After my train trip to Nice, I walked ten minutes to Le Méridien. Since this stay was before the Marriott merger; this hotel was the only Starwood property in the city. This is the main reason why I stayed at this property. The highlight of the stay was definitely the location and views.
Location
The Le Méridien is located on Promenade de Anglais. This the the best stretch of oceanfront in Southern France and stretches for nearly 4km, the primary reason tourist flock to Nice. It is cycle friendly and good for skateboarders. The beach is just a few steps away. Below are some pictures of the Promenade de Anglais.
Check-In
No one else was checking in to the hotel. The entire process took only a few minutes. No room upgrade was offered and there was no free breakfast for SPG gold. However, the welcome amenity was a complimentary beverage. When entering you have to take the escalator to the lobby. I noticed during my stay that most guests were at the hotel because of a business conference. The banner for the company can be seen in the first picture below. Nice was not busy for tourists during March but the weather was great.
Room
A deluxe room was originally booked and no upgrade was offered. Room 410 was the room I stayed in. This is one of the nicest regular rooms this hotel offers before suites. Deluxe rooms are only 291sq ft. Rooms feel small in this hotel. Add an rollaway bed and now the room is feeling cramped. The couch in the room was not very comfortable and you could only watch the television from the queen sized bed. Both beds were comfortable. Free chocolate and bottled water (SPG Gold) were offered. Some of the hallways and doors were painted a really weird purple, I am really glad the paint choice did not make its way into the room. My biggest gripe about the room is the air conditioning did not work well. It would be a really hot room if I came to Nice in August. Plenty of charging ports can be found around the entire room for EU plugs. Remember to always bring an adapter if you are traveling from the US or anywhere else.
Restroom was very outdated. While the room seems to have been renovated they did not bother in the bathroom. Walls were white with a really odd black tile. A wash cloth was left in the sink by accident. Malin & Goetz amenities were provided. In my opinion, this brand has to be the worst hotel amenity brand ever. Who wants to use peppermint or cilantro shampoo? Staff did provide extra amenities which was a nice gesture.
View
The highlight of the room was the view. As you saw when you first clicked on this post, you can see the entire beachfront of Nice. It is breathtaking. The outdoor patio was small so you could only stand, no furniture.
Gym
Unfortunately, the gym was very poor. It was really hot and cramped.
Other
There is an area on the roof with a bar and I believe there is a pool. Since it was not summer time this area was not used and I did not have a chance to explore. The hotel does have a restaurant on the lobby level which serves breakfast, but all food and drink at this hotel is expensive. Unfortunately, free breakfast was not given so I cannot include it in my review.
Final thoughts
In Nice, I do not believe another hotel can beat the Le Méridien in terms of location. However, the base rooms are small. I had the nicest room available before suites and for three people it was cramped. The room was very hot because the air conditioning did not work well. During the high season, this hotel can get really pricey. During my stay the rooms were going for about $250 a night. Summer time can see prices in the $500 range and to me I do not see the value in paying that price. The view was enjoyed but I really did not find anything else about the hotel enjoyable. Elite status was not recognized and the hotel was nowhere near full. An upgrade to the next room type probably could have happened. I have never stayed at a Le Méridien prior but will not try to actively seek them out again.