Lille is perfectly placed for a short break, mixing the buzz of more than 80,000 students with beautiful Flemish architecture, stellar art galleries and a dizzying number of restaurants. Its elegant Grand-Place – particularly the Renaissance stock exchange Vieille Bourse, with an elaborate façade that glitters in shades of gold and crimson – sets the stage for pleasant wanderings past ornate Flemish townhouses and Vieux Lille’s cobbled streets.
The shopping is superb, whether you’re buying local cheeses or getting lost in the vast Wazemmes food market south of the centre. Take the tram to Roubaix’s mesmerising La Piscine gallery set in Art Deco swimming baths, and see one of France’s finest art collections at the central Palais des Beaux-Arts.
Lille’s rich history is reflected in its hotels, with a converted 15th-century hospice and 17th-century convent among the more recent belle époque townhouses and sleek 21st-century offerings. Many are within easy reach of Lille Europe railway station if you’re coming via Eurostar.
How we review
All our reviewers are either resident destination experts or travel writers that specialise in hotels. Often they will have stayed at a hotel many times and so can see how it has changed for better or worse over the years. They know what makes a great hotel in that particular destination and will compare it contextually against local competition. When our reviewers first visit a hotel, they stay for at least one night, eat one meal in addition to breakfast and will experience all of the facilities on offer. Whichever category of room they stay in, they will see the entry-level rooms in order to assess them.
After their stay, our reviewers then give the hotel six scores out of 10, rating its location, style and character, service and facilities, rooms, food and drink, and value for money. The average of these scores then determines the overall score. Our experts then select reviews for curated lists like this – the best hotels in a particular destination for families, for instance – together with the Telegraph Hotels team.
At a glance: the best hotels in Lille
Best luxury hotel in Lille: L’Hermitage Gantois
Best family hotel in Lille: Couvent des Minimes
Best budget hotel in Lille: Hotel de la Treille
Clarance Hotel
8/10
Blink and you miss the discreet opening to the courtyard of Clarance Hotel, a boutique five-star in an excellent spot in Vieux-Lille. This intimate hotel occupies an 18th-century townhouse, and has gained several accolades, including a Michelin star for its restaurant.
Couvent des Minimes Alliance Lille
8/10
Lille’s first four-star hotel started out as a 17th-century convent that has been transformed into a stylish lodging. Couvent des Minimes’ star turn is the cloisters, where vaulted ceilings surround an airy open space containing the restaurant and lounge bars.
L’Arbre Voyageur
8/10
An audacious steel façade hints at the clever styling within the ultra-modern four-star L’Arbre Voyageur on the edge of Vieux-Lille. The hotel stands out from the contemporary mainstream with its breezy rooms, thoughtful touches, two very good restaurants and even an on-site bakery.
Best Western Urban Hôtel
8/10
Discover another side of Lille at this stylish hideaway, just 10 minutes from the city centre. The hotel is the renaissance of a 19th-century textile mill owner’s grand mansion, and includes a truly over-the-top gilded dining room.
L’Hermitage Gantois
8/10
L’Hermitage Gantois built within a 15th-century hospice, has rotating art exhibitions, a chapel and gorgeous courtyard maze gardens which block any noise from the street. The atrium bar, complete with a piano and quirky sculptures, is a lovely place to unwind after a day of sightseeing. There’s even a museum section of diseases treated on-site – it’s deliciously morbid.
Hôtel Barrière Lille
8/10
The Hotel Barrière brings the coast to town with architect Jean-Paul Viguier’s dramatic evocation in glass of an ocean liner berthed on the skyline. It’s an unlikely shard of Riviera casino resort style on the edge of a Eurostar city, offering the entertainment of a five-star luxury cruise.
Best Western Premier Why Hotel
8/10
This delightful boutique hotel – hidden behind an office block façade in central Lille – is a convenient base for serious shopping and self indulgence without breaking the bank. The restaurant has a terrace and an affordable menu, making it a popular al fresco dining option in the centre of town.
Hôtel Lille Europe
7/10
Hôtel Lille Europe is a great value three-star hotel is perfectly located next to the station and shopping centre and offers city views, a hearty breakfast and the option of a portable Wi-Fi router to carry around town in your pocket.
Grand Hotel Bellevue
7/10
Location is everything at the Grand Hotel Bellevue, the only hotel directly facing Lille’s Grand Place. Inside this four-star is a somewhat faded belle époque elegance that is due for a much-needed facelift.
Hôtel de la Treille
7/10
You’re right in the heart of Vieux Lille in the stylish, friendly Hôtel de la Treille; step out the door and you’re in the midst of the smart boutiques and bars of Rue de la Monnaie. Although it’s in a modern building, the nod towards stately neo-classical architecture doesn’t make it stand out like a sore thumb amongst its venerable neighbours.
Citadines City Centre Lille
7/10
A smart aparthotel close to the historic centre of Lille, with a proper kitchen so you may make the most of the city and shop like a local. The ideal location means you could even nip down to Paris after breakfast and be home in time for lunch.
Mama Shelter Lille
7/10
Mama Shelter brings its playful and affordable design to Lille with a hotel housed in a massive new-build near the city’s two train stations. Expect ultra-comfortable rooms, quirky style details, and a lively bar and restaurant that have quickly become a hotspot on the Lille social scene.
Hôtel Brueghel
7/10
Hôtel Brueghel is a delightful mishmash of architectural styles and history, sandwiched between the grandiose medieval Saint-Maurice church and central Lille’s main shopping district. This laid-back, three-star hotel is in a handsome 19th-century townhouse.
Additional reviews by Anna Richards, Laurence Phillips and Nicola Leigh Stewart