Hotel La Pérouse

Rooms and decor

The 56 rooms are done in Provençal style — yellow and sea-blue tones, floral fabrics, pale wood furniture. Every one has a private balcony looking out over Baie des Anges, the bay the Promenade des Anglais faces. Standard rooms run 22-28 sqm, and the Junior Suite with Terrace comes with a balcony big enough for a table of two — the room to book for a honeymoon. Guests keep saying the same thing: "waking up to the sea and the sound of the waves was worth every penny." Bathrooms have a tub and Anne Sémonin products from Paris.

Food and amenities

What sets La Pérouse apart from the other hotels along the Promenade is the lemon garden hidden inside it, with an outdoor pool and the restaurant Le Patio — both summer only. It is real Provence, the kind of setting you simply do not get out on the Promenade. The pool runs 09:00-19:00 and Le Patio serves dinner 19:00-22:30. As one review put it: "swim in the quiet garden by day, eat under the lemon trees in the evening — it feels like a house in Provence, not the middle of Nice."

Location and getting there

The location is the whole point — the foot of Castle Hill, the eastern end of the Promenade, right beside Old Town. It is a 2-minute walk down to the beach at Quai des États-Unis, and one minute up an alley into Old Town and the Cours Saleya flower market within 5 minutes — the most famous market in Nice. The entrance to Castle Hill sits right behind the hotel: 213 steps or a free lift, about 10 minutes to the best viewpoint in the city, where you see Baie des Anges, Old Town and the Port of Nice all at once. Tram L1 at the Garibaldi stop is an 8-minute walk, and NCE airport is roughly 25 minutes on Tram L2.

Things to know before booking

This is a small boutique, and that cuts both ways. With only 56 rooms it books out fast — give yourself 1-2 months in summer. There is no gym and no spa. Parking is limited and paid, so the tram is the easier way in. The lift is small and the entrance is down an alley, which makes it awkward for a family hauling several big suitcases, and it is not really set up for business travelers.

Our take

This is the one for a honeymooning couple who want quiet and Old Town at the same time, for anyone who wants a private pool — a rare thing in Nice — and for a foodie who wants to eat at Le Patio under the lemon trees. It is the highest-scoring place on this list at 9.0/10, and the price starts around $308 a night. Just not the pick for a family with a pile of luggage, or for a work trip.