Anthea Gerrie enjoys a musical few days during her stay at Nice’s Radisson Blu Hotel Nice
It was a shock, returning to the Radisson Blu Hotel Nice, our perch overlooking the Med on Nice’s Promenade des Anglais, from a jazz festival in nearby Juan-les-Pins to find the music was anything but over. Nice, it turned out, was in the throes of its own jazz festival, ours was the musicians’ hotel of choice, and they were enjoying a post-gig jam in the hotel’s ground floor bar at 1am.
The fact this bar, serving the lobby lounge, opens at midnight – before then drinks are dispensed all day and evening from the rooftop pool bar – tells you a lot about this resort hotel, the hip young neighbour to iconic grand dames like the Negresco a couple of miles down the road. Its luxe is breezy, delivered with a playful spirit – instead of a painting, our framed art was a jigsaw celebrating the colour immortalised by Yves Klein, who famously invented the exact shade of intense midnight blue which epitomises Riviera chic.
The offer of the Radisson Blu Hotel Nice, celebrating its 25th anniversary in Nice this year, starts with unparalleled access – there’s plenty of parking, but these days more visitors fly to the south than drive, and a tram speeds visitors to the back of the hotel in less than 15 minutes from Nice-Cote d’Azur airport.
Nice-Ville station is within a stroll of the town centre, six tram stops further along, from where visitors can reach Antibes, Juan-les-Pins and Cannes in one direction and the gorgeous beach villages lining the Basse Corniche connecting Nice with Monte Carlo in the other.
Reception staff are warm and helpful, doubling for the non-existent concierges. But other aspects of a top Riviera leisure hotel are all in place, from a rooftop restaurant, swimming pool and bar to a beach club across the road, where sunbeds and parasols may not be free – they never are on the Riviera – but are discounted for hotel guests, with no extra charge for the chill lounge music. The hotel also offers a fitness room and sauna.
The artwork riffing on Yves Klein was just the start of the blue guest room decoration, contrasting with brilliant white to accent every part of our room, which like most of the 331 rooms and suites enjoyed a furnished terrace overlooking the sea. And enough upholstered furniture to make for a really comfortable stay – a chaise longue and a built-in seating unit next to the king-size bed facing the large-screen TV.
Unusually for a modern hotel, the bathroom contained a proper soaking tub, with an adjustable shower above it, and that vital amenity a pull-out washing line. An iron and board in the wardrobe along with the hairdryer made it easy to keep up the level of grooming for which the Riviera has been famous since A-listers started partying here a century ago.
Breakfast is served in an airy room with a big outdoor terrace overlooking the prom and is distinguished by freshly squeezed orange juice, a choice of proper French cheeses, top-flight Nicois olives and very good fresh croissants as part of a comprehensive buffet offering. The in-room Nespresso machine which, like bathrobes and slippers, came with our premium room category was very welcome for top-up coffee, and fresh mineral water was replenished every day.
Tell Me More About The Radisson Blu Hotel Nice
Radisson Blu Nice 223 Promenade des Anglais, 06200 Nice, France
T: 00 33 04 97 17 71 77
Rooms at the Radisson Blu Hotel Nice from €300
Nice is served from London by easyJet from £28.9
