Where to stay in Nice

The centre of Nice where the main tourist sights and attractions are, is fairly compact, over about a square kilometre. Most of the hotels are located here, from the old town in the east, up to the train station and down to the seafront promenade. As you may expect, the famous and more luxurious hotels are located on the sea front known as the Promenade des Anglais. With wonderful views over the beach and the amazing turquoise sea, it is a special place to stay. The further back from the promenade you go towards the train station, the more affordable the hotels become. This area is full of majestic buildings, shops and restaurants, and a number of museums and art galleries.

Many visitors to Nice come to experience the old town (Vieux Nice), with its tiny pedestrianised alleys filled with shops, bars and restaurants. It is the most lively part of Nice at any time of day but there are few accommodation options here, mainly because of the noise! The highlight of the old town is the Cours de Saleya market, where you can peruse fresh food and flowers every morning. Other markets run regularly around Place du Palais de Justice, located on the edge of the old town.

Bordering Vieux Nice to the east is Parc de la Colline du Chateau, and if you go around the headland you will end up at Nice Port. In addition to fishing and leisure boats, there are ferry services to Corsica from here. The area around the port is having it's Shoreditch moment, and many funky new restaurants and bars are opening up. The boutique hotel business has yet to set up here but you can be sure it won't be long. Beyond the port is the smart residential area of Cap de Nice and Mont Boron where you will find some small hotels and villa rentals. Much of this headland is devoted to the Natural Parc du Mont Boron.

If you prefer to stay outside of Nice, there are plenty of options. To the east is Villefranche sur Mer, a historical port town with beaches, a lovely marina and plenty of lively nightlife. The resort town of Beaulieu sur Mer lies in the next bay and is a more genteel resort with beautiful architecture and a more refined feel. In between these two coastal towns is a wonderful headland known as Saint Jean Cap Ferrat. This is where the super rich have their villas and where the luxury Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat is situated.

Alternatively, head north into the hills above Nice for fabulous sea views and medieval villages with fantastic hotels. Saint Paul de Vence probably has the best selection of hotels and is a wonderful place to stay because of it's beautiful old village and art scene. Vence, La Colle sur Loup and Hautes Cagnes are other hilltop villages well worth taking a look at - all are a short drive from Nice Airport.