With a total of 61 guest rooms, consisting of 40 Deluxe rooms and 21 Suites, you're sure to be happy with the accommodation here. The rooms themselves are spacious, though the king size beds take up almost all of the space, whilst in terms of decor, you'll find a nod to the hotel's Medieval ambience in amongst the altogether comfortable and elegant surroundings. The Suites are larger and therefore more airy, and some even have a terrace. The refined decor in these rooms consists of various shades of beige accompanied by antique furniture. The comfortable suites have a separate lounge and bedroom, and the bathrooms are almost just as big! Clad in grey marble, you will find everything you need in the comprehensive range of hospitality products, from a nail file and moisturiser to slippers! In terms of amenities, you'll have everything you would expect, including a television, air conditioning, a mini bar with tea and coffee-making facilities, a direct phone line, a safe, room service, etc., and the soundproofing is such that you're not likely to hear your neighbours.

Protected by the walls of the Medieval city of Carcassonne, the Hôtel de la Cité has had a turbulent history since its opening in 1909. Having been successively expanded in 1913 and 1927, the hotel was eventually abandoned and only got a second chance at life after it was bought in 1989 by Jean-Michel Signoles, Chairman of the clothing company Chipie. In 1997, the Orient Express Hotels group took over the establishment, carrying out a full renovation of the property between 1998 and 2001 and making it the little gem it is today. These renovations notably included the merging of the Dame Carcas hotel with the Hôtel de la Cité, which now stand as one luxury 4 star establishment. It is impossible to ignore its eventful past once you set foot inside the hotel, not least as the ground floor is listed on the Caisse des Monuments Historiques (Historical Monuments Commission), and the elegant lobby is every bit worthy of the building surrounding it. Opposite the reception desk you'll find a series of large comfortable lounge areas and a selection of daily newspapers. Admittedly, the fabrics and patterns used in the decor here might not appeal to everyone's tastes, but the surroundings generally make for a warm and impressive ambience. Even the wooden staircase, with its floorboards creaking beneath your feet, oozes charm!

There is no denying that the cuisine on offer at the Hôtel de la Cité is a true festival of flavours. The Brasserie Chez Saskia, housed in the hotel's second wing, serves a very comprehensive buffet breakfast including a selection of simply delicious pastries - clearly homemade. At lunchtime, meanwhile, you'll get to choose from an elaborate menu of tastefully seasoned regional specialities such as delicious ravioli and even poached eggs, with some wonderful chocolate eclairs for dessert that will satisfy even the most gourmet of taste buds. The restaurant is closed in the evenings, apart from Tuesdays and Thursdays when the Barbacane, run by Jérôme Ryon since February 2006, takes the night off. Monsieur Ryon is a former winner of the Pierre Taittinger International Culinary Prize with irrefutable expertise in the field. It's no wonder the Barbacane is a Michelin-star restaurant. The menu here consists of a selection of high quality French dishes, accompanied by wine from a cellar of some 600-800 appellations, masterfully controlled by Georges Gracia, a sommelier with a diploma from the prestigious Tain l'Ermitage school. All of this is served in an imposing setting with cathedral-style armchairs and illuminated by wonderful stained-glass windows. On nicer days you can also choose to dine al fresco on the terrace in the Jardin de l'Evêque.

As the result of a bylaw, traffic is prohibited in the Medieval City between 10:00am and 7:00pm, but if you're coming by car you can leave your vehicle in the guest car park, which is free but unsupervised between the hours of 1:00am and 8:00am. The hotel provides a shuttle service between the car park and the entrance to the hotel.
It might be worth remembering that the hotel closes for one month a year, around late February until late March. Those who like to indulge in a massage might be interested to know that whilst the hotel does not have a spa, a variety of in-room treatments are nevertheless available. Last but not least, if you fancy exploring beyond the walls and the city of Carcassonne, the hotel organises a variety of excursions to help guests make the most of their stay in the region.