The hotel
Hotel Le G, Nice, France
Check-in
Hotel Le G was a Nice wild card for a quick stay, leaping off a booking-site page among a dearth of bland, old-school, or overpriced accommodation. It’s a family hotel, formerly Hotel Geneve, rejuvenated by the owner’s children into the personality-plus Hotel Le G five years ago. Nice retains a glamourpuss reputation, albeit one that needed a nanna nap, with fraying seams and tattered sequins if examined closely. But this southern France belle is undergoing its own Renaissance with high-end hotels fuelling the economy and edgy, independent hotels such as Le G reaching out to first-time visitors. The arrival couldn’t be easier – a €5 ($8), 30-minute ride on tram line two to Garibaldi/Chateau station, a 140-metre croissant toss from the hotel. I arrive at 11pm and the hotel has emailed an entrance code and temporary QR code to open the room. I collect my key in the morning from the friendly receptionist, Daniel.
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The look
Behind the heritage-listed facade, Le G is a raging fever dream of mismatched items the owners have lovingly sourced from brocantes (second-hand sellers). None of the 16 rooms are alike; an antique cash register, tasselled lamps and jungle wallpaper create a visual cacophony in the lobby, the upstairs carpet is festooned with frolicking males in 1920s swimsuits, and there’s even a disco ball on the landing. It reminds me of a three-star version of Paris’ five-star Le Grand Mazarin and manages to dodge kitsch and celebrate budget eclecticism. Cookie-cutter it’s not, with a price that makes this the best value on the Côte d’Azur at €56 ($93) a night.
The room
Room nine’s hardwood floor and Juliette balcony give French flair, while the dark curtains, double-glazed windows and deep olive hues give a good night’s sleep. Lavender-scented body wash and a retro mini-bar with female-founded Buzzballz cocktails-in-a-bottle (€11.90), Corsican beer and Embrace sodas (named after cities, like the Marseille peach mint variety), lend the room a boutique feel with all you need, and nothing you don’t.
Food + drink
Le Cafe des Chineurs (bargain hunters) is accessed from the street via a separate door, and is buzzing with a hive of Nicoise social fireflies. It’s a welcoming scene, and the tapas and healthy snacks are affordable, but there’s a lot to digest; its decoration ranges from a mannequin in a gas mask to a stuffed reindeer’s head. The breakfast buffet looks appetising, but I’m lured by the winter sun to Place Garibaldi’s Panama and a side serve of people-watching. What I’ve saved on a hotel funds a stellar dinner at nearby Le Bistrot de Jan, helmed by Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen, one of the first South African chefs awarded a Michelin star.
Out + about
Mere footsteps away, on Place Garibaldi, I come upon a fairytale-like Christmas market of handmade goods. Whatever the season, the location is unbeatable. It’s near to the old town and packed with bars, boulangeries and cafes. The Old Port is a three-minute stroll away making this a walk-everywhere bolthole.
The verdict
Hotel Le G is rated as No.4 best small hotel (Tripadvisor) in Nice for a reason, and I feel like I’ve won the bang-for-buck lottery: in late November my room is €56 ($96), rocketing to €215 ($357) in peak season (September is no longer shoulder season, Nice bustles from Easter to November), still below nearby competitors.
Essentials
Rooms (all are on the first floor with no lift) from $96 a night. 1 Rue Cassini, Nice, France. See le-g-chineurs.com
Our score out of five
★★★★ 1/2
Highlight
An 1896 French dictionary in a crumbling leather jacket is part of the room’s decoration – a true antique.
Lowlight
Lugging my suitcase up to the first floor.
The writer stayed at her own expense.