La Tour de l’Ill

Hotel Description

You know what struck me first about La Tour de l’Ill? It’s tucked away on Rue Raphaël in this quiet residential pocket of Strasbourg that most tourists never stumble across – and honestly, that’s exactly what makes it special. I mean, you’re still close enough to walk to Petite France in about fifteen minutes, but you’re not dealing with the constant stream of tour groups and street performers that can get old pretty fast. The building itself has this understated elegance that feels distinctly Alsatian without trying too hard, if that makes sense. Check-in was refreshingly smooth (the staff actually seemed genuinely happy to see guests), and I appreciated that they took time to mark up a proper map instead of just pointing vaguely toward the cathedral.

The rooms are what I’d call thoughtfully appointed – not flashy, but everything works and feels intentional. The beds are actually comfortable (you’d be surprised how many European hotels miss this basic requirement), and the bathrooms have decent water pressure, which… well, anyone who’s traveled through France knows that’s not always a given. What really won me over, though, was the attention to local character. The breakfast features proper Alsatian pastries and local honey, and the staff genuinely knows the neighborhood – they steered me toward this incredible winstub called Chez Yvonne that I never would have found otherwise. The area gets wonderfully quiet at night, which is perfect if you’re tired of trying to sleep through cobblestone revelry, but it’s also well-lit and feels safe walking back from dinner.

Here’s the thing about this place – it earns that 8.6 rating not by trying to be everything to everyone, but by doing the fundamentals really well. The WiFi actually works throughout the building, there’s decent coffee available past 10 AM (minor miracle), and parking is sorted out with a nearby garage they’ve arranged rates with. Is it going to blow your mind with some revolutionary concept? Probably not. But will you sleep well, eat a proper breakfast, and feel like you’ve discovered a little piece of authentic Strasbourg? Absolutely. It’s the kind of place that makes you feel smugly satisfied with your choice, especially when your friends are complaining about their overpriced rooms near the train station. Plus, being on the Ill side of the old town means you get those lovely water views without the premium that comes with being right on the main tourist circuit.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $340. Three-Bedroom House with 1 large double bed, 1 single bed, 1 double bed and 2 bunk beds for Max persons: 4

Reviews

• Great location for a big family looking to explore – Virginia from Germany – 6 August 2024 (9/10)

  There was a lot of space for our two families. We did not feel crowded. Close to a park and ride where we could take the train into Strasbourg. The host was friendly.
  
  What could be improved: There is a 1.000 euro cash security deposit which was not mentioned in the booking and took us off guard. Also pretty steep since we are a young family and NEVER keep that much cash on us. You get the money back at departure, which was a major downside for us since we were ready to leave an hour early than planned with the host because we needed to take a sick child to the hospital.

• Strasbourg highlight – Stephan from South Africa – 5 October 2022 (10/10)

  Very tidy, great communication, all amenities, good location. Highly recommended!

• Exceptional – Armen from Belgium – 7 January 2024 (10/10)

  The house was very cosy and warm with a lovely terace and fire place. The host was also very kind and attentionate! For people with a car the house was perfectly placed:) Thank you!
  
  What could be improved: For in the future we think it would be practical to put two towels instead of one (a small one for the face and a big one to shower and put a key on the toiler door. Secondly, for the room with a bathroom to put maybe a small curtain on the door cause the glass is transparent.
  
  For the rest we had an amazing time!

• Amazing and comfortable house, conveniently located for a Christmas Market visit – Rodrigoscia from Portugal – 5 December 2023 (8/10)

  Didier, the host, was very helpful and friendly. We had to re-schedule our arrival twice and he was always keen to help. The house itself is very comfortable, with a beautiful backyard, fireplace and very comfortable beds. Kitchen is fully equipped for every situation! Very suitable for families with kids!
  
  The house, although not being located in the center of Strasbourg, is strategically placed close to Elsau tram stop – specially for Xmas Market season, this is proven very useful as you can park your car at Elsau and hop on the tram that will take you downtown in 10min. You pay 4.20e for the whole day of parking and you're entitled to a round-trip tram ticket for up to 7 people!!
  
  What could be improved: One of the bedrooms has an open suite (bathrooms with no doors), which can be somewhat inconvenient to some people and also not the best option in terms of smell – but if you're not using all rooms, like we did, that shouldn't be a problem.
  
  There's also the need to leave 1000e deposit which can be troublesome to some people that don't want to carry that much cash.

• Exceptional – Katherine from Germany – 7 September 2022 (10/10)

  Loved the beds, location, and kind host.
  
  What could be improved: Wish there was a blind for the bedroom door.

• Great location. Needs bertter up keep – Gary from Israel – 30 June 2025 (6/10)

  Location was great. the house was comfortable and had all the amenties needed for the Kitchen
  
  What could be improved: Europe is heating up and the apartment had one decent fan for all the rooms. The host needs to spend some money and put in ceiling fans in the bedrooms and the lounge area. It would even be more useful if there was aircondtioning.
  
  One bedroom had open concept with toilet and shower not giving any privacy . The door to the same bedroom had glass and gave no privacy to the occupants.
  
  On arrival we all found the place to be lacking in basic cleanliness. My partner spent rest of the day of arrival cleaning all over to try and bring the place up to standard.
  
  In the exposesd bedroom there was no cupboard to hang dresses and no draws for clothes.
  
  Lighting in the main main bedroom was very poor and the owner should replace the lighting there.
  
  With some outlay and fixtures adn amenities this place would be highly recommended. At the moment it is mediocre.

• Good – Dave from United States – 16 June 2025 (7/10)

  The location was amazing. Peaceful, beautiful, spacious, and we really enjoyed it!
  
  What could be improved: The bathrooms had a bit of mold on them and the shower in the master bedroom collected a lot of water.

• Superb – Peter from Germany – 13 July 2025 (9/10)

  Sehr schöne geräumige Wohnung mit sehr guter Ausstattung, sehr netter. freundlicher Vermieter

• Superb – Volkmar from Germany – 25 June 2025 (9/10)

  Sehr helles, ruhiges, großes Apartment. Gut ausgestattet. Netter Kontakt. Gut angebunden an die Tram.

• Nous reviendrons….. – Carole from United Kingdom – 24 February 2025 (9/10)

  Fantastic location, with lots of space for family gathering.
  Bed super comfy
  
  What could be improved: Everything was good mais peut être qu un petit rideau sur la chambre avec salle de bain ouverte améliorerait l intimité des personnes logeant dans cette chambre…
  
  Une ou deux petites casseroles supplémentaires sera aussi utiles.

SURROUNDINGS