Nice

What is it you're looking for in a hôtel ?

Totally agree with Alexander. If you can provide more detailed information, such as the number of travelers, travel methods, destinations, and other specifics, I feel like it will be more efficient for us to offer you probably helpful suggestions. XD

Looking for recommendations from travelers who have stayed in hotels in the towns I have mentioned.
Leaving it open ended. No parameters.

With all due respect, Kay, it seems like a futile task for those who post on this forum. I recommend you look at Instagram and Trip Advisor.

I am sorry, but your question is too broad. What are the reasons that Rick's suggestions don't fit? Is it location, price, availability on your dates.....? Saying what those reasons are will give parameters that may provide some responses.
If not, I would go to some site like Booking.com to find your lodgings.

In Nice, we stayed at La Villa Leonie and loved it.

If you want to be right on the Promenade des Anglais, it won't be for you. It's in the Old Port area, which we loved. It also has a bus that stops right outside that goes to Ville Franche sur Mer and Monaco. A short walk down the hill to the Old Port takes you to restaurants, a major bus interchange, or the water taxi across to the other side of the port.

https://en.villa-leonie.fr

Have you tried booking.com. The reviews should be from travelers who have stayed at the hotel reviewed. It’s very difficult to recommend hotels when everyone has a different opinion on what they are looking for in one. What I may have loved, you may hate. There’s been one too many times on here that some of us have seen the feedback not being particularly nice in regards to recommendations…..

Bonjour Kay,
We have some experience in the area and also snowbirded in Antibes this past winter. I cannot offer any hotel specifics but would just comment that Nice is a big, full-on city whereas Antibes is a town and lastly Villefranche is smaller yet again. The latter is limited and gets its share of cruise ship passengers coming ashore but is otherwise manageable and attractive.

You can't go wrong as all three have much to offer, but it def pays to be selective if you want BIG vs small (or vice-versa).
Good luck.
I am done. the end

I stayed at the Hotel Le Grimaldi by Happyculture in Nice for three nights in early May.
I really liked the location. It was quiet and easy to walk everywhere or find public transportation.
My room had a terrace with no view, but I found it charming.
I believe it is in the RS guidebook but I don't have my copy with me.
There is an amazing Lebanese restaurant nearby where I ate twice during my stay! https://beyrouthcafe.com/
Enjoy!

In May of this year we stayed at Hotel Aston La Scala in Nice. Our room was just perfect and so clean plus we had a view. The breakfast was absolutely amazing! Wish we had stayed there all four nights and not just two. We moved the third and fourth nights to Aparthotel AMMI Nice Massena and it was awful! The location of Hotel Aston La Scala was perfect. We could walk to everything including a laundromat which was also unbelievable clean and reasonably priced.

I'll be in Nice at the end of September, first time visit. I booked Hotel Victor Hugo based on recommendation in Rick's France guide. It's small, old, inexpensive, and looks to be in a good location. Plus there's a hotel dog!

I'll be in Nice in late September, first time visit. I booked Hotel Victor Hugo, which Rick recommended in his France guide. It's small, old, inexpensive, and looks to be in a good location. Plus it has a hotel dog!

I stayed at Hotel Victor Hugo last February. It worked out great!

My advice would be to look at hotels that were walking distance from Place Massena. It's not necessary to be on the sea, though certainly desirable if you could afford the Negresco or the Meridien, but more important to be able to explore on foot the charming parts of town. Place Massena would be central to the beachfront promenade as well as the Port and the Old town. The only gritty neighborhoods are those right next to the two train stations. Not dangerous but not as pretty.

We stayed in Hotel West End on the Promenade in May; it has a a lot of character as it is in the Belle Epoque style. Had a deluxe room with balcony overlooking the water on the top floor. Spacious modern updated room, very clean, wonderful breakfast, very quiet location, great staff, close to everything. They helped arrange airport transportation which worked out well.
FYI, we did a Food and Wine Tour with Nadia and it was fabulous! Highly recommended (by Rick as well)!

I stayed in Villefranche-sur-mer at the Darce hotel. It was a small hotel overlooking the sea. I had a room with a balcony and could watch cruise ships coming into port. I didn't spend much time in Nice as it's a city and I wanted to experience the smaller towns along the sea such as Villenfranche-sur-mer and Beaulieu and St Jean Cap Ferrat. Look at pictures of these towns and you'll be mesmerized. The train is easy to get from any of these towns to go to Nice, Monaco, etc.