It is said that Nice has the highest number of hotel rooms of any French city and there’s certainly a lot to choose from. If you’re looking for ‘old-school’ charming or a little modern delight, there’s surely something on this boutique hotels list to suit every taste and budget.
This upmarket boutique hotel is a bijou elegant affair, perched high on the hills above the town, complete with its own heated swimming pool and amazing views. It’s very close to Nice’s chateau, which sits right at the top. It’s a little bit of luxury away from the crowds. There are 56 rooms and the hotel has its own bar and restaurant for that pre-dinner cocktail with views.
The Spity Hotel is effortlessly cool. It has 38 rooms and is only 200m from the famous Promenade des Anglais. It has a little hammam, as well as a rooftop terrace to die for, and DJs play music until the early hours. It’s hip and modern and good for the ecologically-minded party crowd.
This little 24-room gem is tucked in the streets a little further back from the sea but is charming, friendly and situated in a beautiful villa built in 1890. Whilst there isn’t a restaurant, it’s very close to nearby cafes and bars and provides a little more affordable luxury than the hotels on the main drag. Take breakfast in the garden before heading out to view the sights.
This perfectly formed two-star hotel is centrally located. It doesn’t have all the high-end amenities like a pool, restaurant or spa, but you don’t pay for it either. It’s a good value option.
This hotel may have a rather traditional look on the outside but it’s anything but on the inside. From its Andy Warhol-inspired lift to its tropical paradise of a heated outdoor pool, the posters of Tintin on the wall allude to the individuality of the rooms. It has 57 of them, 30 of which have been designed by artists in differing modern styles – graffiti walls or comic strips, for example. If you are after something a little more traditional, the remaining 27 rooms offer a more conventional welcome. It’s central, affordable, unpretentious and very, very fun.
This elegant boutique hotel is situated close to the station, so is a little further out from the sea than most boutique hotels but it’s still only a six-minute walk from the Promenade des Anglais. Rooms are soundproofed with free WiFi. It doesn’t have its own restaurant but isn’t far from lots of delicious options. It serves breakfast of fresh pastries and fruit, which it considers the most important meal of the day.
The Splendid Hotel and Spa is a four-star boutique hotel with a real 1950s/60s vibe to it. It has a roof deck with pool and a hot tub and a restaurant. It’s in a great location and the spa is reasonably priced – sometimes you can have the indoor hot tub all to yourself. The outdoor hot tub is the ultimate place to be though; in warmer weather, the view from the roof is amazing.
This small hotel is situated in the Nice neighbourhood of Cimiez in the hills above the sea. It’s an exclusive part of town, mostly residential, so there isn’t much in the way of local restaurants and bars. But it’s a great choice if you’re looking for a quiet rest, overlooking the wonderful views and don’t mind a walk into town. It’s close to the Chagall and Matisse museums, both of whom lived locally.
The Hotel Le Meurice is a more traditional boutique hotel with some wonderful art deco touches and a beautiful wrought-iron lift. The 23 rooms are traditionally decorated and recently renovated. It doesn’t have a restaurant but it is very central and affordable.
The Hotel La Villa is set on one of the most beautiful tree-lined streets in Nice, in a central location, in New Town. It has 47 rooms and free WiFi, which is quite uncommon for small hotels in France. It doesn’t have a restaurant but it’s so central that this shouldn’t be a problem. This is an affordable base to explore town.
