Hotels in Calais: Where to Stay in 2025

Calais sits at the narrowest point of the English Channel, just 34 kilometres from the white cliffs of Dover, and that geographical fact shapes everything about the city. It is France's busiest passenger port, handling millions of travellers each year, yet it is also a city with a genuine character of its own: a rebuilt town centre full of Flemish-influenced architecture, a serious contemporary art museum (the Musée des Beaux-Arts), and the striking Rodin sculpture group 'The Burghers of Calais' standing in front of the town hall.

For most people Calais is a transit hub, but that does not mean comfort needs to be sacrificed. Whether you are catching an early ferry, spending a night before driving into France, or using the city as a base to explore the Opal Coast, the choice of neighbourhood makes a real difference to how smooth and enjoyable your stay will be.

• City Centre (Centre-ville): The most practical base for foot passengers and day visitors. Close to the ferry port on foot or by shuttle, next to the main train station (Calais-Ville), and surrounded by shops, restaurants and the town hall square. Hotels like the Holiday Inn Calais Centre Car Ferry and HECO Calais Centre - Gare are located here, covering a range of budgets.
• Coquelles / Channel Tunnel area: The right choice for drivers using Eurotunnel Le Shuttle. The retail park Cité Europe is nearby, and you avoid driving through the city centre entirely. The Holiday Inn Calais-Coquelles sits in this corridor and is well suited for early morning or late departures.
• Calais Fréthun: A quieter, semi-rural zone between the city and the tunnel entrance, served by Calais-Fréthun TGV station (with direct trains to Paris, Lille and London St Pancras via Eurostar connections). Logis Hôtel Le Cottage is based here, making it useful for rail passengers arriving on high-speed services.
• Beach and Courgain district (Calais-Nord): The older, fishing-village part of the city near the lighthouse and the pleasure harbour. More local in feel, further from the motorway. Good if you want a quieter evening and are comfortable with a short drive or taxi to the port in the morning.
• Outskirts and residential areas: Les Secrets des Loges and similar smaller properties offer a more intimate, guesthouse-style atmosphere away from the main traffic routes. Better suited to leisure travellers with a car who want to slow down and explore the surrounding Opal Coast.

• Book as early as possible for summer and bank holiday weekends. The Calais ferry corridor gets very busy from June to August, and rooms across all categories fill quickly. Prices rise noticeably during UK school holidays.
• Check which terminal you actually need. The ferry port (DFDS, P&O) is in central Calais, reachable on foot from city-centre hotels. The Eurotunnel Le Shuttle terminal is in Coquelles, about 8 kilometres west. Staying in the wrong area adds unnecessary stress before departure.
• The train station matters if you are arriving without a car. Calais-Ville station handles regional trains; Calais-Fréthun handles TGV and Eurostar connections. They are not the same station, so confirm which one your train uses before choosing a hotel location.
• Shoulder season (March to May, September to October) offers the best balance of price and weather. July and August can be congested around the port and motorway access roads. Winter is quiet but some smaller restaurants reduce their hours.
• Allow buffer time before any crossing. Port and tunnel check-in times are strict, and traffic on the A16 motorway near the port can be unpredictable, particularly on Fridays and during peak summer weeks. Staying the night before your departure removes that pressure entirely.

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