Nice Day 2 - Plenty of things to do
Tuesday, 23 January 2007
On the previous evening we decided we would meet at 8 in the morning to have breakfast together. We enjoyed some lovely fresh pastries and cereal at the hotel before making our way to our first appointment which was at Villa Saint Exupery where we had organised to meet with Ulf and Arno. Situated relatively centrally although in a slightly hilly part of the city this hostel is in the most exquisite position, having formally been a Carmelite Monastery it has incredible charm. We were lucky to be picked up by the hostels shuttle service which would take us to the top of the hill while we were en-route up there.
We were invited into the common area where we had a meeting with Ulf, Arno and Albert, Ulf is the owner of the property and Arno and Albert are his sons.
Following the chat we had a quick tour round the property so we could get an idea of the different sorts of rooms on offer. All rooms were very clean and tidy and very bright and airy which makes them perfect for the very hot summers typical to that region.
The hostel has incredible charm with a fantastic common area where breakfast is served in the mornings and where other meals can be enjoyed throughout the day. There are several internet terminals available 24 hours a day as well as Wi-Fi throughout the building.
We had originally planned to spend all three nights at Hotel Compte de Nice however we thought it probably best to try and experience some of the other hospitality on offer to us so we managed to organise at stay at Villa Saint Exupery on the last night.
Following on from our visit there we made our way to the Kyriad Hotel. This hotel is situated in the very centre of the city. With beautiful clean and tidy rooms and all the facilities you could possibly need on hand it’s a great choice of accommodation. Breakfast can be enjoyed on the lovely courtyard area outside in the summer months.
Our next appointment was only at 13:00 that afternoon so we decided that considering we had some time to kill we would have some lunch and wonder about to see some of the sights. We stopped at KFC of all places as I guess it was just the most familiar we could find. I must say though, I felt kind of guilty doing so knowing there was plenty of lovely food on offer else where. Well we had the KFC and had a walk around some of the local shops. There is an unbelievable variety of shops to visit, from famous brands to shops that sell one offs and those that sell anything and everything you could possibly wish for.
Granted it wasn’t the best season to be visiting Nice as it was rather cold but there was still plenty to do. With Monaco and Monte Carlo in easy driving distance along with many other beautiful little towns there is plenty to keep one occupied.
At 13:00 we made our way to Hotel Trocadero where we met with Ray along with Nabila. She showed us around the property which was undergoing some renovation. The hotel was due to open just a week later so they really had their work cut out for them.
The rooms were really lovely with huge bathrooms of which many boasted lovely double doors which opened out onto the streets below. All rooms had beautiful high ceilings and plenty of space. This property I would highly recommend for a number of reasons those which include its situation within the city and also its fantastic value for money.
Following on from that we went to see Hotel Pastoral where we were to meet with Frederic. He sadly couldn’t join us so we had a quick show round the property with one of the staff. The rooms were basic however they were also very clean and tidy. This property is very central. It’s based just a five minutes walk from the main train station as well as only a 15 minute walk from the beach and the old town.
Again having had such a short appointment we had time to do some more exploring. We had a wonder through the old town and visited some more shops. We also found a bit of time to sit and admire the beautiful beaches. The weather had been relatively warm on our arrival but by this stage we had heard reports of snow in the surrounding mountains and the temperature dropped substantially.
Next up was Fauborg Montmartre Hostel. We met with Nina, a backpacker who ended up doing some little odd jobs for the owner who is known as “The Pink Lady”. This hostel is the kind of place for a long term backpacker to stay. It’s the kind of environment where you will be spending all your time with fellow backpackers. There is limited privacy as the rooms are very small and intimate. There is no communal meeting area apart from the restaurant so the rooms are where all the socializing happens. The facilities are very basic but this is budget accommodation.
The last appointment on the Tuesday was at Hotel Boreal. Again this property is very centrally located. With a quaint little communal area downstairs as well as a bar it’s a great place to socialize. All rooms are very clean and tidy. All are en-suite too. This hotel offers everything including Wi-Fi but this is at an additional cost to regular room rates.
Having completed our work for the day we went to a local supermarket to pick up some goodies for our dinner. We bought a lovely fresh baguette, some fresh cold meats, fruit, choc-chip biscuits and a couple of beers and went back to the apartment for a carpet picnic and an early night in. We had some preparations to get done for the following day so we got on with some work followed by our picnic then early to bed.
