKO Hotels Nantes Centre Ville takes a practical approach. The 4-star rooms are modern and air-conditioned, a buffet breakfast is served each morning, and soft drinks are included throughout the day, which helps with children who are always thirsty after a walk along the Loire. The spa and wellness area completes the offer, and the hotel accepts pets. Private parking is available at an extra cost, worth knowing if you arrive by car. With 8.6 from more than 2,000 reviews, it is the most reviewed of the four spa hotels.

Seven Urban Suites Nantes Centre suits families who want more independence. Its rooms and apartments each have a kitchenette, a minibar and tea and coffee facilities, so simple meals and snacks can be prepared without going out. The hotel has family suites, a spa and wellness centre and a pet-friendly policy, and a buffet breakfast is served daily. Guests rate it 8.7 across more than 1,900 reviews. I would pick it for a longer stay, when a kitchenette and a quiet wellness hour matter more than a historic setting. The centre and its tram stops are close at hand.