The Best Boutique Hotels to Book in Nice, France

If peace and quiet is top of your list of requirements for a Nice boutique hotel, you’ve come to the right place here. It’s an elegant stone villa surrounded by pleasant gardens. It’s located on Baumettes hill, a short saunter from the famous Museum of Fine Art and 500m (1,640ft) from the beach. Each of the six rooms has air-con, wifi and character; bathrooms are well equipped; breakfast pastries are worth waking up for.

No one does chic like the French – and this hotel in Nice couldn’t be anywhere else. Its rooms are sophisticated but minimalist, while the bistro seating in its fragrant courtyard garden is a lovely spot for a coffee. Tucked away by the lively Place Rossetti square and next to the Nice Cathedral, it’s an excellent place to stay if you’d rather be close to the shops and sights than spend all day on the beach.

This three-star hotel in Nice is an excellent spot with French hospitality in a bijou package. Its double and twin rooms are pleasantly decked out with floral wallpaper and sunny yellow accents, plus high-end bedding and a choice of pillows, while studios come with kitchenettes and sleep up to four people. Just 150m (492ft) from the Promenade des Anglais, this is a lovely little spot to explore the delights.

This upmarket boutique hotel is a bijou affair. Perched high in the hills, complete with a heated swimming pool – carved into the cliffside – and incredible views over the Med, it’s away from the crowds, so you’ll find plenty of ways to chill out here, whether by the pool or down on the beach a short stroll away. The 56 rooms are all individually designed – and the hotel has its own bar and restaurant for pre-dinner cocktails to go with those postcard verandah views.

Crowned by a vivid pink dome supposedly inspired by the architect’s mistress, Hôtel Negresco is a standout landmark in the city along the Promenade des Anglais. The belle-époque hotel has been a symbol of French culture and hospitality for over a century, entertaining kings, queens and the odd rock star too. Inside, you’ll be bowled over by the marble-floored rotunda with its intricately decorated glass ceiling. Diligent doormen dressed in navy and red frock coats are there to greet you and help take your bags to your room – upgrade to a Rivoli double for views over the Palais Massena gardens or a deluxe sea view room for sweeping vistas over the Baie-des-Anges.

Dating back to 1890, this petite 24-room gem is tucked away back from the sea. All whitewashed stucco, French windows and Louis XIV-style furniture – you get the feeling you’re in a French period drama here, as opposed to a modern boutique hotel. There’s no restaurant, but plenty of cafes and bars nearby. And if it’s just a chilled glass of rosé you’re after, the garden has a greenery-draped pergola which is the perfect spot to relax. Compared with other hotels on the main drag, Villa Rivoli offers an unrivalled touch of affordable luxury.

This hotel may have a rather traditional look on the outside, yet it’s anything but inside. From the Andy Warhol-inspired lift to its tropical paradise of a heated outdoor pool and posters of Tintin on the wall, it alludes to the individuality of the rooms. There are 57 of them, 30 of which have been designed by artists in various modern styles, such as graffiti walls or comic strips. If you’re after something outstanding, the remaining 27 rooms offer a more conventional welcome. Hotel Windsor is central, affordable, unpretentious – and lots of fun.

This elegant boutique hotel is close to the station, so it’s further out from the sea than most – but still only a six-minute walk from the Promenade des Anglais. Rooms are soundproofed and come with free wifi and sleek flat-screen TVs. It doesn’t have its own restaurant, but there’s ample choice of restaurants right around the corner. You can look forward to a fresh breakfast of flaky pastries and chilled fruit – not to mention the sea views if you upgrade to a room with a balcony overlooking the Med.

This small hotel is situated in Cimiez, perched in the hills above the Med. 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 peace and quiet, with postcard-worthy sea views your backdrop. Down on the bloom-drenched terrace, you can brave the cold of the plunge pool on hot days or relax on a sun lounger. The garden is a tranquil spot where you can read the morning papers (The New York Times is available) with a cup of rousing coffee to kickstart the day.

Le Meurice is a traditional boutique hotel, with incredible art deco touches and an elegant wrought-iron lift to take you to your room. There are 23 to choose from, all recently renovated with parquet floors and 1920s furnishings, while bathrooms redefine lavish with hydro-massage showers or jet-powered bathtubs. There’s no restaurant here, but there many eateries within strolling distance and the leafy Albert 1er garden for cold drinks and ice creams when the sun is beating down.

Hotel La Villa Victor Hugo is set in a tree-lined street, just a stone’s throw from the Promenade des Anglais. You might think the superb belle-époque façade is an indication of what’s to come within – but its 47 rooms are as modern as they come, with free wifi, books repurposed into headboards and literary quotations adorning the corridor walls. This is a nod to the hotel’s namesake, arguably the most famous playwright France has ever produced. You can also take advantage of a 24-hour bar and a selection of exceptional champagnes produced by the Ployez Jacquemart and Gardet estates.