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Graham Clark
Music Features Writer
@Maxximum23Clark
10:40 AM 14th April 2018
lifestyle

Radisson Blu, Nice

 
View from seaview room
View from seaview room
With flights from Leeds/Bradford to Nice starting again for the spring and summer season, Nice in the south of France makes for an ideal weekend or summer break.

I travelled in February to visit the annual carnival. There is nothing better than leaving behind the grey skies of winter in the north of England to arrive in Nice to clear azure blue skies and to feel the warmth of the sun with temperatures usually around 16c to 17c.

This is what the weather should be like in mid February, but this year the "Beast from the East" had even cast its spell over the south of France. Cloudy skies, temperatures around 8c and even speckles of snow on the French Riviera, unheard of for at least 8 years, were the order of the day.

Radisson Blu, Nice
Radisson Blu, Nice
Thankfully I had an excellent hotel to stay in, the recently renovated Radisson Blu hotel has an undeniable enviable position on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. You can get to the hotel easily by bus from the airport. Buses 23 and 59, amongst others, stop right outside the hotel and at only €1.50 per bus journey it means you will have more euros left in your pocket for that dining experience the French excel at.

Reception area
Reception area
The hotel has 331 contemporary rooms and suites, they even have their own beach - the Regence Plage which in summer has sun loungers and umbrellas. On the top floor of the hotel there is a 150m swimming pool set on a panoramic rooftop terrace overlooking the Baie des Anges.

Seaview room
Seaview room
There are either seaview rooms or ones that overlook the rear of the hotel. At the moment at the rear of the hotel they are building a new tram line from Nice airport that goes through the centre of Nice down to the port, but work should be finished by the summer.

Much better to book a seaview room that affords the sweeping Baie des Anges in front of your eyes. What a view to wake up to in the morning.

View from balcony room
View from balcony room
My seaview room had just had a makeover. Naturally the colours were blue in keeping with the blue sea and sky, that normally should be always present in Nice.

A good comfy bed, a private terrace, mini bar, free water replenished daily, quick free Wi Fi, tea and coffee provisions, iron and ironing board with complimentary access to the swimming pool and the hotel's Health and Fitness Club are all standard features.

The bathroom came with a bath and a powerful shower too.

Breakfast bar
Breakfast bar
Breakfast is buffet style with continental and a hot English breakfast if you wanted. A recent trend these days is for many French hotel's to cook their baguettes from frozen, good to see that the one I tasted at the Radisson Blu tasted just like the ones from the local bakers and of course the coffee was perfect too. If you wished you could press your own orange juice.

Calade rooftop restaurant
Calade rooftop restaurant
The hotels' new Calade rooftop restaurant opened in May 2017. The view from the restaurant over the bay is unique, it would feel like a special occasion to dine there. The menu tends to lend itself to a Mediterranean cuisine theme.

The poor weather did me a favour in a way as it meant I could use the hotel facilities more than I would have done if the sun had shone. The on site gym was well equipped and the sauna and steam room were very quiet. Most of the time I had these facilities all to myself.

The centre of Nice is a good 30 minute walk along the Promenade des Anglais but if you are feeling fit the hotel does offer free bike hire or alternatively there are buses passing the hotel every few minutes and at €1.00 a ride (if you buy a multi ticket for 10 journeys) otherwise it is €1.50 a journey.

Bar area
Bar area
A pleasant escape to a hotel that lives up to the French Riviera reputation of style and exclusiveness.

Radisson Blu, 223 Promenade des Anglais 0600 Nice
www.radissonblu.com