We had a very enjoyable recent stay at the Hyatt Regency Nice – Palais de la Méditerranée. We stayed in a Premium Suite which I booked using a DSU (I hope this review will be useful, in particular, for those planning to share accommodation with family/friends).

The Palais de la Méditerranée opened in 1929 as a hotel, theatre and casino. The building’s Art Deco façade was inspired by the Opéra Garnier in Paris. In 1990, the building’s façade was recognised as a national historical monument, and so it was retained when the rest of the building was demolished and rebuilt. In 2013, after a change in ownership, the hotel was reflagged as a Hyatt Regency.

Hotel lobby:

There were 'welcome refreshments' (mineral water and Granny Smith apples) in the lobby.

The associate who checked us in was very welcoming. We were escorted to our suite on the 7th floor.

Corridor:

Premium Suite

There are five Premium Suites in the hotel (room numbers 629, 705, 729, 804 and 828).

We were allocated room number 729. As I mentioned in the ‘Hyatt information for families’ thread, the suite was very spacious and could accommodate four people (two on the king bed and two on the sofa bed).

Living room (with the sofa bed set up):

There was a welcome gift consisting of a bottle of red wine and Socca chips (a Niçoise snack – crisps made from chickpea flour – which was delicious), as well as a welcome letter. This was not the Diamond welcome amenity as I opted for the 1,000 welcome points when asked at check-in.

There were also a few bottles of complimentary Evian mineral water.

Bedroom:

Both the living room and the bedroom have French doors which open out to the balcony. There was a table (with 2 chairs), as well as a sun lounger. The balcony looked over the 3rd floor terrace (the outdoor dining area and the pool). There was a partial view of the sea through the façade.

The bathroom was huge and had a separate shower box.

In addition, there were two lavatories. One was connected to the living room.

The other was connected to the walk-in closet next to the bedroom.

Walk-in closet next to the bedroom:

Breakfast

The front desk associate explained to us during check-in that, as I was a Diamond member, all four of us staying in the suite could have either the full breakfast buffet (in the restaurant) or room service breakfast free of charge.

Room service breakfast is available between 5:30am and noon (before 5:30am, only toast is available).

The breakfast buffet in the restaurant on the 3rd floor is available between 7 and 10:30am daily. The price for the buffet is EUR 28 per person if breakfast is not included in the room rate.

There was a very good selection of cooked and continental breakfast options (including smoked salmon). Eggs, crêpes and French toast were available made-to-order.

We had the choice of sitting either inside the restaurant or outdoors on the terrace. There was a fantastic view of the seafront/beach from the terrace.

Bar

There is no Regency Club Lounge in the hotel. Instead, as a Diamond member, I was given a voucher for the bar on the 3rd floor (covering drinks up to a total value of EUR 36). The four of us were able to order a glass of wine each (priced at no more than EUR 9).

Facilities

The swimming pool (located on the 3rd floor) is open between 6:30am and 9pm daily. The pool is heated and part of it is situated indoors, the other part outdoors (both of which are connected). During our stay, the temperature outside was 15°C, but nonetheless the pool was warm enough for us to swim both indoors and outdoors.

The gym is open between 6:30am and 11pm daily and is located next to the pool.

The sauna and Turkish hammam (located on the 6th floor) are open between 10am and 10pm daily.

There is a computer and printer in the lobby (opposite the lifts) which guests can use.

Location

The hotel is very conveniently situated on the Promenade des Anglais (the main seaside promenade).

Overall

I would highly recommend this iconic seafront hotel. The spacious Premium Suite is great for sharing with friends/family. Service was fantastic – the front desk and restaurant/bar staff were very friendly.