DO IT YOUR WAY AT THE HOTEL ELLINGTON
THE first person I saw when I entered the Hotel Ellington was Frank Sinatra.
No he wasn't there to have lunch with Elvis but instead his picture was in the reception area along with countless other great entertainers. You see the Hotel Ellington is a jazz themed hotel so it was no surprise that Old Blue Eyes took pride of place.
If you're not a jazz fan don't panic the hotel's theme is more of a nod to these great showmen so you won't find an old crooner at the piano belting out Moon River when you fancy a quiet drink at the bar.
What you will find is an beautifully designed hotel which has just undergone a refurbishment in 2006 - meaning it's one of the cleanest hotels I have stayed in as the dust hasn't had time to settle.
The four-star Ellington is like an oasis in Nice's ultra-busy tourist area. The hotel sits on the edge of the main tourist areas but just far enough away to let you catch your breath in the evening and enjoy a relaxing start to the day.
To borrow a phrase from Phil and Kirsty it's all about location, location, location and the Ellington couldn't be better situated.
Boulevard Dubouchage, where the hotel is found, is just 800 metres from Nice's Etoile shopping centre, 800 metres from the Old Town and just a 10 minute walk from the world famous Promenade des Anglais.
It is also just six kilometres from Nice Cote D'Azur International Airport and 900 metres from Nice train station making it the perfect base from which to explore the millionaires playground which is the Cote D'Azur.
Don't just take my word for it log onto the website Trip Advisor and you will find past guests raving about the hotel's fabulous location.
The only flaw I found with the hotel is the lack of a pool but when you consider how close the sea is this soon becomes irrelevant. The fun and sights of the Promenade des Anglais is a bigger attraction any day of the week than lounging in a hotel pool.
Like I said before the hotel was refurbished in 2006 and each room is decorated to an exceptionally high standard. Our standard room had a separate sleeping and living area. It also had a separate toilet and bathroom which you won't find in many four star hotels but a nice touch for obvious reasons.
Oh and the individually decorated rooms all have air conditioning - an absolute must during the baking hot summer months in the South of France. They also have a mini-bar, flatscreen televisions with satellite channels and high-speed internet access
We began our day with breakfast on the sun terrace. Guests are invited to help themselves from the extensive buffet menu which gives the choice of a cooked breakfast, cereal, fruit, breads and of course croissants.
The bar area was the perfect place to unwind after spending the day trying to see as much of Nice as possible. It serves a fine selection of whiskeys which make the ideal night-cap.
Before we were due to check-out we couldn't resist one last little drink so in honour of Frank I ordered One for My Baby and One More For The Road.
THE Ellington Hotel is situated in the heart of Nice, a kilometre from the Promenade d'Anglais, and 500 metres from the Old Town and Flower Market.
It is an elegant old townhouse recently renovated with a choice of rooms decorated in either modern and minimal furnishings in the traditional style of Louis XV1.
The Ellington also offers the perfect start to the day, with a traditional French buffet breakfast, which can be taken in the picturesque courtyard.
The Ellington hotel is available to book now on Hotelopia for 125 per night during August on a bed and breakfast basis, (based on two people sharing a twin or double room). To book, log onto www.hotelopia.co.uk or telephone 0871 711 9494.
Hotelopia offers guaranteed low prices on all 25,000 hotels and apartments, five star to budget from key cities to off the beaten track in 900 destinations, as well as 24/7 customer service whether at home or abroad.
Also new to Hotelopia, are independent customer hotel reviews which carry the "Trust Advantage" since they can only be submitted by customers who have actually booked and stayed at the hotel.
The website also offers brochure style content on each hotel with detailed information on facilities as well as easy-to-use location maps.
READER OFFER
Hotelopia is now offering every reader a 10% discount on all bookings made until 31 December 2008.
Log onto www.hotelopia.co.uk, search for your hotel, click on the link on the final booking page which states, 'I have a discount voucher or code' and enter the code 901560 to access the discount.
Alternatively quote when telephoning 0871 711 9494.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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