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hilton garden inn marseille review / marseille, france

April 23, 2026

Happy Wednesday friends! Today I am so excited to share more about our stay at the beautiful Hilton Garden Inn in Marseille, France! If you want to see an IG reel all about our stay click HERE! This really was the perfect way to start our Rhone River Cruise Trip! If you are going on a Rhone River Cruise (in the direction of Avignon to Lyon) and are looking for a place to stay before - I can't recommend this property enough!

There are certain places that quietly shape a trip—not because they are extravagant, but because they offer something increasingly rare: ease. Our stay at the Hilton Garden Inn Marseille Provence Airport was exactly that. Close to the airport (less than 2 miles away), a soft place to land just outside the rhythm of the city—simple, calm, and far more beautiful than I expected for the price point.

First Impressions: The Kind of Arrival You Hope For

We arrived after a long overnight flight—one of those travel stretches where time blurs and sleep never quite comes. And y'all this is where this stay mattered most.

Instead of navigating a busy city center on little rest, we stepped into something entirely different: quiet, light, and immediate calm. The staff were genuinely warm and welcoming—from the first pickup a at the airport shuttle, gracious in that way that makes you feel taken care of without effort, and most importantly it felt like they understood exactly what travelers need in that moment: ease, kindness, and a place to simply exhale.

For us, it became the perfect transition point—a gentle landing before the journey really began.

The Room: Simple Cozy-Luxury, Done Well

Our room was exactly what I look for when traveling to Marseille- a clean, safe, quiet room, but it became so much more than that. If you saw the instagram reel (click HERE)- you will understand how we were completely shocked at the large picture window in our room that showed incredible views of the bay area. We didn't even ever turn on the TV - when we were in our room we simply just kept looking out at the window watching the beauty and settling in to this quiet space that felt more luxurious than you could imagine.

The Details That Matter

For me- I had hopes that it would be a very nice stay. A place that would be safe for two women traveling alone and it was much more than that! It was a stay that truly was a resort like oasis and despite being near the airport- you never felt like you were at anything but a lovely resort in Southern France.

The "small" details added up:

1. A seamless airport shuttle that removes any stress on arrival (and taking us back and forth for travel into Marseille the next day and for when we left the property to meet up with the Viking Shuttle Service) and was absolutely lovely. The small mini-vans make you feel like it is a luxurious car service, not a simple hotel say.

2. An on-site restaurant with a terrace that feels relaxed, not rushed and also provides room service which we used two nights so we could watch the sun set from our room. They also were very accommodating to my allergies! The food was delicious y'all and extremely affordable.

3. A pool and outdoor space that invite you to linger just a little longer - there are lots of places to sit, linger, and just enjoy the beautiful property.

4. Staff who are attentive, kind, and consistently helpful. We found this with all of the staff- and they were just amazing. They were attentive, kind, and just genuinely welcoming. We arrived so exhausted and when our credit card wouldn't work to pay the security deposit, they helped us with the details and said not to worry about it. (Once our bank opened up I of course went back down and took care of this, but the kindness to two women who had a brief issue with their bank and couldn't deal with it with the time difference was just exceptionally kind. We had paid for our stay but for some reason the bank briefly blocked the additional charge thinking it was fraud.) The staff's reaction set the tone for everything. I admit I was near tears being so tired and their kindness immediately just changed the entire situation.

These are the kinds of touches that quietly shift a stay from fine to memorable.

Affordability

This is where this stay truly stands out.

There’s a narrative in travel—especially in the South of France—that beauty must come at a high cost. And yet, this stay gently challenged that.

The Hilton Garden Inn Marseille Provence Airport offers something I am increasingly drawn to: affordable cozy-luxury.

Not in a flashy sense—but in a grounded, intentional way. A place where you can rest well, feel taken care of, and still travel thoughtfully.

The amount we spent? $109 (US) each night. This includes taxes and everything. Y'all. Absolutely unbelievable considering the other properties were ranging from $400-$1000+ in Marseille.

A Perfect Pause Before the Rhône River Cruise

This part felt especially aligned for our trip. We were preparing to begin our Rhône River cruise with Viking—traveling from Avignon to Lyon—and this stay became the ideal in-between.

Instead of rushing, we had space to rest, reset, and arrive well before continuing on.

If you’re planning a similar itinerary, this is such a strategic (and peaceful) choice:

1- Fly into Marseille

2- Stay here to recover from travel

3- Explore Marseille at your leisure

4- Then continue on to your cruise departure point

It transforms the start of your trip from exhausting → intentional.

Location: A Different Way to Experience Marseille

While it’s not in the heart of the old port, the ability to travel to Old Port was incredibly easy. This location offers a different kind of rhythm:

1. Close enough to explore Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, and the surrounding region

We actually considered renting a car prior to our trip and exploring more of the region. If you are able to do this I would highly recommend it. With my work schedule and the amount of vacation days I have this was just not possible, but would definitely recommend this. We opted to spend our one full day between arrival into Marseille and the day we embarked on the cruise in Old Port Marseille and took the bus and train to get there. It was incredibly easy from the Hilton (we simply took the shuttle from the hotel to the airport where we got on a bus) and that is definitely something I would recommend.

2. Removed enough to actually rest

Despite being so close to the airport- it was incredibly quiet and so restful. After our day in Marseille we actually came to the conclusion that it was much more restful where we stayed then if we had made our way into Old Town like we originally considered.

3. Ideal for early flights, transitions, or slower travel days

The Hilton Garden Inn Marseille was absolutely lovely and I can't recommend it enough. If you have any questions please let me know!

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hilton garden inn marseille ig reel / marseille, france

Happy Wednesday friends!

It is hard to believe that it has been a full year today since we stayed at the beautiful Hilton Garden inn in Marseille! You can find a full review HERE!

Last night on IG I shared a reel all about our stay at this beautiful property in Marseille! Before you read anymore here, I would be honored if you would please head on over to watch, comment, and like this reel by clicking HERE!

I understand that in the world we live in and the constant reels and pictures it may not seem like a lot, but to me this means so much more than you realize. Every view, like, comment, and share on a reel truly matters more than most people realize. Instagram quietly uses those small signals to decide whether a post should be shown to more people. When you watch, tap the heart, or leave a thoughtful comment, you’re helping the story reach someone else who might need to hear it too. For a small content creator like me, those simple moments of encouragement from this community make a real difference and help Caravan Sonnet continue to grow in the Instagram space. So please take just a quick moment to click HERE to do this! .

Thank you.

Happy Wednesday! I hope you have the most wonderful day!

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personal quirks and very random facts about me

April 22, 2026

Happy Wednesday friends! Today I thought it would be fun to share some quirks and random facts! I wrote a post similar to this back in 2017 (you can read it here!) and a sweet blog reader messaged me recently and suggested I do this again. I laughed and then thought it would be fun! Many things are the same as seven years ago but there are some new fun ones that I am giggling about!

I am also giggling because I am wondering why I think this will be fun to share the things that make me strange. *hahaha* But seriously - we all have quirks and over the years it has been fun in bloggy world to read others posts that are similar so I know this is going to be so fun to realize what makes all a bit special. *smiles* Please share with me in the comments some of your favorite random quirks because I would love to read them!

PHOBIAS

spiders

I have a serious fear and phobia of big spiders. It is huge. Several years ago when I was living in Georgia I came home from a day of teaching and saw THE hugest brown recluse that I have ever seen in front of the stairs to get to my apartment. I literally called my mom sobbing and wouldn't go up the stairs.

Y'all I waited an hour for someone to come and help and by someone I meant my next door neighbor.... okay his 9 year old son. *hahaha* When he got off the bus and started walking towards the stairs, I got out of the car literally screaming "Be careful of the huge Brown Recluse" to which he calmly looked at me like I was insane and went and picked up his TOY. Y'all. He looked at me like I was crazy and I proceeded to cry tears as I shouted- "Oh I am so glad you are safe!"

Now before you judge- why in the world do people give children toy and pet spiders. Just say no to the spiders. For all of us. *hahahaha*

I once had a group of students that would hide "baby plastic spiders" in different parts of my room. Y'all I would scream every single time. They said it was in love and I am half giggling and half cowering as I frantically look around the room as I write and remember those pranks.

But not as much as I am giggling remembering being put in a soccer net. *hahahaha*

Or a hilarious day of April Fools jokes that started with taking Brett's parking spot and ended in post it notes and Proey being "stolen" to another parking spot. HAHA.

high heights

I sound all brave about heights until I start climbing up high and the thought of jumping out of a plane or off of something high scares the life out of me. SO you may be surprised to learn that I did do bungee jumping off a high bridge while I was living and studying abroad in France. Let us blame that on a cute boy. I screamed the entire time and unsurprisingly he did not find it cute when I threw up. *hahahaha*

RANDOM FACTS

random things about me

1. I have several food allergies, but the one that always surprises people is that I am allergic to chicken.

2. I love wearing skirts and dresses more than anything. I love purses. I love jewelry. I am definitely a girly girl to the fullest even though I love being out in nature and don't mind working at the cabin and getting all dirty... haha as long as I can clean up later.

3. I love to dance. Literally love it. It may even be a requirement for the future hubby. *hahaha* I joke... sort of. Hahaha.

4. I love to travel and explore- even if it is just to a different road that I have never been on.

5. I love developing community and deep relationships. My motto is that if you are a friend you are part of my family...I don't really see people as acquaintences. I want them to feel loved and welcomed into the haven. Some people think that it is a little over the top... I believe in loving big.

6. When I am done eating I cover my plate with a napkin. I honestly don't want to see it anymore.

7. I have never liked carbonated drinks. Ever. And so I have never had an entire soda/coke in my entire life.

8. I drink almost 300 ounces of water every single day.

9. My favorite place in the world, the place I call camp is where I most love to be with family and friends.

10. I have been the recipient of such extreme grace that I truly believe in extending grace to others freely and fully. I truly believe that we are all just trying our best.

11. I carry the biggest purse. Haha. Some of have said it looks like a suitcase. I am giggling as I write this!

random things about my tribe and those that I love dearly

1. My mom is my absolute bestest friend. She has seen me at my worst and loved me unconditionally. I absolutely love living life with her.

2. My sister is "hoopster" and I am "pom pom". Let us blame this on a very bad break up in 2008 that resulted in a marathon watching of Alias and thinking that the way they had code names was "cool". Hahaha- somehow this has stuck and it continues on to this day.

3. My grandmother, who was also a best friend I called "Ba". The name stuck so much that our entire family called her that and was so fun! Before he passed away I called my grandfather "Pa".

4. I miss my dad more than words could ever express. Over the decade of being sick my dad started calling me "Becky". I am not sure when it started or why, but I really loved it and I miss hearing that each day. No one else calls me that and it was definitely one of those "secondary griefs" that hits hard.

random things about living with me

1. I really love a clean car but I also love a well loved car that has been lived in and people feel comfortable in for long road trips. Haha many times these things are the opposite of each other.

2. Grief hit me very hard over the last seven years after suddenly loosing my dad and I am so grateful for my mom extending a LOT of grace that the important things were first and if that meant that we spent time just processing, relaxing, resting, and leaning in instead of vacuuming and dusting it was more than okay. It allowed me time to process and it allowed both of us to start to heal in deep ways.

3. #2 was hard to learn to be okay with because I love things neat and organized and even at one point before I got sick had my clothes color-coordinated. (Don't judge until you try it. *smiles*) But life has taught me in deep ways to pick what is most important in life.

4. Because of the December Caravan Shop, it is very common to find craft supplies in various rooms if I walk around with those items throughout the day. Haha.

5. I can literally have a bottle of water in almost every room in the house and a book that I am in the middle of at any given time leaving people to see lots of 1/2 bottles of water that I am finishing and lots of random books I am in the middle of from all different genres.

6. I am known to be a scissor stealer. Haha. I can literally lose a pair of scissors all the time.

7. I can eat dozens of black raspberries each day. They are my favorite food ever. And are SO good for you! (Read this post HERE for all the health benefits!)

random things about my business with Caravan Sonnet

1. More than twelve years later of writing here on Caravan Sonnet and I still don't edit my pictures on the blog (except to add a watermark) or on my Instagram. I will literally take hundreds of pictures for the couple to use. I know, I know. Crazy but true.

2. Every month I write and write and write. In this month alone I will write, edit, and re-write over 300 pages of writing for articles, books, media requests, and the blog. (And of course it needs to be edited in colored pens because as y'all know I love colored pens. *smiles*)

3. Working on Caravan Sonnet Brand (and the offsets) takes a lot of time and discipline behind the scenes that people do not realize. Most mornings I am up at 3:30 or 4am for work long before my full-time job starts and work after hours too.

4. Creating resources for the Caravan Sonnet Classroom has been such a blessing and is SO humbling to see these items making their way into classrooms around the world. My teacher loving heart, which deeply loves being in the classroom as adjunct professor in this season, is speechless.

random annoyances

1. When people say "wow, you are so tall" I literally want to roll my eyes. I mean, honestly people.

random major things that make me upset

1. People being cruel to other people or animals is absolutely unacceptable.

2. Rudeness is the biggest turn off for me and is my biggest pet peeve.

3. When people give "helpful" (notice the sarcasm) single/dating advice. Please do not ever tell an older single gal (anyone over the age of 30) how to handle being a single or how it was hard for you in the waiting process (when you met your spouse at age 12). Absolutely unhelpful on one of the most tender areas of a persons life.

4. It bothers me when medical professionals (including those in the medical community, insurance companies, and government officials, etc.) refer to Lyme Disease as "Lymes". The reason is that there is already so much confusion and mis-information about Lyme that exists that saying the name wrong feels slightly like an insult. (Or calling it a completely different name all together like when I was asked how my fight with "Lame Disease" was going!) (If you don't know what Lyme Disease is that is okay! I really didn't either before I got sick so that I why I wrote the post, "What is Lyme Disease?" to make it simple!)

5. Ghosting. I walked through this in a shocking way late last summer.... and it was extreely painful, but the beautiful thing was learning that healing can happen friends - if you are hurting it is not the end of the story. I absolutely promise from someone who walked through this and it is 9 months later. It is important how you heal though... so if you have encountered this check out this post HERE to help encourage you as you heal from this extremely hurtful and disrespectful situation.

6. People who speak death words over me or situations in my life (and those that I love) are not allowed in. The code exists for a reason. (You can read about the Code HERE). I love how Kristian Anderson in his book Days Like These, (found HERE) states his "code":

"When you come to me or my family, there is now a dress code in effect. Come to us wearing Faith and Hope, you will be warmly welcomed. Come to us wearing Fear and Doubt, and you will be politely asked to leave. This dress code will be strictly enforced."

Going along with this is one of my favorite quotes is from Paul Tripp:

"Everyday you preach to yourself a gospel of your loneliness, inability, and lack of resources or you faithfully preach to yourself the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ."

-Paul David Tripp-

random favorites

1. Going to the hairdresser is my favorite thing ever. I love people playing with my hair and the washing/massage of the scalp is amazing.

2. I had a love affair with all things being pretty and colorful even when I was teaching which meant students were stuck in a classroom with tons of pretty flowers and current students encounter happy colored powerpoint presentations even when learning about wars and terrorism.

3. I am a words of affirmation person and a quality time and touch all rolled into one. I will cry at a genuine compliment, the greatest gift is spending time with my loved ones and a hug from my loved ones is the perfect answer for everything. *smiles*

Okay friends, there are just a few of my random things. What are some of your strange quirks and random facts? I would love to know!

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traveling to our rhone river cruise / newark to marseille

April 21, 2026

Happy Tuesday friends! I hope you had an incredible day!

It is hard to believe that it has been a full year today since our beautiful Rhône River Cruise with Viking Cruise Line began! I am excited to share some special memories from our trip and today excited to share all about our travel from Newark to Marseille!

Tonight on IG I shared a reel all about our travel from Newark to Marseille! for part two of how I paid off $260,000 in medical debt. Before you read anymore here, I would be honored if you would please head on over to watch, comment, and like this very important reel by clicking HERE!

Thank you.

Happy Tuesday! I hope you have the most wonderful day!

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here is how i paid off $260,000 in medical debt - part two

April 20, 2026

Happy Monday friends! I hope you had an incredible weekend!

Last night on IG I shared a reel for part two of how I paid off $260,000 in medical debt. Before you read anymore here, I would be honored if you would please head on over to watch, comment, and like this very important reel by clicking HERE!

Thank you.

If you missed Part 1 you can find that HERE!

Happy Monday! I hope you have the most wonderful day and start to your week!

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financial freedom/ personal finance powerpoint and activity / caravan sonnet classroom

April 18, 2026

Happy Saturday friends! I am so excited to share with y'all a newly updated resource in the caravan sonnet classroom at teachers pay teachers! This is a resource for personal finance teachers at the high school or college level.

If you would like to go directly to this resource you can click HERE!

Help your students build a strong foundation in personal finance, financial independence, and smart money decision-making with this engaging, college-level lesson on financial freedom.

This resource is designed specifically for high school and college students and introduces essential concepts such as saving habits, investing basics, avoiding debt, and financial responsibility—all through a clear, structured, and meaningful approach.

Perfect for personal finance units, economics courses, life skills classes, or first-year college seminars, this lesson goes beyond surface-level budgeting and helps students think critically about their financial future.

What’s Included in this NO PREP Resource:

✔ Engaging Financial Freedom PowerPoint Lesson

✔ Student Guided Notes (structured and easy to follow)

✔ Teacher Answer Key for guided notes

✔ Reflection & Application Assignment (college-level thinking)

✔ Teacher Answer Key for Application Assignment

Topics Covered:

✔ What financial freedom means for college students

✔ Financial independence and goal setting

✔ Building saving habits

✔ Introduction to investing options

✔ Avoiding debt and living within your means

✔ Making intentional financial decisions

Why Teachers Love This NO PREP Resource:

✔ No prep — ready to use immediately

✔ Encourages real-world application and critical thinking

✔ Designed for older students (high school + college level)

✔ Moves beyond basic definitions into meaningful financial literacy

✔ Includes both instruction + student application

This lesson emphasizes that financial freedom is not about having more money—but about having control over financial choices, helping students develop a mindset that supports long-term success.

This is the perfect prequel to The Value of a College Degree Resource (available in the shop HERE) and The Cose of a College Education Resource (available in the shop HERE) or it could be used alone!

If you would like to purchase this resource you can find it HERE!

Thank you so much for all of your support of the shop! If you would like to check out the shop you can find it HERE!

TWO HUGE ASKS

(1)- If you are not already following the shoppe could you please do so? Even if you are not a teacher or don't plan to purchase things the number of followers does influence potential buyers and this would show incredible support! Simply click HERE!

(2)- If you have purchased something would you please take a moment and leave a review? It doesn't have to be long, but reviews are SO helpful to TPT owners like myself! Simply click HERE!

THANK YOU!

This has been an incredible blessing and you are making this possible!! Thank you again friends!

Happy Saturday!

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friday favorites- april seventeenth

April 17, 2026

This is a girl so excited about some Spring weather that has arrived in the North Country... *smiles*

Happy Friday friends! I hope that you have had a lovely week! It has been a busy and full week and I am looking forward to the weekend.

Here are some of my favorite things from this past week! First of all....

Thank you so much for all of the behind-the-scenes emails and messages about this post. For a long time I debated sharing about this very painful experience. If you have been around the blog for any amount of time you know that I am very protective of those in my private life- and have been for a very long time. There are lots of things that I do not share- and yet this one was something that I hoped and prayed would be an encouragement to someone.

While I won't share more details beyond what I did in this post, I hope that this is an encouragement on how to heal from something extremely painful and disrespectful like this. From the thousands of reads so far since posting this less than a week ago, it is sad to see that this defintely is something that many people have experienced. My heart goes out to you... you can and will heal from this. Take comfort friends. You can read the post HERE!

2. The Kind of Legacy We Teach and Dream About

Thank you so much for all of the likes, comments, and views on this IG reel (click HERE to watch, comment and like!). You can read the blog post HERE! The entire mission and the people have been absolutely incredible.

3. This Stanley

Y'all, I mentioned this specific stanley several months ago and I am still loving this size. My sister had gifted me my first Stanley two summers ago, and I loved it. At the end of this past summer I needed another one and when I saw the 40 ounce size I was excited to try it and it has NOT disappointed. I love the cream color and you can find it on Amazon by clicking HERE!

And y'all... I just saw this one...

The flowers on this are SO pretty!! You can find it HERE!

4. 18 Ways to Make College Cheaper

I am so excited to share with y'all a newly updated resource in the caravan sonnet classroom at teachers pay teachers! This is a resource for personal finance teachers at the high school or college level.

If you would like to go directly to this resource you can click HERE! College is one of the largest financial decisions students will make—and most walk into it without a clear strategy for reducing the cost. This lesson shifts that narrative.

Instead of focusing only on how to pay for college, this resource teaches students how to make college more affordable from the start. Through 18 practical, real-world strategies, students begin to understand that the cost of college is not fixed—and that their decisions before and during college can significantly impact their long-term financial future. In a landscape where students are often overwhelmed by tuition, loans, and financial aid options , this lesson provides a clear, structured, and empowering approach to lowering college costs before debt becomes the default.

I am SO grateful for ALL of your support of this shop. Y'all... THANK YOU. This is something that I work so hard on behind the scenes and your support, reviews, and encouragement are HUGE. Thank you so much for all of your support of the shop! If you would like to check out the shop you can find it HERE!

Can I ask 2 HUGE favors?

(2)- If you have purchased something would you please take a moment and leave a review? It doesn't have to be long, but reviews are SO helpful to TPT owners like myself! Simply click HERE!

THANK YOU!

5. Lake Placid Half-Marathon

On Wednesday I shared more about the upcoming Lake Placid Half-Marathon that I am officially signed up for! You can read the post HERE!

As y'all know back at the end of the summer, I had signed up for and planned a trip to Hawaii for this month - and part of that stay was going to be doing a half-marathon. It felt like a stretch goal, something both adventurous and symbolic. But life, as it so often does, shifted. With my mom’s diagnosis, everything changed. Priorities realigned. Travel paused. And the idea of that race quietly slipped away.

But the dream didn’t.

As mom has been healing and with the beautiful news that no more surgery is needed (ABSOLUTELY GRATEFUL AND SPEECHLESS) - the opportunity to explore a half marathon was back in the picture. So today, I’m sharing something a little different—something that feels both tender and strong at the same time. I am officially registered for the Lake Placid Marathon and Half Marathon this June! Read more about this HERE and send along ANY and ALL tips please in the comments below!!

6. THIS Heating Pad

When I was a teenager I tried to attempt a "stunt" (like I was a cheerleader- which in my defense I was so it made sense haha- please don't ask *smiles*) while I was water skiing. Suffice it to say the "stunt" went horribly wrong and I took a bad fall that hurt my back. About 7 years ago I was skiing (winter this time) and I took a very bad fall and between the two things- I can unfortunately end up in extreme pain if my back goes out... so one of the things that I have always been grateful for, has been the suggestion of THIS heating pad by one of my doctors about 12 years ago. I can't say enough good things about it and can't recommend it enough! If you have been around the blog the last decade then I also have to say that this was a huge help while I was extremely sick fighting Advanced Late Stage Lyme Disease and Cancer (and other things). The heating pads of this brand come in a variety of sizes (I use the medium size while my mom loves the small size).

For after my mom's knee surgery we also purchased the knee version and this was a huge help also. (You can find that HERE). There are tons of options of sizes, but if you are looking for a new heating pad definitely try these out. It definitely is an investment, but worth every single penny. Each one we have owned has lasted for about 5 years - so they last a LONG time! I just checked and on Amazon they are having a MAJOR sale today so definitely check that out!

7. 13 Benefits of Cod Liver Oil

On My Thursday Health Thought Post yesterday I shared 13 Benefits of Cod Liver Oil. If you have not added this extremely beneficial and simple wellness addition to your daily routine, head on over to this post to be inspired by WHY you should do this! Click HERE!

If you are curious, the brand that I have found to be the best after lots of research is the Carlson's brand (you can find it on Amazon by clicking HERE!

8. FLASHBACK FRIDAY

With Caravan Sonnet turning 13 years old this year I love sharing on Fridays some of the older but most popular posts on the blog! One of the things that Caravan Sonnet developed into in the early years was a a resource for those looking for cozy luxury travel around the United States and World.

I am so delighted to start sharing about an upcoming adventure that we are going to have in the second half of the summer and look forward to sharing all of the details!!!

In the meantime, you can check out all of the travel and cruising adventures HERE!

I hope that you have a wonderful Friday friends! Thank you for making this such an incredible space to come to and connect with every single day. I am so blessed!!

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