Hôtel De Nice

Situated one block from the Hôtel de Ville on the busy Rue de Rivoli and overlooking a café-lined square, the three-star Hotel de Nice provides a fun and flamboyant twist on 19th-century décor that will delight those looking for something a bit eclectic.

The Hotel de Nice’s style, a romantic take on 19th-century Paris, has charmed us for years. The 23 rooms pop with rich red-and-gold wallpaper, period prints and maps, and heavy antique furniture. Massive drapes are pulled back with gold rope sashes and tassels.

It all makes for a fun, over the top scene. It should be noted, then, that this won't be everyone's (flea-market vintage) cup of tea and rooms can get a little pricey. In our most recent searches, even low-season rates were about €180 per night, and early summer rates soar to an average of €258 per night. But we’ve loved this hotel for many years, and we still think it can be a decent value.

All rooms are air-conditioned and equipped with a flat-screen satellite TV and double-paned windows. Corner rooms are the most spacious, although west-facing rooms open up to the picturesque square below (and are definitely our favorite). Rooms facing the rue de Rivoli would not be our first choice, as they’ll pick up some traffic noise, even with double-glazed windows.

The very clean private baths, many of which are quite tight, have showers or tubs and a hair dryer.

The eclectic decoration continues in the hotel's hallways, which are crammed with scenes from old Paris, and painted dark red and turquoise. You're welcome to chill out in the delightfully gaudy sitting room on the first floor, which doubles as the breakfast room.

Breakfast is served for €9 and consists of a croissant, baguette, coffee, orange juice and an assortment of jams, but you can also find plenty of spots for breakfast in the neighborhood.

Wi-Fi is offered for free throughout the hotel. The hotel has a very small elevator, which is large enough for one person and some luggage (depending, that is, on the size of the person and/or luggage).

Location

The Hotel de Nice’s location is, in our humble opinion, brilliant. The hotel sits on the Rue de Rivoli, one block east of the Hotel de Ville, Paris’ famous city hall. As we mentioned, half of the hotel’s rooms look down upon a restaurant-lined square that’s picture-perfect.

For those interested in hitting up the bars and shops of the Marais, the location is ideal. Rue Vieille du Temple, the “main drag” of the gay Marais, is one block east of the hotel. Meanwhile, the Seine is a five-minute walk south, and the Pont Louis Philippe takes you onto the Ile Saint-Louis. The Louvre is a straight shot west of the hotel along the Rue de Rivoli.

A bustling outdoor market fills the square across the rue de Rivoli on Wednesday afternoon and Saturday mornings—it’s not to be missed if you're around.

Metro: The Hotel de Nice is a three-minute walk to the Hotel de Ville Metro station, serving lines 1 and 11.

For more photos of the hotel, check out this photo essay of the Hotel de Nice that's on our blog.