Hotel Belles Rives

I paid 14 Euro for a coffee. Yes, 14 Euro. The view was nice and the coffee was pleasant, but you can find a similar view anywhere along St Juan de P waterfront. The service was grumpy and offhand, which left a bad taste. It felt exploitative in the end. I’ll never return. If you want to see the Scott Fitzgerald bar and the small deco-style lobby, just walk in and out and save your money. While I was there, we paid E38 plus extra service for two coffees and a child's juice. Earlier by the harbour in Cannes, we’d had a lovely three-course menu du jour lunch in a classy restaurant for exactly the same cost, E38 for two. Take your pick, lunch or coffee? For comparison, a coffee at the historic, exclusive 5* Cafe de Paris in Monaco, with its good view, costs only 7 euro. This was simply the most expensive coffee I’ve ever had for the least value.

They made us feel so welcome, and I can see why this is one of my favorite hotels. I've traveled all over the world, but this place really stands out. This was my second visit in two months, and I hope we can keep finding time to come back. Thank you for being such incredible hosts.

Months of planning for our event were left in limbo right before the day. We had signed a contract based on a set menu, but the restaurant suddenly said it wouldn't stick to it and changed the menu completely. I reminded them repeatedly that we had a contract, but the hotel refused to honor it and never apologized. I spent hours on the phone pleading with some of the rudest people I've ever dealt with just to get the service they'd offered and committed to. The whole experience left us feeling helpless and trapped just before a big event.

The pier is a lovely spot to spend some time relaxing. Luca was fantastic too: when our room wasn't quite ready at arrival, he upgraded us to a beautiful one with a water view without us even having to ask. The staff were accommodating, and the atmosphere and picturesque setting made for a great stay.