Nice or Monte Carlo

[med4bike]

We can only spend one night (maybe two) before our cruise begins in Monte Carlo in Nov.

 

I notice that the "Casablanca" thread has a discussion about hotels and thought that a new thread was appropriate.

 

Would you guys recommend staying over in Nice, and taking a car the next day to the pier in Monaco or staying over in Monaco.

 

What "nice" hotels would you rec in either Nice or Monaco?

 

Does Nice or Monaco have a splendid hotel overlooking the water?

 

thanks

[avalon1025]

In Nice: The Negressco

In Monte Carlo: Hotel De Paris, or the Hermitage

[ChatKat in Ca.]

We stayed at the Hotel Hermitage in Monaco last year. It was completely spectacular. It included a pass for the Casino and shared spa/pool/health club facilities too. And we could go outside and had a great view of the Voyager in port. But I can also tell you that a continental breakfast via room service set us back some outrageous sum that could buy a really decent dinner here at home. They wanted $90 Euro to take us to the port and we ended up using a cab. It was another sticker shock.

 

We're going this year and staying in Nice at La Perouse as recommended by someone on this board. They have a service that will pick up at the airport and I think also take us to the port.

[neviboy]

If you want to splurge on hotels, restaurants and the casino. M.Carlo is OK

The only sightseeing worthwhile is the palace in Monaco and the oceanographic museum. This is over-commercialized and overrated.

Nice is excellent. The old section, the flower market, the small restaurants, and there are many good hotels at a fair price. 250 Euros/night is a good hotel. Negresco is a ripoff.

[ridolphi]

So Maurice - you guys got on? Great. Glad to hear it. Where did you end up?

 

We are very excited for this cruise. Hope you will have a wonderful time too.

 

Can't help with the hotels, as we haven't stayed there. We are flying in two days early and going to the Four Seasons in Provence. I have arranged a private car service to meet us at the Nice airport and take us to the hotel, then pick us up on boarding day and take us on a tour to EZE, then to the ship.

 

Hope to meet you onboard.

[bogie113]

Monte Carlo... so so. Actually, if you stay in Nice, it's only about a 20 minute drive to Monte Carlo. There is a parking lot near the Casino. The whole event should take about 2 hours. The rest of the time could be in wonderful Nice.

 

Nice, fabulous. Over the top recommendation - Palais de la Maditerranee. You will think you died and went to heaven.

 

On the other hand you can bag Monte Carlo and take a car to Provence or Eze or wherever, or if you only have a day or two, stick around Nice. It's great.

 

Marsha

[Ste. Michelle]

Spent 2 nights at the Carlton Cannes, in Cannes of course, before our cruise in Oct. Would stay there again in a heartbeat. We booked through Regent. A private driver picked us up at the airport and returned to place us on the ship. We had an ocean view room with a balcony. The whole experience was quite wonderful...highly recommended.

[med4bike]

Thanks for the info guys. Much appreciated.

 

I gather from this board that staying in Nice is much preferred to Monte Carlo. We have been to both cities before but have never stayed over in either one.

 

Provence is wonderful. I have bicycled through St. Remy, Le Beau, Arles etc. Make sure you visit Glanum where Van Gogh painted many of his best works and was "admitted" to spend some time there (sanitarium).

 

Eze you will love, very quaint but many stairs to climb. We plan to spend part of a day in St. Paul de Vence which we loved the last time we were there.

 

Ridolphi, what car service are you using to pick you up at airport, tour around and then take you to the port.

 

If anyone has a recommendation for a guide for us in Nice, that would be much appreciated.

 

BTW, we have accomodations for the transatlantic portion but not yet for the Monte Carlo portion. I'm sure the first portion will open up soon. I just feel that I have to get all my ducks in a row now and everything else will fall into place.

 

We have cruised these ports and the transatlantic portion before on Radisson and had a wonderful time. Read on these threads that Casablanca may be skipped. Nothing lost there. Rabat is worthwhile but Casablanca without Ric is really nothing at all.

 

BTW, even if the Monte Carlo portion does not come through ( we can take an "E" guarantee but that could leave us in an aft cabin which we do not want) "we will still have Paris".

 

Thanks for all the great recommendations. We will stay in Nice.

[ridolphi]

Med4bike - We are using Revelation Tours for our car service. Recommended to me by someone who used them last year to pick them up in Nice and transfer to the ship. They have been very accommodating and their prices were the best of all those I checked. www.revelation

tours@aol.com I dealt with Michael.

 

Hope to see you onboard. Glad you got a cabin.

[med4bike]

Hi Ridolphi,

 

Clicked on your web address for Revelation Tours but came up empty. Maybe there is a letter missing somewhere in this address. Is there any other way to contact them.

 

thanks

[freddie]

Maurice - The correct email address is http://www.revelation-tours.com . Jo-Anne (I added the hypen) always forgets that hyphen when she posts about Revelation Tours. Must be a Virginia-sort-of-thing.

[ridolphi]

Thanks Freddie, for covering for me!:) Actually, I did receive mail from then using the aol.com address, but I think thats only an email, and the other one is the actual website, and yes, I do forget that hyphen. Something in the water maybe????? Or maybe all that wine I drink?:D