Check-in experience: Arriving at 5pm, reception was busy but check-in was quick and painless.
What's so good about this place? The location and the views are hard to beat and all the staff were wonderful.
And the bad? The decor in the room, restaurants and reception is up to date but the hallways are in need of refurbishment; purple paint must presumably have been trendy at some point in the recent past ...
What's in the neighbourhood? Much of the best of Nice is either right there or very close by, including the restaurant-packed old town Vieux Nice area.
The moving memorial that sprang up in the Albert 1er Gardens to the victims of the Bastille Day attack is right opposite and draws visitors at all hours of the day and night.
Food and drink: Le Meridien has two restaurants: the rooftop La Terrasse and Le Colonial Cafe, on the first floor.
La Terrasse is geared more towards fine dining whereas Le Colonial does a pretty good buffet breakfast. Highlights were the made-to-order omelettes and the pastries: pain au chocolat with a cafe au lait - c'est superbe.
As can often be the case at Le Meridien properties, the room-service menu looked to be quite limited.
The bed: Comfortable and with a view.
Bathroom: A typically small European arrangement with a combined bath/shower. The bidet was in the bathroom but the loo was separate. All a bit odd, really.
Noise: Events are held on Saturday nights on the stage in the Albert 1er Gardens and the noise will carry across the park. Depending on the event, that may or may not be a good thing.
Exercise Facilities: I believe the hotel has a fitness centre. It has a heated swimming pool on the rooftop and has its own section of beach across the road (but the access fee is discounted, not waived).
It really doesn't seem right to pay to go the beach anyway, especially a grey, shingly one.
Perfect for: An ideal base from which to explore the Cote d'Azur.
Would I return? Yes, I would.
