Nice Hotels – A Brief Guide to Nice Hotel Locations

• By: MFoley
• On: 24/Mar/2010
• In: Nice Travel Tips

Nice is a charming city located along the French Riviera. Come and explore the city’s pedestrianised Old Town or see some of France’s best sites, which include its fine opera house, and its art museums, which have works from Monet, Degas, Renoir and Rodin on display.

This popular holiday destination can boast long hot summers and has loads of beaches for you to relax on, these are pebbly rather than sandy but are extremely clean.

Many families holiday in Nice. It's also a great base if you want to hire a car and discover neighbouring cities like Cannes and St. Tropez. Take a leaf out of the locals book and go for a stroll through the Parc du Chateaux. Enjoy great panoramic views of Nice itself and the sparkling Baie des Anges from this shady park. 

When it comes to choosing hotels, two of the most popular location in the city are the Old Town and the Promenade des Anglais.

Nice's Old Town is known locally as Vielle Ville and is the historic core of the city. You could easily get lost for hours here wandering the maze of cobbled streets and exploring quaint traditional French restaurants, cafes and shops. The pedestrianised Vielle Ville could be compared to a medieval village with its narrow winding streets, old buildings and red tiled roofs.

The spectacular flower and fruit market of Cours Saleya is definitely worth a visit! You also come across the famous Plasse Massena, the Saint Reparate Cathedral and the baroque style Palais Lascaris.

This city has everything from designer outlets like Louis Vuitton to all the top high street stores, and even hosts a number of outdoor markets too. These markets are great and you can actually find some really individual pieces.

Why not take advantage of your location and go to the Cimiez district, which features famous Roman ruins in the Nice Archaeological Museum? You’re also just a few minutes walk from the central train station so you can travel to the villages and towns just out of Nice too!

If you want to stay in the midst of historical Nice, then choose one of the many hotels in the Old Town.

Promenade des Anglais

The Promenade des Anglais is the city's world famous waterfront and is a popular area to stay in as it abounds with restaurants, casinos and bars. When one thinks of Nice, they usually associate it with the blue chairs and cabanas on the promenade overlooking the Mediterranean - this is where you will see that picture postcard scene.

The Promenade also has many hotels which overlook the azur blue waters of the Mediterranean so if being close to the beach is important to you then choose a hotel on the Promenade des Anglais. Hotels here are just a short distance from the city’s Old Town and shopping districts.

Remember – Nice is a large city but most attractions are within walking distance of each other so you should have no problem getting around no matter which hotel you choose.

If you would prefer somewhere a bit more peaceful and unexplored then choose the little Mediterranean resorts surrounding Nice. Beaulieu-Sur-Mer is a pretty Mediterranean town just 6km from Nice. Close to Beaulieu-Sur-Mer is the resort of Saint Jean Cap Ferrat – a favourite of the rich and famous. Villefranche-Sur-Mer is another celebrity hotspot 6km east of Nice and has set the scene for many movies like The Bourne Identity, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and The Jewel of the Nile to name a few.

Other popular hotel locations in Nice include; Saint Paul de Vence (home of contemporary art museum, Fondation Maeght) and Villeneuve Loubet a beautiful seaside resort west of Nice.

A good idea while in Nice is to rent a car and explore the Cote d'Azur for yourself. A drive west of Nice will bring you to Antibes, Cannes and St. Tropez while east of Nice you can visit Monaco, Menton and San Remo in Italy (under a 1 hour drive!).

Hotels in Nice range from 1 star to 5 star. If you're looking for cheap hotels in Nice, then choose a low star rating like a 1 or 2 star hotel. Nice has also got plenty of apartment hotels and self catering hotels which are also a great option if you're on a budget. Other hotel types available in Nice include; boutique hotels, business hotels, historic hotels, pet friendly hotels, romantic hotels and spa hotels.

If you want to browse and book Nice hotels now then visit our Nice hotels page.

If you've any queries about Nice hotels or about Nice itself, just drop us a line in the comment box below and we'll do our best to help!