13 Hotel Norms in France That Can Catch Visitors Off Guard

If you’ve stayed in hotels for years, you certainly have a general sense of what to expect when you check in somewhere new. The layout feels familiar. The systems make sense. You don’t have to think too hard about how things work.

In France, most of it is still very “normal” and straightforward. But there are a handful of small differences that can catch you off guard if you’re not expecting them. None of them are huge things, but they are helpful to know in advance.

The points below are based largely on differences between American norms and expectations, though travelers from other countries may notice some of these changes too. And in many cases, what feels different here can be standard practice in other countries in Europe as well.

1. Smaller Rooms

One of the most common surprises for visitors to France is the size of the hotel room.

If we’re talking about a standard hotel room, it’s usually pretty tight. This is true everywhere, as older buildings weren’t designed with oversized rooms in mind, but especially true in big cities like Paris, where space is very expensive.

Hotels are often set inside historic townhouses or apartment buildings, and there’s only so much they can expand. A standard double might fit a bed, two small nightstands, and just enough floor space to open one suitcase at a time.

Even 3- or 4-star hotels can feel smaller than you’d expect. The rooms can be lovely and well-designed, just not sprawling.

The more central you are, the more likely the room is to be compact. If you book an upgraded room category, you’ll usually get more space.

Personally, I’m out all day and only at the hotel to sleep and get ready, so I’m generally not too bothered by tighter accommodations. If space is a priority, check the square meter dimensions before booking and be prepared to choose a higher room category.

2. Tiny Elevators

Not only do hotel rooms run small, the elevators often do too.

As we just discussed, many hotels are set inside historic buildings that were never designed with lifts in mind. When one gets added later, it’s usually squeezed into whatever narrow space was available. Unless you’re staying somewhere more modern or upscale, expect a very small elevator.

It’s common for there to be space for two people max, or one person plus their suitcase. I’ve definitely taken separate elevator trips with luggage more than once. I actually love these tiny French elevators, though! They’re such a fun and quirky part of the experience.

Also note: in some budget hotels, there may not be an elevator at all, so always double-check if an elevator is listed if you have heavy luggage or mobility concerns.

3. Bathrooms

If the rooms are small and the elevators are small, it’s probably no big shock that the bathrooms can sometimes be pretty tight too.

Of course, this varies, but it’s not unusual for counter space to be minimal and showers narrower than what you’re used to. I’ve also regularly encountered bathrooms with no outlets.

You’ll almost always see a wall-mounted heater with horizontal bars. That’s a towel radiator, and it’s actually great. It keeps the room warm and dries your towels at the same time.

Finally, the shower setup can sometimes be more than a little surprising. Some showers don’t even have a full shower curtain.

Instead, there may be a partial glass panel, or even no real barrier at all. If you’re not used to that style, it’s easy to accidentally spray water all over the bathroom floor.

4. Tourist Tax

In France, hotel stays include a standard VAT tax of 10%, and there’s also a local tourist tax, called the taxe de séjour. This tax is charged per person per night, and the exact amount varies by city and by hotel category.

Even if you’ve prepaid your room, you may still be asked to pay the taxe de séjour at the hotel. It’s usually just a few euros per person per night, and you can typically pay by card or cash.

5. Holding Luggage

Hotels in France will almost always hold your luggage at the front desk if you arrive before check-in or need to store it after checkout before a later train or flight. They’ll usually tuck it away in a secure back room, and you can go enjoy your day without dragging a suitcase around.

There’s no need to hunt down lockers at the train station or pay for third-party storage in most cases. I love this about traveling in France. It makes arrival and departure days so much easier.

Every single hotel I’ve stayed in has offered this, and it’s pretty standard across the country. That said, if you know you’ll need it, it’s worth double-checking with your specific property just to be sure.

If you book on sites like Booking, it’s usually listed in the amenities section whether luggage storage is available.

6. AC Isn’t a Given

Air conditioning (or climatisation in French) isn’t standard in every hotel in France, especially in the north. In southern regions like Provence, where summer temperatures can climb quickly, AC is much more common.

In cities like Paris, summers are usually warm but not constantly scorching, though heat waves absolutely happen. Many hotels rely on fans and open windows instead. You can often crack a window at night, but of course that’s not the same as steady air conditioning, especially during a hot spell.

If you know you run hot and/or you’re visiting in late spring to early fall, check specifically for AC before booking – don’t assume it’s included unless it’s clearly stated.

7. No Key, No Power

In many French hotels, you’ll need to insert your room key into a small slot on the wall near the door for the electricity to work. Without it, the lights and outlets won’t turn on.

It’s simply an energy-saving measure so guests don’t leave lights running all day while they’re out exploring. If you walk in and nothing works, this is the first thing to check.

8. Noise Insulation Can Vary

This one really depends on the hotel. Some places are impressively quiet, but others can feel like the walls are a bit thin.

A lot of this, again, comes back to historic buildings and older construction. Charming architecture doesn’t always mean modern soundproofing. You might hear hallway footsteps or street noise, especially in busy city centers.

I love sleeping with white noise anyway, so I always pack this little white noise machine, which pretty much takes care of any noise issues for me. It’s small, has a lot of noise and volume options, the battery lasts forever, and I prefer it over using an app on my phone.

If you don’t like white noise, it’s smart to toss a small pack of earplugs into your suitcase. You may not need them, but you’ll be glad you have them if you do.

9. Mattress Configuration

If you book a double bed in France, sometimes that means two twin mattresses pushed together rather than one single queen mattress. There’s usually a mattress topper and a single fitted sheet over both mattresses, so you don’t really notice much of a gap, but occasionally you can feel the seam.

If you feel strongly about having one single mattress, you can message the hotel ahead of time and inquire specifically about one large bed rather than two twins joined together.

10. Leave Your Key at the Front Desk

This isn’t terribly common. I think it’s only happened to me two or three times across all my hotel stays in France, but it does still exist.

Some hotels use an actual physical key instead of a keycard and ask you to leave it at the front desk whenever you go out. When you come back, you simply ask for the key to your room.

I’m not entirely sure why some properties still prefer this system over a keycard, but in practice, it’s not a big deal. Front desk staff usually recognize you quickly, and it becomes part of the routine after the first day.

11. The Ground Floor Isn’t “Floor 1”

In France, the ground floor is level 0. The floor above street level is level 1.

This can be confusing if you’re from the USA, Canada, parts of South America, or most of Asia, where the ground floor is labeled as the first floor. If your room is on the “1st floor” in France, that means one level up from the street.

You’ll might also see the ground floor called or labeled as rez-de-chaussée. In elevators or on signage, it may be written out fully or abbreviated as RDC or R.

12. Hotel Breakfast

Hotel breakfast in France is almost never included in the room price. It’s usually an add-on, often around €12–20 per person per day.

The spread is usually pretty simple. You’ll see juice, coffee, tea, pastries, sliced baguette, butter, and jam. There may be yogurt, cheese, or fruit, but it usually doesn’t feature hot foods like eggs, sausage, bacon, or other prepared dishes.

I think I’ve only paid for hotel breakfast twice in all my stays in France – I find it very overpriced for what you get. Personally, I infinitely prefer grabbing a pastry and drink at a local boulangerie or sitting down at a neighborhood café instead. Even if cost is no factor, the atmosphere is just much better.

13. Hotel ≠ Hotel

The final item on this list isn’t really about accommodations, it’s more of a language note.

Yes, hôtel in French can mean hotel, but it can also refer to something completely different.

For example, Hôtel de Ville actually means City Hall. And a hôtel particulier is a large private townhouse or city mansion, often built for wealthy families in the 17th or 18th centuries.

Many of these historic mansions still stand today and have been turned into museums. In Paris, the former Hôtel de Biron is now home to the Musée Rodin. The Hôtel de Soubise houses part of the National Archives Museum. And the Hôtel Salé is now the Musée Picasso.

So if you see the word hôtel on a sign, it doesn’t automatically mean check-in desk and room key.

Final Thoughts

Most of the points on this list are small things. They’re not good or bad, just different from what you might be used to. Once you know what to expect, they stop feeling surprising and just become part of the experience.