24 rue Saint Francois de Paule, Nice, France | (888) 399-9863
Excellent Old Town location close to seafront
Private pebble beach with bar-restaurant and loungers
Smart, contemporary interiors
Some rooms open to furnished terraces
Breakfast room and bar
Street-facing rooms can be noisy
Beach lounger rental is expensive
Some rooms showing signs of
wear
The Hotel Beau Rivage is an upscale, 118-room property located a stone's throw from its own pebble beach in Nice's Old Town. Interiors are smart and contemporary, though some rooms are starting to look a little worn and street noise can be an issue. The private beach is the largest of its kind on the French Riviera but, typical for Nice, loungers are expensive -- even for guests. Overall, if you can overlook a couple shortcomings, this is a pleasant hotel in an excellent location with rates that are standard for the area.
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Scene
19th-century Riviera hotel with cool 21st-century makeover and pebble-beach motif
Originally built in 1860, the Hotel Beau Rivage was one of the first of its kind just beyond the French Riviera's renowned Promenade des Anglais and a popular haunt with artists and writers such as Matisse, Fitzgerald, and Nietzsche. In 2004 a renovation and redesign by renowned French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte was completed and the property re-opened with fresh contemporary interiors in warm woods, clean lines, and sharp 21st-century styling, while maintaining its elegant 19th-century facade. Alluding to the hotel's private beach, a pebble motif runs throughout the hotel, from pebble cushions on the lobby sofas to pebble-shaped lamps and pebble-effect flooring in the hallways. The overall result is a cool and smart, if slightly impersonal, ambience with a slightly playful edge provided by the ubiquitous pebble emblem.
Location
Set just off seafront in Nice's charming Old Town close to flower market
The hotel is positioned just off the Quai des États-Unis -- a pleasant palm tree-lined road overlooking Nice's pebble beach. The pretty Old Town district -- with its flower market, charming cafes, and quaint narrow streets -- is just minutes' walk away as is the town's elegant Opera House though nearby bars and clubs can get a little noisy in the evening. Nice's train station is a short drive or about 20 minutes on foot, while a bus stop that connects directly to the airport (four miles away) is a five-minute walk.
Rooms
Smart, contemporary rooms with free Wi-Fi but some signs of wear
The hotel has 118 rooms, all of which are decorated in smart, contemporary woods with local black and white photographs, striped carpets, and pebble-beach motifs. Standard in-room amenities include free Wi-Fi, 23-inch flat-screen TVs, and minibars while only suites have tea and coffee facilities. First-floor suites also open to spacious furnished terraces overlooking a palm-filled courtyard. All rooms have quaint Niçoise-style wooden shutters, but street-facing rooms can suffer from some noise at night. Some wear and tear has also been reported in some rooms.
Features
Private pebble beach with bar-restaurant -- though pesky fee for loungers
Guests of the hotel have exclusive access to a section of private pebbled beach with a bar-restaurant and umbrellas, towels, and loungers -- however it is only open April through October and (typical for Nice) there is a fairly hefty charge for loungers. The hotel also serves a buffet breakfast in a small dining area, but it's not included in the rate. A small and cozy winter bar is open from November to February, while the hotel's whiskey bar is open all year round.
