Hotel West End

The Hotel West End is a grand, Belle Epoque property, with a facade of white stucco, Juliet balconies, and ornate cornices. Inside, the lobby continues the look with gilt accents, richly patterned scarlet and gold carpets, velvet couches in bold hues, shimmering chandelier, and a marble fireplace. Built in 1842, the hotel began life as a pleasure palace for English aristocrats, and that history is mirrored in the cozy bar, where ornately carved wood panels jostle for space with mounted stags’ horns and patterned armchairs sit atop plaid carpet. The restaurant, meanwhile, is unmistakably French, with red-velvet banquettes, mirrored walls, Tiffany lamps, and a long brass rail running the length of the room. The hotel tends to attract guests looking for a measure of old-fashioned Riviera glamour, and don't mind sacrificing a few wellness features. 

The hotel has a great location along the Promenade des Anglais, the main drag that runs along the beach. It’s just a couple minutes' walk across the road to the city’s wide, sandy beach, which slopes alluringly into the Mediterranean. Farther afield, it’s about a 10-minute walk to the Jardin Albert I, and the pretty Old Town with restaurants, shops, clubs, public squares, the Cours Saleya flower market, and Baroque churches like the Chapelle de la Misericorde. Art lovers can drive 12 minutes to the Marc Chagall Museum or 15 minutes for the Matisse Museum. The Gare de Nice Ville is a seven-minute drive away, while transfers to Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport take about 15 minutes by car.

The hotel’s 121 rooms all differ somewhat in style, between elegant and contemporary rooms decorated in gray and pink hues, to Art Deco affairs with lots of black lacquered wood and gold fabric. Although they're all comfortable and well-kept, some have dated bathrooms with pale-blue tiling that's in need of a refresh. Lower-category rooms have space for a double or two twin beds, a desk, and armchair, but these tend to face inland, which can leave them somewhat dark. Upgraded rooms face the water, and have space for king-size beds, two armchairs, and a small table. A few of these rooms are Triples, which sleep three and have a loft housing a single bed. Junior Suites have a living room with some lovely antique furniture. Some Suites have furnished terraces. Bathrooms have either a shower/tub combo or shower cubicle with rainfall showerhead, and a bidet. All rooms have a flat-screen satellite TV, minibar, safe, kettles alongside tea and coffee, hairdryer, toiletries, and free Wi-Fi. Suites add Nespresso machines and bathrobes.

The Hotel West End lacks a few amenities that you might expect from this class of hotel. For instance, it does not have a gym, pool, or a spa. That said, the hotel does have a well-regarded Mediterranean restaurant serving a la carte fare for lunch and dinner. It has an outdoor patio with views of the road and beach beyond. Additionally, a breakfast room opens onto a terrace shaded by palm trees, where guests can eat during the warmer months. The cozy bar has an extensive wine list and a menu of light meals. The hotel is a stone’s throw from a private stretch of golden beach that slopes into the sea, and guests at the Hotel West End get discounted rates when reserving loungers there. Alternatively, guests can walk a couple minutes in either direction for public sections of the beach. There are nine meeting and function rooms on-site, the largest of which can hold 100 people. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.