Nice--Negresco Hotel
 

I found a very good rate for the Negresco Hotel. However have heard both good and very negative comments about the hotel and service.<BR><BR>Has anyone had experience at this hotel?<BR>Any other recommended Hotels? We will be in Nice the first week in June.<BR><BR>Thanks<BR>Vickie

I stayed at the Negresco in June of 1999 and the hotel has seen better days. The paint around my room's windows was peeling and the carpet was worn. But, I could overlook these problems if it wasn't for the incident that happened to me when I tried to enter the hotel after sunning on the beach: the doorman MADE me show him my room key before he would let me into the lobby! He doubted, by my appearance (I was wearing bathing trunks and a t-shirt), that I was staying at the hotel and said that &quot;tourists&quot; aren't allowed to wander through the lobby. He was very embarrassed when I produced my room key because he was so obnoxiously sure I was not a guest. I refused to tip him during my stay, so I guess you could say I &quot;got him back.&quot; The only other hotel that I ever stayed at that questioned my entering the lobby was the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo. The doormen at that hotel were also obnoxious.

Vickie,<BR><BR>We stayed at the Negresco a few years ago. While I realize it's possible the hotel has renovated its rooms since then, ours was so small we were horrified. At the time, we paid about $500 a night for it, and believe me, it wasn't worth it. SInce then, we have stayed for about half the price at the Westminster Hotel, which is about two blocks down from the Negresco. We love the location and staff,( from the street side rooms an incredible view of the sea) and are always pleasantly surprised by the size of the rooms and excellent air conditioning!

Vickie,<BR>Although hve not stayed at H. Negresco, one day hubby and I wanted to take a tour through the lobby. The door man, who was &quot;very, very&quot; intimadating in his door costume, made us feel most uncomfortable. Nothing was said to us, but his eyes were like daggers, poking right through us. If looks could kill. We took a quick walk-thru and out we went. <BR>We enjoyed our stay at the Hotel West-End for the night, which is located just down the block from there overlooking the ocean.

One of the great things about staying at a grand and famous old hotel is that they respect the privacy of the guests. Keeping out all the tourists who want to take a peek at how the other half lives do not need to be making a constant parade throught the hotel, making the guests feel like they are staying in Disney World to be gawked at by the other tourists. It is unfortunate that some of you don't understand this. And John G., as a guest you should have understood this (I thought you were used to running in better circles). Please explain how the doorman was to know you were a guest? When he asked for your ID or key, a simple flash of it at him would have sufficed, not some grand insult that he didn't happen to know of your great importance. Heck they even do that in hotels in Las Vegas, asking for your room key before admitting you to the elevator. It's not a big deal.<BR><BR>The rooms may be a little old and somtimes worn, but it is the quality of the antiques and fabrics which help make the Negresco stand out over shiny new hotels furnished with spotless, but cheap repros.

And John G, I'm glad that you are so proud you were able to &quot;get back&quot; at the doorman who asked you for your room key. If you had been prepared to show it to him and not stood there protesting or fumbling, there certainly wouldn't have been any time for him to explain that tourists aren't allowed. As you enter a hotel like that, especially in beach clothing, you should have been ready to flash it at him as you entered and then there wouldn't have been any problem at all. Failure to tip a doorman at a good hotel is something you can always be proud of.

We stayed at the West End Hotel which is very good. It has a garden-museum between it and the Negresco. We were on the side that overlooked the Negresco and the garden. The staff at the West End was very helpful even making restaurant reservations for us. The West End was just over $200.00 a night in May.