NIce France

I read the reviews on TripAdvisor.com. I really do wonder if actual people are writing these reviews or if it's like stuffing the ballot box so your hotel will always look better than it is. Your thoughts?

I've personally reviewed 50 hotels on tripadvisor and I rely on it when ing places to stay. If you were looking at one of my reviews and wanted to know if it was fake, you could look at my other reviews and see a pattern of staying in the same types of places, and consisantly poor spelling. :) If you saw a glowing review and it was the only review from that poster I would be suspicious. I stay in a lot of cheap rooms, so I weigh the reviews with that in mind. It's not realistic to expect the same review of a 1 star as a five star. I've never booked a place in Nice, so sorry I can't avise you there.

I prefer to stay in Villefranche Sur Mer. Do remember though that many European hotels are old and not up to American standards. If I read reviews complaining that the room is small or the shower doesn't have a door I disregard that but if there is mold, it's dirty or a nasty innkeeper I look some more. Also sometimes you get enough info to know what room to request and which to avoid, etc.

I have relied upon Trip Advisor for domestic hotels but not yet for international travel. I am in the process of searching out a vacation rental (in Nice actually) and have been using TA in my search. I have noticed some major diparities in hotel reviews and have passed them off as the result of different expectations and/or differences in individual rooms, but now I'm a little more skeptical. One thing I have noticed is than many foreign reviews are from outside TA and not listed as "verified". Thanks for the heads up...and hope you find a place with more accurate reviews.

thanks everyone for your feedback and thoughts. I don't know why I have so much trouble with Nice. Maybe I'm just not meant to be here. I am a seasoned European traveler and have actually lived in Europe for five years so, I know what my expectations should be. I've stayed in great youth hostels, seedy hotels with red flocked wallpaper and mirrors, farm houses etc. About the only thing I haven't stayed in is a really expensive hotel. Perhaps I need to win the lottery and THEN come to Nice :) But, the day is nice, people friendly, great food, museums await, Monte Carlo just a step away....am I really complaining? nah. I am among the most fortunate to be able to be doing this at all.

I know it's in Villefranche sur Mer but I just checked TA and our little value favorite, Hotel de la Darse is still getting great reviews

I stayed in the Star Hotel in Nice (one of Rick's recommendations) a couple of years ago. The location wasa good, it was reasonably priced (under $100/night I think), and the room was fine. The staff were very friendly and told us about the Tour de France that would be zooming through the next day, which was cool. I enjoyed taking the train to Antibes and Villefranche when I was there and also the bus up to Eze, which is beautiful. Hope your remaining days in Nice are better!

Five of the top twelve rated hotels in Nice are priced in the vicinity of the Grand, some quite a bit below. We stayed at the #2 which is priced a bit above the Grand, by about 1/3, and liked it very much. On seven trips to Europe, I have never been disappointed by a hotel chosen on tripadvisor. Only disappointment was in an apartment in Paris.

Granted, it has been a few years ago, but Hotel Suisse with an ocean view, worked out well for us. I also agree with others, once you've spent some time on tripadvisor, you can determine with a high degree of success which hotel will suit your needs. Knock on wood, I've yet to get a bad hotel using TA.

Hi Linda, The same thing happened to us a few years ago in Nice. The hotel we had booked (Hotel Felix)turned out to be a real dump. We forfeited one night's cost and were able to get out of the second night. We went over to the Hotel Le Royal on the Promenade des Anglais and, for not too much more money, got a nice clean room. This was in early May. Good luck.

The bus and trains run back and forth from Nice to Villafranche all day long and very cheap. Stay in Villafranche.

thanks to all who have responded. I will take your advice and next time I'm here I'll stay outside the city. I think part of the problem is that the hotel before this in Florence Italy was just outstanding. Only three stars and reasonable in price but, it was just wonderful. Then coming to Nice which is place I kind of know into a dingy, dark hotel where the shower is the size of tube of toothpaste and the curtain wraps itself around me not matter how hard I try to not let that happen just gets things off on the wrong foot. But, again, I am one of the fortunate ones in even being able to have these experiences....I know that and am grateful. Just some superficial grousing. I leave here today first for some time in Monte Carlo then over to Arles for a few days. From there I will head for the far southwest corner of France and hope to find a room. I'm not having any luck online. The French are on holiday now and the sea calls to them so, my choices are limited and for the most part a bit more too expensive. The sky is blue, the sea is blue, the sun is shining and I'm on my way the the wonderful Nice market where the stalls will have plate after plate of colorful spices poured in the shape of pyramids. And good strong coffee. Ahhhh....life is good.

Was in Nice about two weeks ago at Hotel Solara which I found through ta,, loved it. Cheap, clean, comfy bed, good bathroom and good location. Good price too. I spent months researching hotels through ta for our trip and hit no duds. I also cross check reviews on other sites. You just hit a dud.. sorry. Booked all our hotels with help from ta reviews,, 5 in all, but as I said , I also cross check on hotel booking sites etc. Expectations have to be "europeon" though, I expect smallish rooms and even hotels that say they have elevators may have a flight of stairs to do also, or phone booth elevators etc. .