A boxy, but businesslike, hotel well placed for Nice's Acropolis conference centre, this Novotel is a comfortable, convenient place to stay. Although it lacks style and panache, the accommodation works well. The rooms are large, they have easy-to-use safes and the WiFi is free and reasonably fast. And the big TVs have scores of channels in an array of languages. Although there is no iron, the compact bathrooms have piping hot showers that create enough steam to remove the creases from shirts. Moreover, two bottles of water, one fizzy, one still, appear in the fridge every day. The air con is fine, so you shouldn't need to open the window to the occasional music and mirth emanating from the bar in the courtyard below the inner side of the hotel.
On the Novotel's top floor, there is an open air swimming pool with loungers and views over Nice and the surrounding hills. You can eat breakfast inside or out in the concrete courtyard. The buffet has some fine, creamy scrambled eggs, as well as decent chopped sausages and streaky bacon. The coffee machine produces respectable Americanos and the fruit juices are smooth and rich. The tasty breads are rustic and fresh and there is a good selection of hard cheeses and cold meats. The only real let down is the fruit salad, which may just be grapefruit segments. Although it is a 25 minute walk from the promenade, for business travellers, this Novotel will tick most of the boxes. 7/10
