Nice Journals

Autumn Sun in Nice

An October 2005 trip to Nice by justinef

Quote: We picked Nice because we just wanted somewhere to relax and enjoy a last bit of sunshine before the winter. With fantastic views, old-fashioned grandeur, and great weather, we had a wonderful time, but the only thing cheap about the holiday was our flights.

Autumn Sun in Nice

Overview

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The view from our balcony - blue sea and palm trees Cafe culture - enjoying a drink while watching the world go by The Old Town - flower market, lots of interesting shops, and places to eat and drinkQuick Tips: Most bars and restaurants offer three sizes of beers - on the first day we opted for the medium, which was actually rather large, so afterwards we stuck with the small. The large size was more like a pitcher to share than a drink for one. Wine, bread, and cheese from the supermarkets are very cheap, so we bought some to enjoy on our balcony one evening, which made a cheap but enjoyable alternative to the restaurants. Best Way To Get Around: We di...Read More

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Radisson SAS Hotel Nice

Hotel | "SAS Radisson"

Quote:

We picked this hotel because our original choice wasn't available on the dates we wanted to go and we were attracted to this one because it had a swimming pool and the rooms had balconies. We were aware that the hotel's location was slightly further along the Promenade des Anglais than most of the other hotels, but we don't mind walking and with a walk along the seafront, it was always a pleasure. However, if you don't like walking (a good 20 minutes into town, more to reach the old town), it could be very expensive to stay here and rely on taxis (15 euros into the town).

The hotel is very modern and the rooms have recently been refurbished. We paid extra for a room with a sea view, which was definitely worthwhile, as we had an absolutely stunning view right across the bay. The extra cost wasn't very much compared with the supplement charged by other hotels in Nice for the seaview. We also suspected that we were upgraded to a suite, as our room was absolutely huge - it had a separate entrance way with the wardrobe in, a three-seater sofa, trendy retro armchair, three coffee tables, and a desk, as well as a huge bed. There are three styles of room in the hotel - Urban, Ocean and Chilli - ours was a Chilli, which meant it was decorated in a funky modern style in mainly orangey-reds, and there was a large ornamental chilli pepper on the wall.

The bathroom was spacious, white and sparklingly clean. Plenty of fluffy white towels were provided, including two large bath sheets. Fruit-scented toiletries were provided in cute little plastic containers, like individual milk portions and were stored in a cleverly designed stand, and were replenished every day.

The pool was on the roof and was a good size, so you could actually swim in it, rather than just use it to cool down. When we went in early one morning though, it was rather cold. Sun-loungers and towels can be provided, which costs 12 Euros in peak season (Apr-Sep) which seems rather mean. There is a poolside bar and restaurant, and with the lovely views, it was a good place to relax with a drink, but the prices were high (5 Euros for a fruit juice, 6 Euros for a bottle of lager).

We had breakfast in the hotel one morning. It was a buffet with a wide selection of cooked and continental options, but at 20 euros per person, it was far from good value.

We really enjoyed our stay here, but found the price of drinks and the extra costs of services, a bit too much and felt the hotel was more aimed at business travellers, who aren't paying for it themselves, so don't mind the extra charges. Read Less

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on October 11, 2005

Radisson SAS Hotel Nice
223 Promenade des Anglais
Nice, France F-06200
33-4-9337-1717

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Tire-Bouchon (Le)

Restaurant | "Le Tire Bouchon"

Quote:

We came across this little restaurant while we were walking around the old town and decided that we would come back to eat there the following evening, as it looked better than most of the other restaurants we had seen, which all seemed to be very alike, large and impersonal and offering the same mix of pizza, pasta, and steak. In contrast, this restaurant was small and intimate-looking, with twinkling lights around the doorway and a menu of dishes more typical of the region. We hadn't booked and it was very busy, with only one table outside free, but the friendly American waitress told us that if we were willing to come back in 30 minutes, we could have a table inside, so we went to the ...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on October 11, 2005

Tire-Bouchon (Le)
19, Rue De La Préfecture
Nice, France 06300
+33 4 93 92 63 64

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Québec (Le)

Restaurant | "Le Quebec"

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The restaurants in the main shopping area of Nice all looked pretty similar, and most of them seemed to offer the same mix of pizza, pasta, and meat dishes. We picked this one almost at random, and whilst there wasn't really anything wrong with it, it was rather uninspiring.It is a fairly large restaurant with seats inside, upstairs, and on the street. We had wanted to sit indoors but near the entrance so we could still see the world go by, but the only tables there were for four, so the waiter wouldn't let us sit there. Instead, we had to sit out on the terrace at a table, which was also for four! The menu offered a large selection of dishes, but we both ordered the French ...Read More

Member Rating 2 out of 5 on October 13, 2005

Québec (Le)
43, rue Masséna
Nice, France 06000
+33 4 93 87 84 21

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Cafe du Palais

Restaurant

Quote:

We stopped off at this cafe much in need of refreshment, having spent an hour or so wandering around the streets of the Old Town. There were plenty of cafe/restaurants to choose from, but we picked this one because it was in a busy area opposite the Palace of Justice (good for people-watching) and there were plenty of people just drinking, rather than having a meal. We ordered two small beers from the incredibly cheerful waiter, which went down very well in the sun. We then decided that we would have something to eat after all. My partner ordered the Croque Monseiur (toasted ham-and-cheese sandwich with cheese on the outside), and I order the Croque President, which was a toasted goat c...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on October 13, 2005

Cafe du Palais
Place du Palais de Justice
Nice, France