Vacation Rentals by Owner

A great vacation

Guest: Mary O'Connor (Los Angeles, CA)
Date of Stay: 04/07/12 Review Submitted: 05/16/12

We had a lovely time in Nice due in no small part to this great apartment overlooking the sea. Every morning we could walk down to the port and watch the boats come in and then spend a lovely day walking around Nice and feeling like natives. Although the apartment is somewhat removed from the touristy part of town, we could easily walk to all local sights and were in an area that was not crowded. Every day we would take a trip on the bus for only one euro each way to great towns such as Antibes (bus 200), Ville France Sur Mer (bus 81), Beaulieu (bus 81), Vence (bus 94), Eze (bus 112), Grasse (500), Menton (bus 100), Cannes (bus 400), and Monte Carlo (bus 100) and spend the day visiting museums, having lunch, and taking in the sites. Restaurants in Nice we would recommend include: The Alto, Tartane, Sopore, and Le Amoureux. Groceries at DIO Market, 11 Rue Cassini, are cheap and plentiful. Restaurants outside of Nice include: Le Litote in Vence and in Eze, Chateau Eze. Be sure to take the 14 bus to the top of Mont Baron and walk along the forrested path down the hill back to the apartment. Other great adventures include walking along the sea wall below the CoCo Beach restaurant and attending the Latin Mass at Chapelle du Saint Suaire in the Old Village. The Pentitents Rouge sing Gregorian chants and the choir sings Mozart and Dumont. Picnic in the small Jardin Publique Vigier at the bottom of the hill from the apartment. Sandra, the local manager is great and very helpful with suggestions for places to eat. Olivia handled our reservation with ease and grace. We really recommend staying here if you want to experience how the people of Nice live.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Best Vacation Yet

Guest: Stan and Donna (Campbell River, BC Canada)
Date of Stay: 01/19/12 Review Submitted: 03/29/12

We have been to Nice several times, and this has been our best experience so far. The apartment is actually a bit bigger than the pictures indicate, and is very charming, with antique furniture and very nice oil paintings. An outstanding feature is the view of the Mediterranean and the port through the French doors in the living room and bedroom, with the same view off the balcony. The apartment is perfect for a couple, and we found it very cozy. Having a washing machine and free internet and telephone was a real bonus. The location is ideal, within 5 minutes walk to the port,bakeries, supermarket and restaurants and 15 minutes to the centre of town. Although the apartment is on the main lower road to Monaco, it is quiet, because it faces the sea, not the road, and is situated in a nice residential area. The bus to Menton and towns in between, including Monaco, stops right outside the apartment, which is very handy. The buses only cost 1 euro, and we found there was no need to rent a car at all. If you like walking, we can recommend hiking up Mont Boron, which lies directly above the apartment, or walking along the scenic oceanside footpath from Villefranche to St. Jean Cap Ferrat (both quaint villages). The owner was very helpful. We liked this apartment so much that we have already booked it again for next year!

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Fantastic View and Location

Guest: TAR (Las Vegas, NV)
Date of Stay: 10/15/11 Review Submitted: 10/31/11

My week at this lovely apartment was fantastic. The views from the large windows is wonderful whether it is in the morning as the sun rises or the spectacular sunsets. It continues with the night time lights of the bay. The location is close to the port and a nice walk to the old town and sea walk. The bus stop outside the apartment was so wonderful to get to Monaco and the towns in between. The buses around the port area will get you everywhere else. The location is very safe and nice. Be sure to have the steamed mussels at the port.

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Fabulous apt and location

Guest: Doglover from Canada (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)
Date of Stay: 09/30/11 Review Submitted: 10/22/11

My friend and I spent 5 nights at this apt as part of a 3 week France holiday. The pictures on this site are great but the apt is better and bigger then we expected. This is the best location to stay in Nice. We could walk almost everywhere and the bus stop in front of the apt block made day trips a breeze. As others have mentioned, the owner is wonderful to deal with. I highly recommend this place and plan to come back.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Amazing place wish we had more time........

Guest: The Canadians (Vancouver, Canada)
Date of Stay: 08/18/11 Review Submitted: 08/24/11

After spending 8 days in Paris we spent 4 nights in Palais Bel Maire and absolutely loved it. The rustic decor of the property really gives it that homey feel and a real sense of comfort. The wonderful view is also amazing accompanied by the soft ocean breezes flowing through the 2 sets of balcony doors in the evening which reminds you where you are. Like the previous reviews stated, the location is very good, as you are away from the "touristy" area but close enough to walk there in 10-15 minutes. The bus is outside your door and you can go most places for 1 Euro. Great cliff beaches 5-10 min walk down the street. One restaurant to try is La Voglia, you will return for sure, as in my opinion it has the best quality food and value for your dollar. Olivia was a breath of fresh air and was a delight to deal with, communicating was very easy and check in/out was seamless. Thank you so much Olivia for providing a property that makes wonderful family memories! We hope to return next year

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car.

Charming and Romantic

Guest: Neil Reiff (Philadelphia, PA)
Date of Stay: 07/03/11 Review Submitted: 04/12/12

The cozy but spacious apartment had us feeling like we were really French locals of the Riviera. We had coffee and baguettes in the morning and wine and cheese in the evening on the balcony overlooking the Riviera. We enjoyed our walks to the beach and old Nice through the day. We highly recommend renting a car to explore the coast. We found Sixt car rental to be the best priced. We saw St.Paul De Vence, Eze, and Cap Ferrat to name a few, as well as some of the beautiful beaches such as Ville France-sur-Mar and Juan-les-Pins. The apartment was a great place from which to base our day trips and adventures.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Mother and Daughter vacation in Nice

Guest: Diane (New York City, New York)
Date of Stay: 06/26/11 Review Submitted: 11/20/11

I was looking for a special place to take my 17 year old daughter for a week in the South of France. I happened upon Palais Bel Mare on the VRBO site and immediately I felt this was the place. Since this was the first time I had rented sight unseen, I was a little nervous about the idea. Olivia put me right at ease. Her familiarity with Nice and the surrounding areas, combined with the love she has for her special apartment sold me. When we arrived and opened the french doors, my daughter and I both gasped when we saw the beautiful view of the Harbor and the sea. The apartment was a perfect size for us. It was clean, charming and delightful to return to after a day of sight seeing. Each morning,I would walk to a place that Olivia recommended in her guest book, to pick up a few of the most delicious croissants. My daughter and I would sit on the balcony, looking out at the sea, eating our croissants and I drinking my coffee. It was a great way to start the day. The apartment is not in the center of town, but you can certainly walk,10 minutes to the harbor and 15 minutes to old Nice. I did rent a car and I was glad because it gave us the freedom and flexibility to come and go. Finding a parking spot in front of the apartment was never a problem. This apartment was at the center of our magical trip to the South of France. Whether we were exploring in Saint Paul de Vence, or grabbing a bite to eat in Villefranche, shopping in Monaco, or people watching while we strolled along the Promenade des Anglais, it always felt great when we returned to the quiet 6th floor apartment that became our home away from home.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Nice, Of course!

Guest: Jon (Pozzuoli (NA), Italy)
Date of Stay: 06/06/11 Review Submitted: 06/18/11

Nice is a cross between the ritz and glamour of Monte Carlo and the quaintness of a French fishing village. We rented this apartment for a week, it was close to rocky, cliff-like beaches where I snorkeled and my wife and I soaked in the sun, serenity, and simplicity of what became our stay-cation. The apartment was a close walk to the sea, where there are literally miles of walking/biking paths right next to the water. The port, with its grand yachts and more simple fishing skiffs (each painted as beautiful as a picture), is a great spot to take a walk, it’s also close to the apartment. The kitchen is quite convenient for everything from cooking pasta primavera to making some tomato and cheese sandwiches on baguette. Of course the best place to eat your meal is the lovely balcony in the apartment where you can see much of the coast as it wraps around the Mediterranean Sea. Nice’s old town and a lovely strip of restaurants rests just on the other side of the port. Also on that side of town is the Promenade des Anglais, with a lovely rock beach. Though not as private as the cliff-like beach near the apartment, this was a great place to go swimming and sun bathe. Personally we preferred the part of Nice that this apartment is in, East of the port. This area isn’t over run by tourists and has everything you need within a short walk. While any one of these would be reason enough to take a trip to Nice, this diamond of a town has much more to offer than we could experience in a week. But Olivia’s apartment was a perfect place to set out and explore the Blue Coast of France!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great Value in Nice!

Guest: Amanda P. (Philadelphia, PA)
Date of Stay: 05/31/11 Review Submitted: 06/19/11

We were lucky to book this flat last minute. Olivia was great to deal with, and was very accommodating even though we booked at the eleventh hour. The apartment was well appointed, comfortable, and recently updated. The balcony had a great sea view and was great to have a drink on to unwind after a long day. The bus to Monaco was right outside the front door of the building, the port of Nice was a five minute walk, and another 10min to old Nice. Our last minute trip could have easily been a disaster due to our lack of accommodations a few days before arriving, but we were pleasantly surprised at our luck, and will definitely consider returning.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, tourists without a car.

Excellent - A Wonderful Apartment in a Great Location.

Guest: Jennifer (Philadelphia, PA USA)
Date of Stay: 05/31/11 Review Submitted: 06/18/11

We are seasoned travelers that decided to take a quick girls get away to explore the French Rivera, and were lucky to find Palais Bel Mare. This charming flat, decorated with a vintage/bohemian flare, has a breath taking view of the harbor and beach through the French doors in the bedroom and living room, as well as balcony. The location is great, just a few blocks from the port, beaches and old Nice, yet situated on the side of a quiet street…we slept with the doors open! The owner was great, she provided a full binder of maps, restaurants (which we tried and were excellent.) and directions to stores, shops and places of interest. The apartment contained all the amenities, phone, tv, internet and washer machine, with clear directions on how to operate each. I would highly recommend this apartment to anyone traveling to Southern France. I would like to return soon with my family and wouldn’t think of staying anywhere else. A big thank you to the owner, Olivia for all you did we had a wonderful trip!!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Best Vacation Yet

Guest: NiceLover (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
Date of Stay: 05/07/11 Review Submitted: 05/27/11

My husband and I wanted to get away and decided to explore the French Riviera for the first time. We were a little nervous because we brought our 18 month old son, but the experience couldn't have been better, thanks to this charming flat and its great owners. They really do go above and beyond to help with the whole process (it was our first VRBO), and before we knew it, we were feeling like Palais Bel Mar was our own home. That's the advantage of renting a flat versus a hotel. The view is breathtaking and we took full advantage while our son took a nap and when we put him to bed for the night. We didn't rent a car, but you really don't need to. We enjoyed Nice's beautiful weather on our walks. When we went to Monaco or were just exhausted from the day, we easily hopped on the bus to get us there quickly and comfortably--the bus stop is just in front of the building! We will definitely be returning to Nice, and would love to stay again in this wonderful flat.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Palais Bel Mare

Guest: John and Cailyn (Thetford, Vermont)
Date of Stay: 04/16/11 Review Submitted: 05/18/11

Palais Bel Mare was the perfect anchoring spot for my daughter and I as we explored the culture of southern France and Italy for the very first time. Wonderful beaches are less than 5 minutes away by foot. Excellent restaurants, bakeries and markets are within easy walking distance. The apartment is well furnished and maintained with a very helpful property manager. The owners go out of their way to make you feel relaxed and welcomed by providing a written guide to the apartment and local hot spots and activities. My only regret is that we only had seven short days to enjoy all that Palais Bel Mare has to offer. I am looking forward to a return visit in the very near future.

Owner response:Sharing our treasure with acquaintances is especially rewarding for us, particularly when they come home bubbling with enthusiasm and ready to go back. And, in all honesty, even though we're friends, we really didn't pay them to write this! Thank you John and Cailyn for bringing back our favorite "Maille, Moutard Fine de Dijon au vinaigre..."

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Excellent place to stay in Nice

Guest: IL (North West UK)
Date of Stay: 08/18/10 Review Submitted: 02/06/11

I stayed in this flat with my two young children for 4 months and enjoyed every moment of it. We were very comfortable, had everything we needed and found the owner and the villa management company very responsive and helpful. The view is lovely and looks over a very quiet residential area that is paces from the sea. The front of the building has access to the main bus route that leads to Cap Ferrat, Monaco and Villefranche. This was very handy. It was an easy walk downhill to the port and only a bit further to the old town, with all its fun and great restaurants. Walking up to Mont Boron leads to some unparalled views of the Riviera. The ambiance of the building was great...very French. There is a street (Rue Stalingrad) very nearby with a great baker, fishmongers and undoubtedly he best pizza on the Riviera (La Tartane). We liked the flat and the location so much that we will be back again this year (already booked). Highly recommended. PS we did not have a car during our 4 months and managed very well (and got fit by walking all around Nice...very easy to do)

Owner response:Ira kept in close contact with me by e-mail: "...the internet is really fast! (it was snail's pace at work, so I am very aware of this)." Throughout her stay she provided me with wonderful anecdotes and ideas for further exploration of Nice as well as surrounding areas, which I'll be adding to our guest booklet. Do consider staying with us long term during the off season when we're happy to offer discounted rates.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Nice Stay - Our family 4 - June through July 2010

Guest: Fun Family of 4 (Washington DC/USA)
Date of Stay: 06/25/10 Review Submitted: 08/10/10

We are a family of 4 and this was our first time on the French Riviera. We enjoyed every aspect of it and plan on coming back. This apartment is one of the reasons that we plan on returning for another vacation with our children. It is very well located. It has an elevator and a fabulous view. Another lovely element if you decide to rent this property is that you can enjoy being close to everything while still being away from all of the noise when you want to be. We also enjoyed this time of year for traveling as it was not too hot. We have 2 children and they loved the apartment as well, especially the view from its balcony. We highly recommend this property and enjoyed it fully.

Owner response:Natalie had many thoughtful questions and took time deciding whether our property was the right choice for her family. Throughout this process I really enjoyed getting to know her through e-mail but most especially from our phone conversations. I've taken such pleasure in the connections I've made through renting our flat. Recently, Nathalie let me know that they're interested in staying again in June of 2012, which I consider to be the ultimate complement.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Everything I Could Want in a Home Away from Home

Guest: LCV (Portland, )
Date of Stay: 04/11/10 Review Submitted: 05/18/10

Having spent a great deal of my life staying at hotels when I travel, I thought I would change my environment by looking at a vacation rental "home away from home," and am I ever so glad that I did. Living in a flat that is located "on the edge" of where the action is, a place where the residential French live, a place that has a magnificent view of the port and the Mediterranean was what I was looking for, and I found it in Palais Bel Mare, in Nice. The location is not "knee deep in the hoopla of Vieux Nice" but it is central, and walkable to any area in Nice, situated minutes from the Port (one of the biggest attractions in Nice) and on the bus lines to and from other coastal towns on the Mediterranean. For the person who likes to get out and see the city and the nearby coastal towns and villages from Menton to Marseille, this is the place that beckons you. The decor of the flat is vintage, and it has a quirky charm about it: the art on the walls that evokes pastoral scenes of life, the blue bathroom with its mirrored tiles, the Phillips radio which works, but needs coddling and patience to deliver the 89.9 jazz station which is "la seule radio qui est cent pourcent jazz," the kitchen which is completely adequate for any culinary need and houses many pots and pans on the adjacent kitchen wall, the secretary desk, which beckons you to sit down and write in your journal... In short, the flat has the vintage charm of a simpler time and space, and reminds us of what is necessary in life to be perfectly happy...a wondrous view of the burgeoning life all around Nice, and a room of one's own in which to reflect, take comfort and rejoice. I spent a month in this apartment, and came to know the cycles of life around me. In the end, the flat was like an old friend, ..comfortable, intimate, and integral to my daily existence. I had accepted this flat on its own terms, and in kind, it returned back to me a part of itself: the beauty and welcoming comfort of a place that felt like "home." Lisa

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, tourists without a car, sightseeing.