The Grimaldi Hotel in Nice

Nice and the Côte d’Azur have long been seen as the playground of the rich and famous, or at least the fairly well-heeled, but that’s far from being the truth these days. With several cheap flights from easyJet every day, from various airports around Europe, the Promenade des Anglais is now within everyone’s budget. But saving money doesn’t mean skimping on quality.

Walk back a few blocks from the luxury hotels along the Promenade des Anglais and there’s a whole host of more affordable but no less appealing options. One of the best we’ve found is Le Grimaldi, a 4-star delight based in two Belle Époque buildings either side of an inner courtyard. It’s less than a 5-minute walk to the sea front, and 5 minutes to the central Place Massena. The station is 10 minutes away, and Nice Airport 15 minutes by taxi.

The Grimaldi has 46 rooms, each individually decorated though each floor has its own colour scheme. There are Classic and Superior Rooms, and Junior Suites, but even the inexpensive Classic Rooms are big and pleasant enough for two people to enjoy a lengthy stay, in comfort.

The style is cosy classical, with subdued shades creating a relaxing feel, and all rooms are ensuite with mini-bars, safes and satellite TV. Some have balconies too.

The relaxing feel is helped by the staff, who were smiling and helpful from the moment we stepped through the door. Each time we went in or out, there was a friendly greeting and a chance to chat, like one of the family.

There was an excellent breakfast (though it’s not included in the room price), two guest lounges and a small business centre too. It was also wonderfully quiet. Despite being so central and just down from the Boulevard Victor Hugo, it’s between two quiet one-way streets and there was no noise at all at night. And next time we go to Nice, we know which hotel we’ll be staying at.