Welcome Hotel

Of all the resort towns east of Nice, Villefranche-sur-Mer is the most charming and laid-back, with pretty beaches and Medieval history – as well as this charming hotel, right by the sea.

An inn for over two centuries, it’s a key part of Cote d’Azur history: Isadora Duncan stayed here before her fatal Bugatti ride in Nice, and for decades it was a second home for Jean Cocteau, who painted the murals in the nearby chapel of Saint-Pierre des Pecheurs.

Modern, unpretentious, spruced up to a four-star standard and run by lovely people, all of its light-filled rooms have sea views – at great-value rates. Sitting out on a warm summer evening, whether on your balcony or in the hotel’s portside wine bar, is a total delight.