Hotel Nice Beau Rivage
In the city Henri Matisse once called home — and where Musée Matisse holds his largest collection — Hotel Beau Rivage has a special connection with the artist, who first visited the hotel in 1916 and painted famous sea views from his room 89 in 1917. Today, framed Matisse prints — many brightly colored cut-out collages from the artist’s JAZZ collection — decorate its walls. Hotel guests also benefit from a partnership with the museum.
When Beau Rivage opened at the end of the 19th century, its location fronted Quai du Midi, at the edge of the beautiful Promenade des Anglais and footsteps from the narrow, picturesque streets in Vieux Nice.
The hotel, part of 3A Hotel & Resort collection, is equally convenient to the city’s main pedestrian square, Place Massena, built atop the river which once divided old from new Nice. Today, the verdant square is bordered by rose-colored buildings and sits between the sea and designer shops, which can be conveniently reached by a recently inaugurated tram from Nice-Cote d’Azur Airport.
The hotel’s current beachfront real estate occupies a sprawling indoor-outdoor restaurant and lounge: Plage Beau Rivage. When we lunched there, the menu featured lobster and langoustine, salads, steak tartare and veal. We ate under a white umbrella just footsteps from the sunbeds on the pebbled beach watching planes soar over the brilliant Mediterranean from the airport.
Inside, the hotel’s pebble-patterned carpet and pebble-enhanced patio landscape mimic that seafront. Lobby décor, inaugurated a year ago, features multiple seating areas, with soft rounded chairs and loveseats in pale blues and cream colors.
Recent refurbishments also improved the historic façade, with its distinctive Niçoise shutters and interior patio retreat. The pet-friendly hotel hosts a Doggy Bar in the lobby, offers a children’s art center and has been awarded the Green Key ecolabel since 2022.
Our spacious room 301 was newly decorated with warm woods and three floor-length windows dressed in an embroidered pink floral pattern resembling one of the hundreds of colorful buckets of flowers displayed at nearby Cour Saleya flower market. Two doors opened to a large furnished terrace which faced the inner courtyard. Across the hall, room 305 has an even larger terrace and a slice of the Mediterranean view. All 114 rooms and suites feature 4-star amenities: free WiFi, safe, bathrobe and slippers.
The impressive breakfast buffet provides freshly squeezed orange juice; hot dishes and crèpes; an array of cold platters (smoked salmon, fresh salads and fruits); breads like fluffy fresh croissants; and even individual timers at the egg-boiling station (next to a speaker playing Sinatra, softly).
Global Traveler - Irvina Lew
24 Rue Saint-François de Paule
06300 Nice, France
tel 33 4 92 47 82 82
