Hotel in St. Paul de Vence/Eze
 

Staying in the St. Paul de vence/Eze area for two nights in October and trying to decide on hotel. Same rate (village view for all) at La Colombe d'Or, Hotel St. Paul, or Chateau Eza. Any recommendations regarding preferred town or hotel?
Thanks for your input.

Never stayed in either, looking forward to recommendations.

Would think Eze would be more expensive, especially with view of the Mediterranean. Plus how difficult to park up there.

I don't think I could pass up an opportunity to stay at La Colombe d'Or.

Hotel St. Paul has excellent service but difficult getting your car to their parking area.

Luv..I'm a Colombe d'Or fan. Ater having a superb lunch on their terrace a few years ago, we were able to wangle a tour of the hotel, even got to see two empty rooms. I would stay there in a flash, but we already had outstanding lodgings just outside of Tourrettes sur Loup...unfortunately, the owners had planned to sell and open another villa elsewhere. It was called Beauvallon at the time, and I don't know if anyone who bought it kept it as a hotel. Eze is a delightful setting with ocean views but I didn't stay there...much too busy for our tastes. Treat yourselves to lunch or dinner at L'Colombe d'Or..it's a winner....and a visit to the Maeght museum/gallery very nearby is highly recommended...I've called it "the great Maeght"...enjoy!
stu

Luv: (This is a copy from my trip report, describing L Colombe d'Or).

<i>Our last day in Cote d'azur area...and we have 1:00 reservations for lunch at L'Colombe d'Or in nearby St. Paul. One of the few reservations that we made in advance...having been disappointed by trying too late during past visits.

We decide to get into St. Paul earlier so we can visit "The graeght Maeght Foundation". You don't want to miss this if anywhere in the vicinty...superb! Thoroughly enjoy our few hours at Maeght, encompassed by Miros, Chagalls, Matisses, etc. Marvelous galleries, inside and outside.

L'Colombe d'Or, world renowned (made our reservation three months in advance just to be sure), has a prime setting in this charming town. The hostess immediately recognized our name without looking at her list...my, oh my..along with our request for a terrace table, and everything goes off with precision...the day is sunny and comfortably warm, ambience and the service impeccable and the food tastefully presented and flavored. What more can one ask?

The featured appetizer was white asparagus, best we've ever tasted anywhere. Roz ordered the fricassee of chicken and I had a delicious sole so artfully stripped at tableside (no, not me, the sole). Dessert began with a sampler cheese dish and ended with a crispy-lidded creme brulee and chocolate sticks... a carafe of chardonnay. (Total: $110)

Leaving St. Paul, we had previously decided this would be a good afternoon to visit Gourdon, which was only 20 minutes from Beauvallon...and this was certainly the beautiful day to do it...after a pit stop back at Beauvallon, we continued on through Pont du Loup and up the mountain to Gourdon. Road is well engineered and easy to drive considering the steep climb.

We enjoyed this visit and the majestic views from the highly perched village. Obviously, the town has become a magnet for tourism, but it has the product to demand it..no complaints.

Tomorrow we're off to the west! Hope I'm not boring you...just giving you the details.<i/>

Stu T.

I would head straight to Le Hameau, a charming small inn that looks like a tiny village (hence the name). It's just below St-Paul, set in a citrus grove, with each room individually decorated in old Provençal style. There's a secure parking lot and a pleasant garden for breakfast.

Our favorite room is upstairs over the cold-weather breakfast room; I think it's #2. The bedroom and bathroom are spacious, and the French doors open out onto a loggia with a view out to the Mediterranean. Everyone to whom we've recommended the hotel has loved it.

I've stayed at the Colombe d'Or and eaten lunch in Eze. The Colombe d'Or is one of my top three favorite hotels. As tower pointed out, you get the bonus of the nearby Maeght with a stay in St-Paul. For me, lunch was sufficient to enjoy what Eze had to offer.

Thank you all for your input. I will certainly check out Le Hameau as well.

We absolutely loved Eze, but we were there over Christmas and New Years. I heard it's very crowded in the summer.