JerseyJulie

My boyfriend and I are traveling to Italy/France Memorial Day week. We are flying into Milan and driving up to Lake Como, then driving to the French Riviera to stay for 4 days/3 Nights. However, we are unsure of where to stay in France. We've heard that the only "nice" (meaning actual sand) beaches are in Juan Les Pins. We are planning to do a lot of day trips and maybe do one beach day, or end our days on the beach.

So, my question is, do we stay in Nice, Antibes or Juan Les Pins or another area? Any suggestions for hotels, we are trying to stay in the $250 and below range. We've seen the Garden Beach Hotel, the Best Western, the Hotel Juana, the Hotel Sainte Valerie, the Hotel West End, etc, my mind is boggled. Has anyone stayed at any of these? HELP!!!!!

Rastaguytoday

I've stayed in Juan le Pins and liked it very much. It's an easy drive / train to Nice.

Here's venere's ratings, listings and approximate pricing for the 48 hotels listed. That should give you a good choice.

Please read the reviews of folks who've stayed there so you don't get burned.

http://www.venere.com/france/antibes-juan-les-pins/

suec1

Well its true, the nicer beach is at Antibes but you could go there for the day and still stay in Nice. Either location is going to be very pleasant - Nice is much larger and busier, or course. If you were going to daytrip on public transportation I would say Nice - there are very cheap and frequent buses that go through out the area. So maybe just go for the hotel you like best in either location - if you are going to have a car, make sure parking is available - it may be an additional charge.

Weadles

I've never stayed in Juan les Pins, but I guess if you want a 'real' beach, yes, go there. We have always stayed in Nice without a car since Nice has great transportation options ( train, bus) to most of the cities/towns along the Riveria. Just a FYI: Parking is a real hassle in most of the cities/towns on the coast in the summer months. I have no idea what it's like at the end of May.

We like Nice because it has tons to do ( amazing museums, Old Town, promenade, great restaurants) and a public beach or paying beach clubs that are good enough for a few hours
when we're done with sightseeing etc.

About hotels in Nice: I've only stayed at The Hotel Westminster, but have heard good reports about The West End. You might also want to look at The Hotel Grimaldi, although it is not sea front. Good luck!

SiennaAnn1

I much prefer Antibes/Juan Les Pins. Nice feels WAY more like a city. Not too beachy/resorty. it will be less expensive, but won't feel as much like classic riviera.

Jo_Ron

We just returned from 4 weeks in Nice and the lack of sandy beach wasn't an issue. We used a beach club on the days we wanted to go to the beach and paid for chair rental which included towels and restroom/shower facilities. Nice worked well for us because of the restaurants, shopping, museums, and other things to do. We also liked the variety and availability of public transportation to the other areas we wanted to visit.

The Antibes/Juan Les Pins is beautiful, and quiet. If you are driving and don't need the bus/train to get around, then the quieter Juan Les Pins would work for you.