The Best Luxury Hotels in Nice, Honestly Ranked
A UNESCO-listed winter resort town with the coast's only real city life, and, since 2024, its most interesting new hotel.
By Biirdee Travel, Luxury Travel Concierge · Updated October 29, 2026
Nice is the one place on the Riviera that works as a city rather than a resort. It has an airport 15 minutes from the centre, a genuine old town, the Matisse and Chagall museums, markets that operate for residents rather than visitors, and (since UNESCO listed it in 2021 as the "Winter Resort Town of the Riviera") formal recognition of the Belle Époque seafront that made it famous.
It is also, by Riviera standards, cheap. The grand hotels here run at half the rate of the cape properties, and the coast's best day trips (Èze, Cap Ferrat, Villefranche, Monaco, Antibes) are all inside 40 minutes. For a first Riviera trip, or for anyone who wants to walk somewhere after dinner, Nice is the sensible base.
The Short Answers
- The icon: Le Negresco, the 1913 pink-domed listed monument on the Promenade des Anglais, still independently owned, with a museum-grade art collection in the corridors.
- The best new hotel: Hôtel du Couvent, a 17th-century convent in the old town reopened in June 2024 after a decade-long, €70m restoration; 88 rooms, terraced gardens and Roman-style baths.
- Best seafront modern: Anantara Plaza Nice, an 1848 building on Place Masséna with the SEEN rooftop, and the most polished service in town.
- Best Art Deco: Hyatt Regency Nice Palais de la Méditerranée; the 1929 façade on the Promenade, with a sea-facing pool deck.
- Nice is the value base: grand hotels here run roughly half the cape rates, with the whole coast inside 40 minutes and an airport 15 minutes away.
- Best months: May–June and September–October. July and August are hot, crowded and priced accordingly.
The Best of Nice, With Our Honest Take
Le Negresco
Promenade des Anglais
9.2Excellent · 2,266 guest reviewsThe 1913 landmark with the pink dome: a listed monument, still independently owned, with Chantecler's Michelin-starred dining room and a private collection of art hung throughout; more museum than hotel, in the best way
Guests praiseOutstanding customer serviceBeautiful location
from ~€400–700/night in season
Hôtel du Couvent
Old Nice, below Castle Hill
The 2024 opening everyone is talking about: a 17th-century convent restored over ten years, 88 rooms in lime plaster and oak, terraced gardens, an apothecary, a bakery and thermal-style baths cut into the hillside
from ~€450–800/night in season
Anantara Plaza Nice
Place Masséna, at the Promenade
9.2Excellent · 295 guest reviewsThe 1848 building reworked into the city's most polished modern luxury hotel: SEEN by Olivier on the roof, and a position between the old town, the Promenade and the Albert I gardens; LHW member
Guests praiseExceptional staff serviceBeautiful location and views
from ~€400–700/night in season
Hyatt Regency Nice Palais de la Méditerranée
Promenade des Anglais
The 1929 Art Deco façade preserved in front of a modern hotel: a sea-facing pool terrace, big rooms, and the best points-redemption value on the seafront
from ~€300–550/night in season
Hôtel La Pérouse
Below Castle Hill, at the old port end
The romantic one: built into the cliff face at the end of the Promenade, with a lemon-tree courtyard pool and terraces looking straight down the Baie des Anges; small, quiet and hard to book in July
from ~€300–550/night in season
Hôtel Windsor
Rue Dalpozzo, city center
The artist-commissioned oddity: no two rooms alike (33 created by contemporary artists, others painted with frescoes or paying tribute to an artist), a subtropical garden with a pool behind the façade, and rates a fraction of the seafront; the design-minded budget pick
from ~€150–250/night in season
Nice for couples
The hotels we book in Nice for an anniversary, a honeymoon or a weekend for two.
Hôtel du Couvent
Old Nice, below Castle Hill
Spa
The 2024 opening everyone is talking about: a 17th-century convent restored over ten years, 88 rooms in lime plaster and oak, terraced gardens, an apothecary, a bakery and thermal-style baths cut into the hillside
Hôtel La Pérouse
Below Castle Hill, at the old port end
The romantic one: built into the cliff face at the end of the Promenade, with a lemon-tree courtyard pool and terraces looking straight down the Baie des Anges; small, quiet and hard to book in July
Nice with children
The hotels we book in Nice for a stay with children.
The 1913 landmark with the pink dome: a listed monument, still independently owned, with Chantecler's Michelin-starred dining room and a private collection of art hung throughout; more museum than hotel, in the best way
Hôtel du Couvent
Old Nice, below Castle Hill
Kids club, babysitting
The 2024 opening everyone is talking about: a 17th-century convent restored over ten years, 88 rooms in lime plaster and oak, terraced gardens, an apothecary, a bakery and thermal-style baths cut into the hillside
Nice on your own
The hotels we recommend in Nice to a traveler on their own.
Anantara Plaza Nice
Place Masséna, at the Promenade
The 1848 building reworked into the city's most polished modern luxury hotel: SEEN by Olivier on the roof, and a position between the old town, the Promenade and the Albert I gardens; LHW member
Hôtel Windsor
Rue Dalpozzo, city center
The artist-commissioned oddity: no two rooms alike (33 created by contemporary artists, others painted with frescoes or paying tribute to an artist), a subtropical garden with a pool behind the façade, and rates a fraction of the seafront; the design-minded budget pick
Nice on business
The hotels our business travelers book in Nice.
The 1913 landmark with the pink dome: a listed monument, still independently owned, with Chantecler's Michelin-starred dining room and a private collection of art hung throughout; more museum than hotel, in the best way
The 1848 building reworked into the city's most polished modern luxury hotel: SEEN by Olivier on the roof, and a position between the old town, the Promenade and the Albert I gardens; LHW member
Near the Promenade des Anglais
The hotels we rank within a twenty-minute walk of the Promenade des Anglais, with the walk from the door.
The 1913 landmark with the pink dome: a listed monument, still independently owned, with Chantecler's Michelin-starred dining room and a private collection of art hung throughout; more museum than hotel, in the best way
Hôtel du Couvent
Old Nice, below Castle Hill
5 min walk
The 2024 opening everyone is talking about: a 17th-century convent restored over ten years, 88 rooms in lime plaster and oak, terraced gardens, an apothecary, a bakery and thermal-style baths cut into the hillside
The 1848 building reworked into the city's most polished modern luxury hotel: SEEN by Olivier on the roof, and a position between the old town, the Promenade and the Albert I gardens; LHW member
Hôtel La Pérouse
Below Castle Hill, at the old port end
1 min walk
The romantic one: built into the cliff face at the end of the Promenade, with a lemon-tree courtyard pool and terraces looking straight down the Baie des Anges; small, quiet and hard to book in July
Hôtel Windsor
Rue Dalpozzo, city center
5 min walk
The artist-commissioned oddity: no two rooms alike (33 created by contemporary artists, others painted with frescoes or paying tribute to an artist), a subtropical garden with a pool behind the façade, and rates a fraction of the seafront; the design-minded budget pick
Near the Cours Saleya market
The hotels we rank within a twenty-minute walk of the Cours Saleya market, with the walk from the door.
The 1913 landmark with the pink dome: a listed monument, still independently owned, with Chantecler's Michelin-starred dining room and a private collection of art hung throughout; more museum than hotel, in the best way
Hôtel du Couvent
Old Nice, below Castle Hill
4 min walk
The 2024 opening everyone is talking about: a 17th-century convent restored over ten years, 88 rooms in lime plaster and oak, terraced gardens, an apothecary, a bakery and thermal-style baths cut into the hillside
The 1848 building reworked into the city's most polished modern luxury hotel: SEEN by Olivier on the roof, and a position between the old town, the Promenade and the Albert I gardens; LHW member
Hôtel La Pérouse
Below Castle Hill, at the old port end
5 min walk
The romantic one: built into the cliff face at the end of the Promenade, with a lemon-tree courtyard pool and terraces looking straight down the Baie des Anges; small, quiet and hard to book in July
Hôtel Windsor
Rue Dalpozzo, city center
17 min walk
The artist-commissioned oddity: no two rooms alike (33 created by contemporary artists, others painted with frescoes or paying tribute to an artist), a subtropical garden with a pool behind the façade, and rates a fraction of the seafront; the design-minded budget pick
Near Place Masséna
The hotels we rank within a twenty-minute walk of Place Masséna, with the walk from the door.
The 1913 landmark with the pink dome: a listed monument, still independently owned, with Chantecler's Michelin-starred dining room and a private collection of art hung throughout; more museum than hotel, in the best way
Hôtel du Couvent
Old Nice, below Castle Hill
10 min walk
The 2024 opening everyone is talking about: a 17th-century convent restored over ten years, 88 rooms in lime plaster and oak, terraced gardens, an apothecary, a bakery and thermal-style baths cut into the hillside
The 1848 building reworked into the city's most polished modern luxury hotel: SEEN by Olivier on the roof, and a position between the old town, the Promenade and the Albert I gardens; LHW member
Hôtel La Pérouse
Below Castle Hill, at the old port end
12 min walk
The romantic one: built into the cliff face at the end of the Promenade, with a lemon-tree courtyard pool and terraces looking straight down the Baie des Anges; small, quiet and hard to book in July
Hôtel Windsor
Rue Dalpozzo, city center
11 min walk
The artist-commissioned oddity: no two rooms alike (33 created by contemporary artists, others painted with frescoes or paying tribute to an artist), a subtropical garden with a pool behind the façade, and rates a fraction of the seafront; the design-minded budget pick
Near Castle Hill
The hotels we rank within a twenty-minute walk of Castle Hill, with the walk from the door.
Hôtel du Couvent
Old Nice, below Castle Hill
1 min walk
The 2024 opening everyone is talking about: a 17th-century convent restored over ten years, 88 rooms in lime plaster and oak, terraced gardens, an apothecary, a bakery and thermal-style baths cut into the hillside
The 1848 building reworked into the city's most polished modern luxury hotel: SEEN by Olivier on the roof, and a position between the old town, the Promenade and the Albert I gardens; LHW member
Hôtel La Pérouse
Below Castle Hill, at the old port end
1 min walk
The romantic one: built into the cliff face at the end of the Promenade, with a lemon-tree courtyard pool and terraces looking straight down the Baie des Anges; small, quiet and hard to book in July
Near Nice-Ville station
The hotels we rank within a twenty-minute walk of Nice-Ville station, with the walk from the door.
The 1913 landmark with the pink dome: a listed monument, still independently owned, with Chantecler's Michelin-starred dining room and a private collection of art hung throughout; more museum than hotel, in the best way
The 1848 building reworked into the city's most polished modern luxury hotel: SEEN by Olivier on the roof, and a position between the old town, the Promenade and the Albert I gardens; LHW member
Hôtel Windsor
Rue Dalpozzo, city center
11 min walk
The artist-commissioned oddity: no two rooms alike (33 created by contemporary artists, others painted with frescoes or paying tribute to an artist), a subtropical garden with a pool behind the façade, and rates a fraction of the seafront; the design-minded budget pick
Near Port Lympia
The hotels we rank within a twenty-minute walk of Port Lympia, with the walk from the door.
Hôtel du Couvent
Old Nice, below Castle Hill
12 min walk
The 2024 opening everyone is talking about: a 17th-century convent restored over ten years, 88 rooms in lime plaster and oak, terraced gardens, an apothecary, a bakery and thermal-style baths cut into the hillside
Hôtel La Pérouse
Below Castle Hill, at the old port end
7 min walk
The romantic one: built into the cliff face at the end of the Promenade, with a lemon-tree courtyard pool and terraces looking straight down the Baie des Anges; small, quiet and hard to book in July
Under $500 a night
The hotels we rank in Nice whose entry rate was under $500 a night when we last checked, in US dollars at Oct 2026 exchange rates.
The 1913 landmark with the pink dome: a listed monument, still independently owned, with Chantecler's Michelin-starred dining room and a private collection of art hung throughout; more museum than hotel, in the best way
The 1848 building reworked into the city's most polished modern luxury hotel: SEEN by Olivier on the roof, and a position between the old town, the Promenade and the Albert I gardens; LHW member
Hyatt Regency Nice Palais de la Méditerranée
Promenade des Anglais
about $350 a night
The 1929 Art Deco façade preserved in front of a modern hotel: a sea-facing pool terrace, big rooms, and the best points-redemption value on the seafront
Hôtel La Pérouse
Below Castle Hill, at the old port end
about $350 a night
The romantic one: built into the cliff face at the end of the Promenade, with a lemon-tree courtyard pool and terraces looking straight down the Baie des Anges; small, quiet and hard to book in July
Hôtel Windsor
Rue Dalpozzo, city center
about $170 a night
The artist-commissioned oddity: no two rooms alike (33 created by contemporary artists, others painted with frescoes or paying tribute to an artist), a subtropical garden with a pool behind the façade, and rates a fraction of the seafront; the design-minded budget pick
Nice by neighborhood
Where the hotels we rank in Nice sit, neighborhood by neighborhood; "boutique" marks an independent or small-group hotel of roughly a hundred keys or fewer.
| Neighborhood | Hotels |
|---|---|
| The Carré d'Or | Le Negresco, Hôtel Windsor (boutique, 57 keys) |
How to Choose, and Where to Base Yourself
The real decision in Nice is seafront versus old town. The Promenade des Anglais gives you the Belle Époque theater, the sea view and the morning walk; Vieux Nice gives you the markets, the restaurants and the noise. Le Negresco and the Hyatt sit firmly in the first camp, Hôtel du Couvent squarely in the second, and the Anantara Plaza splits the difference on Place Masséna, which is why we book it most often for first-timers. For a couple, Hôtel La Pérouse pairs its pool carved into the cliff with terraces looking down the Baie des Anges, and Hôtel du Couvent keeps its Roman-style baths for guests 16 and over, with a 20-meter garden pool above the old town. With children, Hôtel du Couvent runs a kids club for ages four to ten in the school holidays and arranges babysitting, and Le Negresco has connecting rooms for four, babysitting, a private beach across the Promenade and the pool in its N Le Spa, which welcomes children from 8 to 10 am and noon to 2 pm. On your own, Hôtel Windsor keeps the stay small (57 rooms), with a bar open around the clock and the Promenade five minutes away, and the Anantara Plaza puts the old town and the Promenade a few minutes from the door, with SEEN by Olivier on the roof. On business, the Anantara Plaza has a business center and eight meeting rooms on Place Masséna, and Le Negresco a business center and meeting rooms on the Promenade.
Nice also works as a hub. Villefranche and Cap Ferrat are 15–20 minutes east, Èze and Monaco 25–40, Cannes and Antibes 25–35 west, all reachable by a coastal train line that is one of the more scenic commutes in Europe. If your trip mixes city days with cape days, sleeping here and travelling out beats the reverse.
Nice Hotel FAQs
What is the best hotel in Nice?
Le Negresco for the landmark experience and the art, Hôtel du Couvent for the most interesting stay in the city right now, and Anantara Plaza Nice for the best all-round modern luxury hotel. All three are genuinely good; the choice is character, not quality.
Is Nice a good base for the French Riviera?
The best one, for most trips. The airport is 15 minutes away, the coastal train reaches Villefranche, Beaulieu (for Cap Ferrat), Monaco, Antibes and Cannes, and hotel rates run roughly half of what the cape properties charge for comparable quality.
Should I stay on the Promenade des Anglais or in the old town?
Promenade for sea views, Belle Époque grandeur and morning walks; Vieux Nice for markets, restaurants and atmosphere. Place Masséna, where the Anantara sits, is the compromise: a few minutes from both.
How much do luxury hotels in Nice cost?
Roughly €300–800 a night in season for the top tier, with design-led smaller hotels from about €150. That is dramatically less than Cap Ferrat or Cap d'Antibes, which is much of the argument for staying here.
Which hotels in Nice are best for couples?
For a couple we book Hôtel du Couvent and Hôtel La Pérouse.
Where should a family stay in Nice?
With children we book Le Negresco and Hôtel du Couvent. Le Negresco offers babysitting. Hôtel du Couvent has a kids club and offers babysitting.
Which hotels in Nice suit a solo traveler?
On your own, we book Anantara Plaza Nice and Hôtel Windsor.
Which hotels in Nice are best for a business trip?
On business we book Le Negresco and Anantara Plaza Nice. For a working stay: Le Negresco (business center) and Anantara Plaza Nice (business center).
Which hotels are near the Promenade des Anglais?
Le Negresco (1 min walk), Hôtel du Couvent (5 min walk), Anantara Plaza Nice (3 min walk), Hôtel La Pérouse (1 min walk) and Hôtel Windsor (5 min walk) are within a twenty-minute walk of the Promenade des Anglais.
Which hotels are near the Cours Saleya market?
Le Negresco (20 min walk), Hôtel du Couvent (4 min walk), Anantara Plaza Nice (7 min walk), Hôtel La Pérouse (5 min walk) and Hôtel Windsor (17 min walk) are within a twenty-minute walk of the Cours Saleya market.
Which hotels are near Place Masséna?
Le Negresco (15 min walk), Hôtel du Couvent (10 min walk), Anantara Plaza Nice (2 min walk), Hôtel La Pérouse (12 min walk) and Hôtel Windsor (11 min walk) are within a twenty-minute walk of Place Masséna.
Which hotels are near Castle Hill?
Hôtel du Couvent (1 min walk), Anantara Plaza Nice (14 min walk) and Hôtel La Pérouse (1 min walk) are within a twenty-minute walk of Castle Hill.
Which hotels are near Nice-Ville station?
Le Negresco (18 min walk), Anantara Plaza Nice (15 min walk) and Hôtel Windsor (11 min walk) are within a twenty-minute walk of Nice-Ville station.
Which hotels are near Port Lympia?
Hôtel du Couvent (12 min walk) and Hôtel La Pérouse (7 min walk) are within a twenty-minute walk of Port Lympia.
What does a luxury hotel in Nice cost a night?
Five of the hotels we rank in Nice start under $500 a night: Le Negresco from about $460, Anantara Plaza Nice from about $460, Hyatt Regency Nice Palais de la Méditerranée from about $350, Hôtel La Pérouse from about $350 and Hôtel Windsor from about $170 (US dollars at Oct 2026 exchange rates).
Which neighborhood in Nice should I stay in?
Of the hotels we rank in Nice, the Carré d'Or has Le Negresco and Hôtel Windsor. For a boutique stay, Hôtel Windsor in the Carré d'Or.
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