Station district (Gare)

Hôtel Ozz by HappyCulture

★★★★★

Nice is not a cheap city to sleep in, and Hôtel Ozz exists for travellers who would rather spend their money on day trips, socca and wine than on a room. It is a hybrid between a hotel and a hostel, part of the French HappyCulture group, on the rue Paganini in the lively station district a few minutes from Nice-Ville. The formula combines shared dormitory beds with private rooms, so friends, solo backpackers, couples on a budget and even small families can all find a format that works. Rooms are simple, air-conditioned and functional rather than charming, with free Wi-Fi throughout. The ground floor has a restaurant and bar that act as the social heart of the building, where guests meet, plan the next day and share a drink in the evening. The atmosphere is young and international, friendly and not rowdy. The location is the practical selling point: the station, with fast trains along the coast to Monaco, Menton, Antibes and Cannes, is about five minutes away; the tram on avenue Jean Médecin connects to the old town and the airport; and the beaches and Vieux Nice are about a twenty-five-minute walk, or a short tram ride. The surrounding streets are full of inexpensive restaurants, bakeries and grocery shops, useful for keeping costs down. It is open every day of the year, staff speak English, Italian and Spanish, and there is no private parking, which matters little for guests arriving by train or plane.

Choosing a bed: dorms are the budget option and work well for solo travellers; private rooms give couples and friends privacy at a price still well below most central hotels. Book ahead for summer, the Carnival and holiday weekends, when Nice's budget beds disappear quickly. Bring a padlock for lockers if you are in a dorm, and earplugs if you are a light sleeper.

The neighbourhood: the station district is busy, practical and a little rough around the edges, like station quarters everywhere; it is lively by day and evening, but use normal city sense late at night. The pay-off is convenience: you can be on a train to Monaco or Antibes within minutes of leaving your room, and back late without worrying about the last bus. The avenue Jean Médecin shopping street and the tram are close, and the Carré d'Or and the sea are a pleasant walk away.

Who it suits: backpackers, students, solo travellers and anyone on a tight budget who wants to see the whole Riviera by train. It complements the network's beach hostel pick, Villa Saint Exupéry Beach, by offering a more central location near the trains. For more comfort at a modest step up in price, consider Maison Durante, a few streets away. Rates vary sharply with the calendar: winter weekdays are the cheapest of the year, while summer, the Carnival and the Monaco Grand Prix weekend push prices up across the city, so book early for those dates.