Hôtel Excelsior by HappyCulture

⭐️⭐️⭐️½ (3.5 stars)

We stayed at Hôtel Excelsior by HappyCulture for five nights. The location is a big plus — just a few minutes’ walk from the Nice-Ville train station, making it convenient for day trips to nearby destinations like Èze or Monte Carlo. The hotel also provides a complimentary filtered water and coffee station, which is a thoughtful touch. The front desk staff were consistently helpful and professional throughout our stay.

However, the room setup left much to be desired. The “king-size” bed was actually two single mattresses joined together, making it impossible to get a good night’s sleep. There was no electrical outlet in the bathroom, and the room design included several unusable millwork cavities instead of practical closet space. The door closers on rooms were extremely loud, often startling us when others exited. Lastly, the breakfast quality didn’t justify its price.

Overall, a convenient choice for train travelers with courteous staff, but with several comfort and design issues that hold it back from being a truly enjoyable stay.

Great staff , breakfast & room comfy
Would recommend

Great location for ladies that like to shop and sightsee.Good access on transportation to Cannes & Monte Carlo.Breakfast provided was very good. Room clean and comfortable.Would recommend to others.

Rooms are clean and comfortable. Staff are friendly and helpful. Close to the main train station and tramway stop. Numerous dining options nearby.

Staff were friendly. Room was clean. And breakfast was delicious. It’s a quiet, quant area. About a 8 minute walk to the tram and the train was 3 minute walk. Tram could take you to Old Nice in minutes. We would definitely stay here again!

Cozy place in safe neighborhood. The staff is friendly and attentive.
Property needs a little touch up /remodeling

My first time to Nice with my daughter ...so needed to find a good Hotel.Luckily we chose the Hotel Excelsior! The Hotel is so convenient minutes from the train and walkable to the the city and beach.The Hotel has a good Breakfast Buffet and great rooms with Great AC!But what makes this Hotel 5 star is its Amazing staff!No one walks past you without a Bon Jour and a smile.The manager Dragau is there to help you with anything you may need
The front desk staff...Emammela,Angel,Alexandra & Emma are absolutely Awesome. And Sahar will greet you with the biggest smile in the morning and take care of you while having your breakfast. The whole staff made our stay 5 star all the way!This Hotel is a perfect place to stay on your trip to Nice!We will be staying here again when in Nice .

Staff were excellent as well as the breakfast! Gutted we didn’t get a chance to use the pool area especially as the new garden furniture had just arrived! Good excuse to visit again!

Amazing customer service and hospitality. Everyone was very kind and the breakfast was great. Overall a good stay and would recommend.

Definitely not a 4 star hotel. It was the worst room. I strongly do not recommend especially if you are planning to stay in a group of 3. Many of the staff are very nice and the front building exterior is very cute.
The building we were guided to was an old two-storey building behind the front building and the pool. It's a terrible room with a small, mildewy smell and dusty look. There are always people by the pool, so you can't open the windows or curtains.There is absolutely zero privacy. The room is very compact that there is no space to open your luggage. I moved the annoying closet in the middle of the room and found a lot of dust and insects. The air conditioner smells mildew, and my throat hurts the moment I enter the room, and since we cannot open the window, the air makes us difficult to breathe.
I asked the front desk to change rooms, but on the first day they told us that the room was full, and on the second day they said they need to clean the room and can’t change it. Even after saying this, they didn't refund so we checked out for our well being. It's not a space for humans to stay. The WiFi is very slow (0.4mbps) a frustrating online experience. The old two-storey house and the front building is disproportionate for the same price.

Just a few minute walk from the bullet train station nice Ville. Fast check in even at 2030 hours. Room was good size, plenty of room. One negative, the room does not have storage for your personal items. A desk is provided but we used it for our snacks, a small frig is available. It’s only a short 10 minute walk to the beach area, you will pass plenty of restaurants along the way. Breakfast was good selection of meats, cheese, fruits, cereal. I would stay again. A thank you to the manager for all his time and information.

This is advertised as a 4-star property, but in reality, it feels closer to 2.5–3 stars at best.

The bathroom has visible mold, the bathtub is dirty and scratched, the furniture is worn and damaged, and there is a strong, unpleasant odor coming from the bathroom. Additionally, there is dirt under the bed, which shows a lack of proper cleaning.

Charging over $300 per night for these conditions is unacceptable. I will be requesting a refund immediately.

Clean, friendly, nice garden with lounge pool. Excellent for walking around.

Terrible front desk staff, raised issues multiple times regarding not having AC during a heatwave and was told by 3 different people that an “electrician” was coming to help. Initially offered another room however they said hotel was booked when asked - was forced to stay an additional night given the late hour of notification until we checked into another hotel.

We stayed at the Excelsior Hotel in Nice for one night and had a very pleasant experience. The hotel is conveniently located and has a charming, boutique feel with a mix of classic and modern design elements.
Our room was clean and comfortable, though a bit small, which is typical for city hotels in Europe. It included a small balcony, which was a nice touch, offering a bit of outdoor space and fresh air. The air conditioning worked very well, keeping the room cool and comfortable throughout our stay — a big plus during the warmer season.
The Wi-Fi was decent, good enough for browsing and checking emails. The staff were friendly and helpful, making us feel welcome from the moment we arrived. Check-in was smooth, and they were happy to answer questions and offer local tips.
We especially enjoyed the breakfast, which was fresh and varied, with a good selection of items to suit different tastes. It was a great way to start the day before heading out to explore the city.
Overall, the Excelsior Hotel is a great option for a short stay in Nice. While the rooms are compact, the cleanliness, efficient air conditioning, and warm hospitality make it a solid choice. We would definitely consider staying here again on a future visit.

Great location close to the train station and still walkable to other areas like the old town. Beds were very comfortable and loved that my room had a little balcony. Staff were very friendly and breakfast was good.

I had an excellent stay at this hotel and I highly recommend it. Everything was perfect: the cleanliness of the premises, the comfort of the rooms, and the overall pleasant atmosphere. A special mention goes to the receptionist, who was particularly warm, professional, and always smiling. Her welcome truly set the tone for a great stay.

Thank you for this wonderful experience

I will definitely come back!

Great Hotel! We stayed there for one night after our train ride from Paris to Nice Ville. Super walkable from the Nice Ville train station and a very lovely staff. Definitely would recommend, our bathroom was a little small but totally doable for one night.

I had a good experience but my bedroom door was not secure at night which did not allow me to sleep well. The receptionist was helpful but ultimately it was a problem to be solved by an engineer.

TL;DR:
Got bitten by bedbugs in Room 302. Staff initially promised fumigation, then denied it and said it was “just mosquitoes.”
Mind you - I had blistering on my face and hands. Mosquito bites don’t do that.
One staff member even tried to gaslight me, suggesting I brought the bedbugs from Paris - because the room had since been reassigned to another guest who “hadn’t complained.”
(For the record: that’s not how bedbugs work. They don’t feed every day, and not everyone reacts to bites. So yes, the next guest might not notice anything at all.)

Gaslighting + health risk = not trustworthy. Avoid.
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I stayed 7 nights at this hotel. During the first two nights in Room 302, my husband and I were bitten multiple times - including blistering bites on my face and hands. After reporting the issue, the staff moved us to another room. We stayed five more nights with no new bites, clearly confirming the problem was isolated to Room 302.

That alone was upsetting, but what followed was worse.

A staff member Alexandre initially told me the room would be fumigated. However, at checkout, another staff member said no treatment had been done, only “regular cleaning,” and that the room had already been reassigned to another guest who “didn’t complain about anything.”
Later, I received an email from management claiming that a professional inspection had been conducted and no bedbugs were found - supposedly within 1 hour of my checkout, which is logistically impossible and directly contradicts what staff told me in person.

This level of dishonesty and gaslighting is deeply troubling - especially when it involves a clear health and hygiene risk like bedbugs.

The hotel’s willingness to downplay a bedbug report, skip proper sanitation, and reuse a potentially infested room shows a clear disregard for guest safety.
I cannot recommend this hotel and strongly advise others to stay elsewhere.