Best Western Plus Hotel Masséna Nice ★★★★

I see what so many great painters such as Marc Chagall and Henri Matisse saw in Nice as soon as I arrive. The secret, as is so often the case, lies in the light. The fine salty air lends a sort of kaleidoscopic, magnified effect and yet there is something else, apart from the shimmering salt crystals, which sends the sun glancing off every reflection, and instantly Chagall's paintings come to mind. Indeed Nice, with its timeless quality, the antiquated architecture, wooden shutters with peeling paint that has seen too many summers, and the magnetic pull of the sea on its shores, seems somewhat dreamlike itself. I find myself rapidly being woven into its spell, as though I've always been here, as though I have been visiting its elegant squares and its apricot-coloured houses since the 1700s.

On reaching the hotel I am delighted to find that the splendid Belle Époque exterior of this majestic building, built at the turn of the last century, contrasts artistically with the thoroughly modern décor inside. I feel as though I have stepped into a gallery curated by Andy Warhol. The theme is predominantly monochrome, with lively splashes of colour of the scarlet and fuchsia pink velvet chairs and the enormous abstract paintings on the wall. A large-scale photo of Marilyn Monroe sets the tone that continues in the hall upstairs and in the bedrooms. Here black and white portraits of great stars, such as Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart, and Katherine Hepburn, give the ultra modern pop-art interior design that same golden-age echo that can be felt in the rest of the city. My room is sleek and white, with dazzling streaks of red, from the curtains to the bedspread and I have the feeling this could the perfect set for a film noir. Sophisticated, understated, yet a little dashing and indisputably glamorous, it certainly lives up to my idea of a holiday on the French Riviera.

True to the high-spec chic in the rest of the hotel, I find I have a state-of-the-art flat-screen television, all the usual mod-cons, a bathtub, which I greatly look forward to luxuriating in, and a kettle, thoughtfully supplied with coffee, tea and herbal infusions - essential to make us English feel truly at home! I also discover I am lucky enough to have a balcony overlooking the beautiful city beyond. After a quick change, I set out exploring and I begin by visiting the Marc Chagall Museum, of course. Then, my head swimming with fairytale colours and magical realism, I take the obligatory stroll along the Promenade Des Anglais, enjoying the ocean breeze as I picture eighteenth-century ladies with their parasols and gentleman doffing their tall hats as they pass by. I find a charming little bistro to have dinner in and it is late by the time I get back to the hotel, but I am welcomed back warmly, as though they have known me for years, and I fall happily and safely into bed.

The next day I awake late and realise I have missed the buffet breakfast that is served until 10am, but on ringing reception I am informed, to my delight, that the American-style “petit-déjeuner ” is available to enjoy in the privacy of my own room. This is luxury indeed, breakfast in bed! I can't recall the last time I did that. It is delicious, particularly the fresh strawberries and pancakes with maple syrup: I feel like one of those stars whose pictures hang above my bed. In keeping with the languorous tone, I decide to make the most of my discounted access to the private beach.

Twenty minutes later I am lying under my own umbrella overlooking the sparkling blue water of the Côte d'Azur, sipping on a refreshing glass of lemonade with a sprig of mint and listening to the gentle rush of the peaceful waves lapping at my feet. Quite another side to this magnificent city; Nice brings together the best France has to offer, from its charming markets to its rich art culture, its gorgeous architecture and that certain “je ne sais quois”. All this to take in, and then the Hôtel Masséna Nice **** and the sea to escape to when you feel the need to slow it down. Here you can drift at the leisurely pace that seems to be the key to preserving Nice’s characteristic, rustic charm that lends to its nickname, Nice the Beautiful.