Le Grimaldi - Cagnes-sur-Mer, France 

We stayed at the Hotel Grimaldi for 2 nights at the beginning of July. Business partners Tomaz and Joanna took over earlier in 2008 and have created a 'cool space' to stay in Haut Cagnes sur Mer. The hotel offers 5 rooms, one a suite with its own balcony. All are air conditioned and provided with TV/Hi-Fi. The able-bodied will love the spiral staircase access to the rooms. The beds were incredibly comfortable, and our room had a great view over the square next to Chateau Grimaldi, and across the surrounding hillsides. We arrived late after a delayed flight, and our hosts could not have been more accomodating. Eating here is a notch above the average hotel restaurant. There are options of eating either prix fixe or a la carte. The chef trained with Alain Ducasse and it shows. We happily washed down our meal with a light rose from their cellars, sitting outside under umbrellas, watching a late-night game of boules. Parking and access to the hotel requires a bit more effort. There is a public car-park on the left as you follow the road to the centre of the village. It is the only guaranteed place to park, and you'll have a novel experience - the cars are loaded onto racks and descend into the hillside. The square is pedestrianised, so it's impossible to unload your luggage outside the hotel anyway. You won't need the car again until you leave the area as there is a frequent free shuttle bus service to take you down to Cagnes sur Mer. This departs from just around the corner outside the tourist office. So is this a restaurant with rooms or a hotel with a restaurant ? If you want a mini-bar in your room; room service; and all the usual trappings of a modern full-service hotel with bar and reception rooms and garden, then you'll regard Hotel Grimaldi as a restaurant with rooms. To me this suggests a level of personal service which is welcoming and attentive without being intrusive, helped by the hosts' excellent English. It is also reflected in the tariff which was very reasonable for the area. Ideal for couples and romantice breaks. Only 30 minutes drive from Nice Cote d'Azur airport Not so good for children and anyone with a physical impairment

We were a bit nervous having booked via an external website, but were greeted quite warmly by our host Tomaz, and shown around. The Hotel is very old but with modern touches like the cD player and posh bathroom, and the bedroom we had overlooked the village square and hills and valleys beyond. It is a beautiful place, and we liked the medieval village greatly. Ajowan and Tomaz are both from Sweden and know how to make guests wlecome. The restaurant serves excellent food and very good regional wines. We could not fault the hotel. There is a free minibus from round the corner near the Tabac to Cagnes sur Mer, but we would recommend thoroughly testing the tourist office close by before you go into town for Musee Renoir, buses to Nice and beaches, maps, rather than doing everything the hard way like we did. We found a lack of buses on Sunday, closed shops on Monday and a scarcity of taxis from ranks marked on the maps other than by the station, by which time you might as well get the trains, which are on the Ventimiglia to Cannes line, fine for trips to Villefranche, Nice etc.