Villa Saint Exupery, Nice
Charmingly named in honor of pilot and writer Antoine de Saint Exupery, and using his charming “Little Prince” as its logo, the Villa Saint Exupery, in a suburb of Nice, France, is a hostel experience not to be missed. Housed in a converted Carmelite monastery on top of a hill, this hostel is a delightful and highly recommended place to stay.
The Villa is not only a great location from which to enjoy the fashionable and artistic French Riviera in the summertime, but it is also well placed for winter skiing, with eight fantastic ski resorts within ninety minutes of the hostel.
Nice itself is a fascinating place at any time of the year, with its beautiful Old Town of intricate narrow streets, and small shops, and with the nearby Colline du Chateau, which affords an impressive view of the twinkling blue Cote d’Azur, and Nice Harbor full of yachts and ships.
The hostel has lovely stone floors, and the old monastery still has its chapel, complete with stained glass windows. There is a lounge and a bar, which has a good atmosphere in the evening when it is packed with travelers enjoying the camaraderie.
The room rate includes a good continental breakfast of coffee, bread, butter and jam, as well as cereals and juice.
There are both single and double rooms available, and many rooms are ensuite. The views from the hostel are lovely, and the grounds have pine trees and olive trees.
Bang up-to-date with modern life, the hostel offers free WIFI and Cable LAN internet access in all rooms, dormitories and lounges, as well as twelve computers available for you to use if you don’t feel like lugging your laptop along in your backpack. There is a large kitchen available for guests to use, and those who enjoy a good nightlife will be pleased to hear that there is no curfew.
An overnight stay here varies from €22 to €39 depending on whether you opt for dormitory, double or single room, and whether you go for ensuite or not. The price also varies according to the time of year that you choose to go.
All in all, this villa offers reasonably priced, and very pleasant accommodation in a highly sought after and up-market vacation area.
