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One of the many upsides of living in the Netherlands is the ability to travel to so many countries so easily. My partner and I have taken road trips to Germany, France, and even Portugal and Slovakia. I love how accessible traveling is here. When looking for a hotel, I usually prefer the more rustic ones over the generic ones. I love the cozy, vintage, and homey hotels. They are an important part of my vacation experience. Here are some of the rustic hotels I’ve stayed at in France and Germany.

Normandy, France

Le Clos Saint Paul is a bed and breakfast in a small town in Normandy. If you want to visit Paris but also want quiet country living, this is a great place for you. Le Clos Saint Paul is a 1 ½ hour drive from Paris. So you can stay there and then do a day trip to Paris. The B&B was super cozy and comfortable. I loved the vintage elements everywhere. There was a library and even a hot tub on the premises. How incredible is that?

Central France

La Ferme des 3 Maillets is two hours from Paris and is in the countryside as well. Funny story, one time, I flew into Paris, and Kevin picked me up. We were in a long-distance relationship. Anyway, when I asked him where we were staying for the night, he said that we’ll be sleeping in a roadside hotel. I was like, what in the world?? Turns out this hotel is on the roadside, but a small hotel, not a huge basic generic one.

The room was super spacious and comfortable. I completely passed out when I got there because of jet lag. But when I woke up, I was able to enjoy the gorgeous wooden accents in this stone building and the amazing restaurant. When we picked cheese for dessert, they gave us giant slabs of cheese for us to cut off how much we wanted. What a wonderful place to stay!

Eastern France

Le Domaine Des Pres Verts Nature Hotel & Spa is in a tiny village in eastern France. We got there when it was snowing, and it was magical. This hotel had a really cool room that even had integrated audio so you can listen to music while showering. They even brought you breakfast to your room to enjoy in private. If you need a relaxing getaway, this is the place for you.

Southern France

Hotel La Metairie – Les Collectionneurs is in the south of France, close to Bergerac. I honestly was blown away by how beautiful this hotel was. The details in the room and everywhere were just perfect. There’s a pool, ponies, a French restaurant, and more. If you want to live in a movie, this hotel is the place for you. And if you love formal restaurants, you’re going to love their restaurant. Personally, I prefer the more laid-back vibe, but you don’t have to eat at their restaurant. You can just stay at the hotel and soak it all in.

Germany, On The Mosel River

You can see the Mosel river and vineyards from Gästehaus zum Moseltal. If you want to visit the historic Germany town of Cochem, this hotel is only 10 minutes away. The breakfast was really nice, and the hosts were super friendly and accommodating. If you need a comfortable place to stay while on vacation in the Mosel river area, consider staying at Gästehaus zum Moseltal. This area of Germany is so beautiful and has lots of historic villages and castles that are still intact.

North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Landhotel Meier Gresshoff looks like some sort of mansion from the outside. The grounds were massive and everything was in that old country style. This hotel is also in a great location, close to a brewery and lots of restaurants. You should definitely eat one meal at Pott’s Brewery nearby. The food was good and the beer was even better. Just make sure to make a reservation. And if you like castles and palaces, there are lots of them to visit nearby.

There Are Lots More

I have stayed in other beautiful and rustic hotels in France, Germany, and beyond. I just can’t fit them into this one blog post. Maybe I’ll make it a series, a few countries at a time. If there’s a specific country that you’re about to visit in Europe or somewhere else and need a hotel recommendation, let me know. I’d love to help you decide where to stay!

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Which of these hotels are you most likely to stay at?