It’s decided! This year, you will be heading for your vacations in France. In addition to its famous castles of international renown, this department is also known for its rich natural and rural heritage which invites you to a change of scenery.
Like any tourist destination, It offers a wide choice of accommodation for holidaymakers. From the classic hotel room to the camping site, through the gites, refuges and guest rooms, the choice is not always easy. That’s why we decided to make an overview of the different types of accommodation for a vacation.
A hotel
This is the classic of tourist accommodation. It is intended for both tourists, vacationers and business travelers, although the latter are the most numerous to use it because of its rather high price. Hotels offer more or less comfort and services, such as a wellness area, a swimming pool, a restaurant, a fitness center, etc.
Depending on the level of comfort they offer, hotels are rated from 1 to 5 stars. The hotel rooms range from classic rooms and in some hotels there are family rooms where you can be accommodated with children. Hotel rooms are rented by the night and the advantage of choosing this type of accommodation for vacations is to escape the daily chores. These are in fact carried out by the staff of the establishment. Note that there are no less than a thousand hotel establishments.
Vacation rental or gîte
Seasonal rental, vacation rental or gîte is certainly the best known and most used type of accommodation to spend your vacations in Indre-et-Loire. Whether in the city of Tours or in the villages in the countryside, there is a wide choice of vacation rentals in lodging.
The lodging is a house or a furnished apartment which is rented to a clientele of passage. This one has the exclusive use of the property during its stay. The renting is generally done on a weekly basis, from Saturday to Saturday. Contrary to bed and breakfast, the gîte does not offer catering and the owners are not on site. You will find several types of gites
- The rural gîte: as its name indicates, this one is generally in the countryside, but can also be found in the mountains or at the sea. It is often an independent accommodation, installed in a traditional building. It adapts to the needs of families looking for a quiet place to spend their vacations.
- The group gîte: this is a type of gîte intended for group accommodation. It can accommodate between 12 and 120 people. Thanks to this large capacity, the atmosphere is more friendly and open.
- The stopover gîte: this is a sub-category of the group gîte. It is generally located near circuits, such as hiking trails, GR, bicycle paths, etc. This type of lodging is therefore particularly suitable for hikers, cyclists, pilgrims, etc.
- Children’s gîte: this type of gîte also exists. As its name suggests, the children’s gîte is a structure for children in leisure centers or summer camps. In addition to accommodation, it also offers activities to introduce children to life in the countryside, to independence, sports activities, etc.
The guest room
Bed and breakfast is an increasingly popular form of accommodation for vacations. Located halfway between a hotel and a gîte, it is a room fitted out with a private bathroom in the owners’ main residence or an adjoining building. Certain services can be included in the rental price, such as breakfast and linen. If the house also offers a meal service, it is called table d’hôtes. There are guest rooms for couples or families of 4, 5 or more people.
The campsite
Well known to holidaymakers, camping is a form of outdoor accommodation appreciated for its economic and scenic aspect and for its proximity to nature. This type of accommodation has evolved a lot over the years. From simple pitches for tents and caravans to more or less typical forms of furnished accommodation, such as mobile homes, chalets or bungalows, the campsite has gradually adapted to the needs of holidaymakers.
Other types of accommodation
The youth hostel
It is a type of collective accommodation offering shared dormitories or collective rooms with collective sanitary facilities. The aim of the youth hostel is to promote encounters between holiday-makers by offering areas for relaxation and games and a common kitchen for preparing meals.
The hostel
Generally located in high mountains, the refuge is mainly intended to welcome hikers and mountaineers. It is a form of rustic accommodation, whether for sleeping or sanitary facilities. While some refuges are empty, others are guarded and offer services such as meals or drinks.
The hotel apartment
Halfway between a hotel and a furnished apartment, this type of accommodation offers vacationers the benefit of hotel services in a furnished apartment rental. These services include cleaning, laundry, breakfast, restaurant, access to the wellness area, etc.
Unusual or exceptional accommodation
You also have the possibility to stay in exceptional rentals, such as tree houses or castles. Some castles offer their visitors to combine the pleasures of discovering the richness of the region and to stay in a room of the castle. Certainly more expensive, this type of accommodation offers guaranteed sensations.