Hôtel des Dames

The room looked far bigger in the Booking.com photos than it was in person. It was REALLY small, and the bathroom was so cramped I kept touching the walls or curtain. Showering didn't feel clean when the curtain kept brushing against me. I made a video so people can see the size for themselves. There was barely space to open luggage in the wardrobe area, and the room smelled bad. Every time we came in, we covered our noses and rushed to open the window. We knew from Booking.com that there was no lift, but being on the fourth floor was still very inconvenient. The rooms are close together with no sound isolation, so we could hear full conversations next door, even at 7am. We spoke to three reception staff. Two were friendly, but the older man seemed obsessed with the autopark key. The hotel has no parking of its own, though they can reserve a space in a paid underground garage. Every time you leave, you have to hand in and collect the single key again because they haven't made a spare. At €130-150 a night, this is outrageous for what you get. The towels were another problem: the hand towel looked unhygienic and came in a mix of colors, while the body towel was tiny and thin, more like a hair towel. There wasn't a separate hair towel, so you have to use the same one. No hair dryer, air conditioning, coffee machine, or even kettle. NOTHING. The place is expensive and the quality is shockingly low. They seem really stingy, even making guests deal with the parking key because they don't want to pay for a spare. If I could give zero stars, I would.

The hosts were friendly and welcoming, and the location was really good, near the center with a garden. The rooms were clean, comfortable, and big enough. We could ask for a kettle too. I liked the creative idea of naming each room after a woman, since that's what the hotel name means. The decor throughout was creative as well.

Getting around was easy, since the hotel is just off the two tram lines that cross Nice. The old town, seafront, other public transport, and plenty of restaurants are all within easy reach. There's lots to see and do nearby. It's an independent place run by friendly, helpful people who know the area and were always willing to help. Each room has a famous woman as its theme, and ours was comfortable, with a useful fridge. The rooms aren't huge, but they're big enough and typical for an independent hotel in France. There’s no lift, as the hotel website says, but staff are happy to carry luggage. There's also no air conditioning. It didn't bother us during our week, even with temperatures up to 24 degrees outside, and the fridge in the room was useful. I mention it so people can decide for themselves, not as a reason to rule the hotel out. It was a uniquely enjoyable taste of France.

We went as a family and felt really comfortable here. The staff were all lovely and easy to approach, and there are lots of facilities nearby. The rooms are a little small, but I thought that made them feel cozy. I also liked the original, interesting concept. There's a book in each room with places to visit, directions by public transport, and the prices. It was a beautiful, comfortable place to stay, and the service was amazing.