Hotel Recommendations for Nice

Hi Tom, the hotel where I stayed for several days is no longer open. But, I’m replying to let you know that the tram from the train station that heads towards the water is very quick & handy. I stayed near the Massena stop, and I liked that area much better than close to the train station.

Have a great time on the French Riviera!

If you want a nice, sandy beach, avoid Nice.

I don't have a current recommendation because I visited Nice a very long time ago when I was a teenager.

I do not recommend staying near the train station in Nice. The area is not great.
Look at Hotel Windsor, Hotel Beau Rivage, in different parts of Nice.Wr stayed at Beau Rivage on our first trip there. Since then we have rented apartments away from Old Town.

I also recommend staying near Place Massena (on the tram line from the station) or on the waterfront if your budget allows. I travel on a budget and I stayed in a hotel on a pedestrian street in old town about a block or two from the tram stop at Massena - Hotel Solara. It's nothing plush or fancy but a good budget option in a good location and does have some 'French' charm - as in not a sterile modern hotel. A 2-star hotel (by French rating, which means basic but nice) with good reviews on booking.com which I trust. I enjoyed my stay there and would stay there again. This hotel has been recommended by others on this forum too.

I stayed near the train station and would do so again, but quite a few blocks in that area distinctly lack charm. You'll probably be happier a bit to the south as others have suggested. The train-station area is a good option for those pinching pennies, I think.

Last autumn, I stayed at Hôtel Le Grimaldi. Easy walk from the Jean Medicin tram stop.

We stayed at the Welcome Hotel that is Rick's favorite, which is in Villefranche sir Mer. http://www.welcomehotel.com/english/
That is not right in Nice or near the Nice train station, but it IS a 10 minute walk from the train station in Villefranche, which took us everywhere we wanted to go, Nice, Monaco, etc. We loved the area, it is right on the water, there is a sand beach that is easy to walk to if you want to do that, the staff was amazing, great breakfast in the morning and that transforms to a bar in the evening. Every night we sat at a table having a drink and watching all of the goings on of people walking to and fro, boats coming in, etc. We had a balcony off our room with a view of the harbor, there were plenty of restaurants within walking distance and we were just a train ride away from everything we wanted to do. We would definitely stay there again.