The city of Saintes is full of history and the Messageries is ideally placed near the old city. There are not many good hotels so close. It offers clean quiet rooms with an adequate breakfast and friendly service but no meals-see my web site www.walkingaroundfrance.com

perfect hotel for your stay in saintes
good location in the center
parking available

I arrived in Saintes with no bed booked, did a quick tour of the two star hotels in the town centre and this one looked easily the nicest. There was a choice of several grades of room - the cheapest was (unsurprisingly) a bit on the small side but the others were fairly large by French standards. Nice friendly atmosphere.

While I was on a solo bicycle trip through Charente-Maritime, someone recommended stopping in Saintes and staying at the Hotel des Messageries. Upon arrival, I was surprised to find the staff spoke English (far better than my French) and the decor was simultaneously homey and very chic. I had no reservation and was immediately shown to a lovely, quiet room and given map and a rundown of places to visit that afternoon. In the evening, suggestions for dinner were made. Two days after I moved on to my next stop, I missed Saintes and the friendly people at the Messageries, so I called back and reserved a room for three more nights at the very end of my stay in France. During the second visit (they remembered me!), the staff arranged to have a large car pick me up early in the morning and drive me to the gare, as I had my bicycle boxed and ready for the plane. I am going back to France next Spring, and I will stay here again without hesitation. It was like staying in someone's home.