Choice of two Nice hotels...input anyone?
 

I will be in Nice for a few nights and have a choice of two hotels...Le Grimaldi and the Mercure Grimaldi. Le Grimaldi has received several nice writeup, I haven't seen much on the Mercure Grimaldi, but from the few reviews I've seen and the hotel info, it looks fine for a few nights. The Mercure Grimaldi is also 50 euros a night cheaper than Le Grimaldi...is there a *major* diff between the hotels. Both are in my budget, but I'm leaning toward going for the cheaper hotel and then splurging for a meal at La Perouse or even doing a big splurge and spending the last night at La Perouse (I've been offered a superior room for 248 euros, which is expensive but not hugely expensive and wouldn't break the budget for just one night).
I have no plans to hit the museums, etc., just wander around Vieux Nice, the flower market, stare at the Med, and enjoy some good food.

As you may know, Mercure is a moderately priced hotel chain, and to my knowledge their hotels are all decent, clean, and fully equipped. I've stayed in a number of Mercure hotels and never found a problem. So I'd go for the lower price.

But in my mind, there isn't much reason to skimp on the hotel cost and then go to the trouble to move to a different higher-priced hotel (La Perouse) for one night. The benefit of that action simply doesn't seem to outweigh the added complexity. Stay at the Mercure, save a little money, and eat a good meal somewhere. Good luck.

I agree with Wayne. I'd go for the cheaper hotel and splurge on a meal somewhere other than La Perouse. I could be wrong, but most often meals at hotels are not nearly as good as the simple and wonderful food you can find in Vieux Nice or some of the hilltowns.

Have a great time!

The trip is actually split in two parts, with Milan and Bellagio in between (Nice is an overnight stop on the way to and back). So I'd have to pack and unpack anyway. Weadles, have you heard anything against La Perouse specifically? From everything I've read, it's one of *the* places to eat in Nice with wonderful food and views.

We stayed at La Perouse last September and I don't think their dining romm has "a view" - unless there was a dining area that I never saw. The dining area where we had breakfast was in a lovely interior courtyard but did not look out over the water or beach in any way. But again, we did not choose to eat dinner there - looked at the menu, which looked OK and the breakfast was very tasty, but we preferred to stroll around the block to Vieux Nice where there were many choices and sidewalk cafes. There was a hotel right next to La Perouse, maybe Le Splendide, that seemed to have the same views for about half the price, but we did not go in and look at the rooms tho now I wish we had. Also we got a good deal on Le Perouse over the internet with "Dollars and Sense Rates" Paid in dollars (traveler's cheques) with a rate determined in advance that turned out to be a very good price but the room was not one with a splendid view. At any rate, try to stay close to the old part of town, I thought it had much more atmosphere that the later sprawl. SueC1

Suec1,

The hotel you are referring to that is basically next door to the La Perouse is the Primotel Suisse.

It has had mixed reviews on various message boards, but shares the same views as the La Perouse.

The restaurant at La Pérouse is only a simple one, serving light meals--nothing special, and no view. There are much better places in Vieux Nice and elsewhere. If you want a view, you could try the restaurant atop Le Meridien.

The "big" restaurants in Nice are Chantecler (in the Negresco), L'Ane Rouge, Don Camillo, and L'Univers. From Chantecler you might, depending on the table, be able to see the Mediterranean; about the others I don't know. I'm surprised about La Pérouse being described as having a major restaurant; it's just the kind of "grill around the pool" that some hotels offer during the summer months, unless things have changed a lot since our last visit.

Will you have a car? If so, that extends the splurge possibilities...perhaps the Château de la Chèvre d'Or in Eze, which has both excellent food and a magnificent view.

I am thinking of staying at the Mercure Grimaldi also.. have you gone yet? My concern is that it may be noisy. Has anyone been? I have to decide by May 24th!.. Thanks

Hi, BTilke,

I have not stayed at the Mercure, but did stay at Le Grimaldi in 2002 and can highly recommend it. We had superior double rooms that were very spacious. The hotel was a block or two from the pedestrain zone and maybe 4-5 blocks to the waterfront. It was perhaps a 15 minute walk to the heart of the old town. Joanna Zedde at Le Grimaldi was extremely helpful to our group of 6 travelers.

Have a great trip.

John H.

Le Grimaldi is also a higher priced hotel... it has lots of good reviews. I wonder which BTilke chose. Then again. Mercure is a chain so it would have some minimum standard.. Still hoping someone has had any experience at the Mercure Grimaldi and wants to share it before I book tomorrow. One review I read was that it was decent for the money but the author didn't like the budgies in the lobby (too noisy).. or was that another place? Go figure.

Breakfast under the lemon trees at La Perouse is what I remembber most and plucked two off the tree to take home to friends because I was surprised how much sweeter they were compard to what I buy her in Boston/Cambridge

Le Grimaldi hands down. I also stayed there 2 years ago and was so impresssed with not only the hotel but also the staff. We even extended our stay. I am real picky when it comes to where I stay especially when on a certain budget and I must say that after travelling Europe for 6 weeks this hotel was the best. The rooms were not only spacious but decorated very provencal and our room was especially unigue in that our window opened out to a drop dead view of this gothic church with gargoyle on top. It was amazing. And the location was superb too. Quiet at night yet you were within minutes to the beach and the action. I am going back to Paris in Sept. and I am trying to fit in a stay at Le grimaldi. I've stayed in $500.00 a nite hotels before but this one was charming, quaint and friendly.

I just got back (had to cut a day off the trip due to a minor family emergency). I stayed at the Mercure Grimaldi which was perfectly fine, my room was comfortable, spacious, service was very nice and I LIKED the budgies and they weren't noisy at all, just chattering happily. Whoever complained about them must be a real grump! I only paid 86 euros a night for Mercure le Grimaldi, which was a great rate. I usually stay at Accor properties if possible because I get good rates and points toward free stays with a frequent guest card. That said, Le Grimaldi, down the street, is a real charmer of a hotel, much prettier on the outside than the Mercure Grimaldi and the public rooms looked better too, and if I weren't an Accor preferred guest, I would definitely go with that one!

thanks for the input BTilke !! - Le Grimaldi is double the price, so (chances are of course) it will be a charmer.