Planning to spend 3 nights somewhere on the Riviera in June of 2011. We will be arriving from Provence with a car, which I plan to drop at a rental place on arrival. We will be taking the TGV to Paris early in the morning on our departure day. From doing some preliminary searching, I sort of like the Hotel Grimaldi in Nice, and the Hotel Welcome in Villefranche. I like the idea of staying in Villefranche, but am a little concerned that it would be less convenient. Any thoughts between these two, or any different suggestions in a similar price range?

I have stayed at both of them and they are both lovely. Villefranche is less convenient and quirky and the Grimaldi is in the center of things in Nice. Try to get the side of the hotel on the street that is something like Maccaroni. The rooms are nicer.

You are right. It's rue Maccarani. On that street, a pretty church is across from Le Grimaldi.

Our room was on the other side, and it was very nice, too. My daughter and I had a "classic twin" room, and we really liked it. Good-sized room, lovely tile bath, and a tiny balcony in the room. The breakfast there is a very good deal. You pay 10eu/ day for it, if you sign on for it every morning. Otherwise, it is 15eu. The breakfast room is elegant.

We loved the hotel and its location. It is just a couple of blocks walking to the promenade and the sea walk. A longer walk to the bus station. It is about 10 minutes, or less, walking into old Nice. We enjoyed nice dinners in centre ville, and the pretty walk back to the hotel along the waterside promenade.

From Nice you can visit Antibes by train. And the Villa Rothschild and St Jean Cap Ferrat by bus.

Thanks for the replies.

Perhaps the morning crowd has some thoughts.

'Morning twk. We stayed in Menton and took the bus to Nice. We passed Villefranche and I thought it looked lovely. Wished to see more of it. I believe there is a train stop there but you might have to change trains in Nice. Will you also have to change for the TGV? If so, Nice might be a little more convenient.

If you have time, here's a suggestion, stay in Nice and take the train or bus to Vf for a day trip. Other posters can give you better directions about what to see and how to get to sites. Villa Ephrussi nearby?

TDudette: I sort of figured that whether I stayed in Nice or Villefranche, I would go east one day (probably take a look around Monaco, possibly Cap Ferrat and VF, if I'm not staying there) and west the other (possibly Antibes). First part of our trip is a week in the Dordogne, and the second part is 3 nights each in Provence, the Riviera, and Paris, just sort of as an introduction to each place for my nephew (his graduation present).

You may adopt me any time! LOL

Take your passports to Casino.

We stay at the Welcome Hotel in Villefranche and found that it is a great base. The train does stop there and the busses work very well-- almost anywhere up and down the coast for 1 Euro!

If the hotel in Villefranche is booked, I could look up where we stayed in St. Jean Cap Ferrat--a nice place to walk around.