La Maison du Portal

excellent hotel and beautiful scenery

This Boutique Hotel is for you if you think you would enjoy the feeling of staying at a wealthy friends villa just outside the busy beachside area of Nice! I don't know if Son the man who greeted us at the front desk was the owner but you certainly can tell he loves the property like it was his own. He was an amazing host and gave amazing directions, hand written by him on a walking map after he asked us what we would like to do on our stay. No person at any of the other hotel we stayed in on our trip through France, Italy and Switzerland did this. That is how much Hotel Villa Rose wants you to enjoy your stay! The property is amazing. It has a patio garden with seats and tables to relax at and also eat breakfast at. The room decor was very nice and comfortable. You feel like you are in someone's home and the key is a skeleton key from the days of long ago. We were able to walk everywhere 20 to 40 minutes to get where we wanted but there is a city train/tram that runs you back and forth to the tourist/beach area of Nice running very regularly. We loved this place. It was perfect for what we wanted and it lives up to everything the website explains it to be. Feel comfortable making this reservation. You do have to contact the front desk before 9pm if you are checking in late after that. This is more a home than a hotel. Enjoy!

This is not a conventional hotel; Reception is often unattended and guests are trusted to look after themselves. Maids will not enter your room when you are out to tidy, clean and make the beds, though a member of staff did offer us clean towels when we needed them. For those on a budget, there are facilities for preparing and eating food in the rooms. Everything is clean and well appointed. The staff - mostly young women, as far as I could make out - are exceptionally charming and helpful. I was contacted by a staff member a day or two before our arrival, to give us instructions on how to find the hotel and access the hotel using a pass-code. She also provided prompt information when I asked for it. Our room overlooked a main road but we were not disturbed by traffic noise because double-glazing reduced external sound by at least 95%. The rooms are air-conditioned, of course. AMMI is nicely situated on the edge of the old city, just seconds from the lanes and passage-ways which make this part of town so attractive, with their bars, cafes and restaurants. I'd guess that it's a 15 minute stroll to the beach. Recommended!