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The Most Budget-Friendly Hotels in Nice

The Promenade des Anglais in Nice, the great city of the French Riviera
The Promenade des Anglais in Nice, the great city of the French Riviera | © Salvatore Conte / Alamy Stock Photo

Despite being an elegant city on the French Riviera, Nice is surprisingly accommodating for travellers on a budget. Peruse the morning Cours Saleya Flower Market, visit the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art or take a dip in the azure Mediterranean water. There are plenty of cheap hotels in Nice, bookable through Culture Trip, whether you pick a cosy guesthouse or a bolthole that’s as affordable as it is stylish.

Hotel Villa Rivoli

Boutique Hotel

Charming room with pastoral Toile de Jouy wallpaper and bedspread and white antique furnishings at Villa Rivoli in Nice
Courtesy of Villa Rivoli / Expedia

Be transported to the privileged life of the Belle Époque at the Hotel Villa Rivoli, a former private house built in 1890 in the tranquil Musicians’ Quarter of Nice. The decor couldn’t be more typically French – Toile de Jouy pastoral scenes adorn the guest rooms and decorative detail is added by vintage bric-à-brac. Some rooms have balconies with views of the hotel’s private garden. You can aid your education in all things French by taking a market tour with a cooking class, arts and traditions tours or even brush up on your saxophone skills with the jazz course.

Hotel Villa Victoria

Budget Hotel

Queen room with plum curtains and bed runner and large female portrait murals at Hotel Villa Victoria in Nice, France
 Courtesy of Hotel Villa Victoria / Expedia

An Art Deco landmark on one of Nice’s most attractive boulevards, the Hotel Villa Victoria emanates splendour. Guest rooms are glamorously decorated with flock wallpaper and sumptuous bedding – our pick are the superior rooms with terraces to really make the most of the Riviera sun. After a day exploring the city, you can relax and rejuvenate in the landscaped hotel gardens filled with regional blooms. The garden is also the breakfast venue with bar service, sun beds and – if you’re feeling particularly Niçois – a game of pétanque.

Nice Garden Hotel

Garden Hotel, Hotel

Cosy room with crown bed canopy and desk with antique chair at Nice Garden Hotel in Nice, France
 Courtesy of Nice Garden Hotel / Booking.com
Just nine rooms make up this budget Nice hotel just a few minutes from the Promenade des Anglais and the beach. Set in a 19th-century house, the guest rooms are decorated in a modern, subtly stylish take on classic French countryside style. Step out into the private shaded garden and you’ll be met with the finest scents of the Mediterranean from local flowers and orange trees.

Hôtel Rossetti

Boutique Hotel, Hotel, Guesthouse

Soothing bedroom in pale blue and white hues with pale wood furnishings and floors at Hôtel Rossetti in Nice, France
 Courtesy of Hôtel Rossetti / Booking.com
Stripped back Riviera chic meets 17th-century splendour at the Hôtel Rossetti in the heart of the old town down a cobbled street close to Plaçe Rossetti and the Sainte-Réparte Cathedral. Despite being surrounded by buzzing shops, bars and restaurants, Hôtel Rossetti manages to exude tranquility as soon as you step inside. Rooms are minimalist yet warm, with splashes of Provençal colour and earth-toned textiles. You can take your morning coffee or evening glass of wine onto the garden terrace and delight in views of the cathedral dome.

Hotel Villa Les Cygnes

Hotel, Guesthouse, Villa

Upscale king room with magenta feature wall, wood floors and French doors to small balcony at Villa Les Cygnes, Nice
 Courtesy of Villa Les Cygnes / Expedia
Upscale and oh-so discreet, the beachside Baumettes neighbourhood is the chic setting for the Hotel Villa Les Cygnes. In a villa built as a private residence in the 1920s, this budget hotel in Nice has masses of Riviera charm. With just six rooms, filled with original features, it feels as if you’re staying in the home of some very well-to-do friends. Ask for a room with a terrace to enjoy the Mediterranean sun, while Nice’s Fine Art Museum is just steps from the hotel.

The Jay Hotel

Budget Hotel, Boutique Hotel

Design-forward king room with vibrant patterned wallpaper and turquoise velvet chairs at the Jay Hotel by HappyCulture
 Courtesy of the Jay Hotel by HappyCulture / Expedia

Rewind the clock to the golden age of the French Riviera at the Jay Hotel, just a few streets from the Promenade des Anglais. Studios rather than guest rooms feature in this boutique hotel, where jewel tones set the backdrop to the Roaring Twenties feel, aided by walnut furniture with gilded accents. Complimentary refreshments are available throughout the day and the Jay Bar has a cocktail hour from 6pm to 8pm every night. The only thing that might wake from your 1920s reverie is the slick digital system for everything, from check in and room service to payment and check out.

Nice Riviera Sweet Home

Budget Hotel

Snug and bright queen room with yellow-orange curtains and antique chair at Nice Riviera Sweet Home in Nice, France
 Courtesy of Nice Riviera Sweet Home / Expedia

Nice Riviera Sweet Home, run by host Genevieve, provides a great base to explore Nice. This affordable hotel in Nice is centrally positioned near the Place Masséna, the Promenade des Anglais and the pedestrianised Promenade du Paillon, which has grassy banks ideal for picnics. Genevieve’s guesthouse is decorated with wooden rocking chairs and colourful bedspreads. Tall windows make the rooms bright and airy, plus the generous breakfast will keep you fuelled until lunchtime.

Breakfast at Sophy's

Bed and Breakfast

Simple guest room with colourful cushions and en-suite bathroom at Breakfast at Sophys in Nice, France
 Courtesy of Breakfast at Sophy's / Booking.com

An Italian couple run Breakfast at Sophy’s and each morning, guests are offered a cooked breakfast, as well as vegetarian and continental options. The Musée Masséna is nearby and pets are welcome. Furnishings are simple, and rooms have small balconies overlooking the streets two roads from the sea. A shuttle bus from the airport stops here, too.

Hôtel des Dames

Budget Hotel

Cosy triple room with pale pink walls and cushions and dark curtains at Hôtel des Dames in Nice, France
 Courtesy of Hôtel des Dames / Booking.com

This 25-bedroom, stylishly decorated Nice hotel is great value. Each room is individually designed, with colourful feature walls, quirky print chairs and arty coffee table books. Many of the rooms have a balcony and there’s a communal terrace where you can relax, drink tea and chat to fellow travellers. Breakfast is available on request and the hotel is in walking distance of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art.

La Maïoun Guesthouse Hostel

Budget Hotel, Bed and Breakfast

Funky queen room with tile floors, raw wood headboard and large French windows at La Maïoun Guesthouse Hostel, Nice
 Courtesy of La Maïoun Guesthouse Hostel / Expedia

The Maïoun Guesthouse has a homely atmosphere, with trinkets and books in the private rooms and relaxed communal areas, complete with table football and pool tables. Outside, a grassy patio is perfect for chilling out at the end of the day or enjoying the free breakfast in the mornings. There are two six-bed dormitories with curtained bunk beds, one for female guests and another mixed room, as well as double rooms.

Hostel Ozz

Hostel

Modern bedroom in shades of pale blue with wood floors and mounted flatscreen TV at Hôtel Ozz by Happyculture, Nice
 Courtesy of Hôtel Ozz by Happyculture / Booking.com

Hostel Ozz, one of the best hostels in Nice, also offers great private rooms for travellers on a budget – it’s especially good for groups of three or four who can share a room and split the cost. Cool blue tones feature throughout the bedrooms, while the beds have unusual headboards made of corrugated plastic. The open-plan communal area includes a great bar and cafe.

This is an updated version of an article originally published in Alex Ledsom.

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