Best Kid-Friendly Hotels in Rhone-Alpes

The 71-room Les Fermes de Marie is a five-pearl, family-friendly ski hotel with lots of Alpine character. Located in a picturesque mountain setting on a repurposed five-acre farm, this property combines rustic coziness and luxury-level indulgence. Exquisitely decorated country-chic rooms are clean and spacious, and include flat-screen TVs with cable channels and pay movies, DVD players, safes, and free Wi-Fi. The adorable kids' club, Le Hameau des Enfants, is not free, but it has dedicated kids' concierge, and offers a kids' dining room, computer stations, field trips, and classes in arts and crafts, gardening, and clowning. The kids' club is thoughtfully decorated, with polka dot mushroom tables, and a cozy vibe that would tempt some adults to a game of foosball. Cooking lessons are offered to both kids and adults, and twice a week there is a fondue-making lesson. The on-site restaurants serve fresh local cuisine, good wine, and decadent cheese dishes, and there are facilities for ski storage. Wi-Fi and parking are both free. 

The upscale Chilly Powder offers an authentic chalet experience right at the base of the Avoriaz ski runs in the Portes du Soleil ski region of the French Alps. The 17 accommodations options include traditional and multi-level family rooms as well as private chalets, all of which are cozy. This hotel has a lot to love for being such a small-scale operation. The main draw is its family-friendly bent, including the on-site day care facility staffed by professional nannies (fee; must be booked in advance). Additionally, the hotel offers its own Chilly Powder Ski School (again, advance bookings are required), and older children have access to the hotel’s supervised kids’ club, which has video game consoles, ping-pong, and all manner of games and activities. Adults will find plenty to love here, too, including gourmet breakfasts and dinners made from with locally sourced produce as well as an outdoor hot tub, sauna, and spa room.

The 102-room Hotel l’Heliopic trades the classic Chamonix rustic look for one that's minimalist and contemporary. Scandinavian style is uniform across all room categories, including the Family Rooms with ingeniously designed cubby-like bunk beds. All rooms include flat-screen TVs, DVD players, and electric kettles, and bright, up-to-date bathrooms. There is a kids’ area on site with games, toys, and a free smoothie bar, and the hotel has covered parking as well as laundry and dry cleaning services.

The 107-room upscale Les Aiglons Resort & Spa offers spacious, contemporary rooms a 10-minute walk from central Chamonix town. The cable car to Aiguille du Midi, with views of Mont Blanc and the Alps range, is a four-minute walk from the hotel as is the free shuttle bus system around the valley and ski resorts. The hotel has a good on-site restaurant, heated outdoor pool, 24-hour front desk, free Wi-Fi, and babysitting services and cribs are available for guests with children, as well as a kids’ area with bean bags, toys, and books. The hotel offers a free activity program, from yoga to hiking, with advanced booking through its website, and there is a ski storage room and ski rental shop on-site. 

The 89-room Mercure Chamonix Les Bossons is a modern, upper-middle-range hotel located outside of downtown Chamonix in the French Alps. Rooms are simple and straightforward, but the hotel’s common areas -- particularly its retro-cool lounge -- are stylish. An indoor pool and hot tub, on-site restaurant, and sauna add value to a stay here, though guests will need to have a car or avail the hotel’s free shuttle to reach downtown Chamonix. Babysitting services are available for guests with small children and there is an outdoor playground on-site. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.

The 24-room mid-range Auberge Le Manoir is a charming chalet nestled in Chamonix, France’s famous Alps village. Cozy, rustic guest are available in a variety of categories, including Family Rooms with bunk beds. All rooms have flat-screen TVs, electric kettles with coffee and tea, and mini-fridges. The property has a country craft vibe and the hotel’s bar is a particularly lovely place to relax after a day on the slopes. The center of town is a five-minute walk from the hotel, and there is an on-site sauna and spa for guest use, not to mention an excellent homemade breakfast buffet. 

Hotel La Residence is a basic but comfortable mid-range hotel located on the corner of a pedestrian shopping street in central Lyon. Its 67 rooms are equipped with air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, minibars, and free Wi-Fi; the hotel is very popular with families because of the availability of Triple and Quadruple guest rooms. The decor of the public spaces, like the hallways and breakfast room, is somewhat dated but generally tidy and clean. Overall, the hotel lacks personality, but it scores marks with guests for cleanliness and its location within walking distance of tourist sights.