4 avenue General de Gaulle, Menton, France | (251) 219-4428
Located along the promenade, facing the sea
Three-minute walk to Palais Carnoles and easy drive to Monaco and Nice
Contemporary rooms with AC, mini-fridges, and flat-screen TVs
Some rooms have balconies and nice sea views
Excellent on-site Mediterranean restaurant with alfresco dining
Small lobby bar with seating
Landscaped garden and a pleasant terrace
Meeting room, computers for guests' use, and free Wi-Fi throughout
Daily buffet breakfast (for a fee) with in-room dining option
Free beach towel rentals
Free parking
Pet-friendly (extra fee)
A 20-minute hike to Old Town
Rooms can be small
Fee for breakfast
No fitness center or pool
The upper-middle-range Best Western Hotel Prince de Galles sits right along the sea and promenade in Menton, about a 20-minute walk to Old Town. Built in 1865, the hotel renovated its 64 rooms in 2013, and while the decor is somewhat "Best Western generic," rooms are contemporary and tasteful with air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and sound-proofing. Some have balconies and nice sea views. The hotel has a small lobby bar, a Mediterranean restaurant with alfresco dining, and a nicely landscaped garden and outdoor terrace. There's no fitness area or pool, but the beach and promenade are right out the back door. Travelers seeking to be closer to Old Town might want to consider the Royal Westminster Hotel.
Scene
Seaside hotel in a historic 1865 building
The seafront Best Western Hotel Prince de Galles is situated in a historic 1865 building that was once used as barracks for the prince of Monaco's carabiniere. Its four-story, salmon-colored facade features contrasting window trim and elegant cornice detailing. The lobby, which includes a reception desk, small bar, and a few seating areas, is a bit bland, with gray carpeting, white walls, and gray and white upholstered square armchairs and couches. The real standout here is the grounds, which include a nicely landscaped garden and sea-facing terrace with palm trees, cactuses, and other greenery, along with plenty of seating areas for guests. With its seafront set-up and two- to four-person rooms, the hotel draws mainly leisure travelers, particularly couples, families, and groups of friends.
Location
Right along the promenade and beach, but a bit of a hike to Old Town
The sea-front Hotel Prince de Galles has two entrances, one on the main avenue and the other along the promenade that runs parallel to the sea. The Palais Carnoles, the former summer residence of the Prince of Monaco that is now host to a botanical park and fine arts museum, is a three-minute walk from the hotel. The main train station is an 18-minute walk. or a five-minute drive. Monaco and Nice are a 20- and 30-minute drive away, respectively. Menton's Old Town (Vieille Ville) is a bit of a hike, about a 20-minute walk. The Nice Airport is a 40- to 50-minute drive from the hotel, depending on the route.
Rooms
Contemporary rooms with neutral decor, AC, mini-fridges, and flat-screen TVs
The 64 rooms at the Best Western Hotel Prince de Galles were renovated in 2013 in a neutral, contemporary style, with brown wall-to-wall carpeting, white walls and bedding, white and brown laminate furnishings, and modern clear plastic desk chairs. Beds have headboards with attached mini bedside tables and silver gooseneck reading lights. Rooms range from Doubles and Twins to Quadruple Rooms, but guests have found the rooms small. White-tile bathrooms with wood laminate doors have either standing showers or shower/tub combos, and come with toiletries and hairdryers. All rooms are air-conditioned and have small desks, safes, and flat-screen TVs with satellite channels. Other in-room amenities include coffee- and tea-making facilities, and mini-fridges. Double-glazed windows provide solid sound-proofing. Sea view rooms (particularly those with balconies on higher floors) are recommended, while Mountain View Rooms face the main road.
Features
Excellent on-site restaurant with alfresco dining and small lobby bar, Wi-Fi, and breakfast for a fee
While the Best Western Hotel Prince de Galles does provide a fair amount of features, it lacks a pool or fitness center. Still, guests rave about the hotel's on-site restaurant, Le Petit Prince, which serves refined Mediterranean dishes for lunch and dinner.Guests praise the fixed menus as particularly well-priced. Alfresco dining is offered seasonally from spring through fall. A standard buffet breakfast is available for an extra fee. (Guests can request breakfast in their rooms.) The hotel also has a small lobby bar as well as a beautifully landscaped garden and terrace seating. A meeting room can host up to 45 guests, and a small business corner has two computers for guests' use. Wi-Fi is free throughout. The front desk is open 24-hours, and the hotel offers free beach towels. Be aware that the free on-site parking is limited.