Spity Hotel Nice

The staid exterior of this seven-story building makes the common areas inside seem all the more surprising. Bold in places, downright bizarre in others, the interior was designed by Philippe Starck protégé Matali Crasset in 2003, and it retains an eye-popping appeal. Take the lobby, where varied materials -- from concrete and metal to plywood and pleather -- combine with bright colors to create a look that's both über cool and carefully curated. The restaurant/bar area, with its curvaceous ribs and resin floor is even more distinctive. The problem is that the true trendsetters -- being always on the hunt for something new -- have long since moved on to other locations, leaving the lingering sense that this hotel is, perhaps, a bit passé. 

The Spity sits inland amid a respectable mix of commercial and residential buildings, a few blocks above Le Negresso. Sun-seekers can stroll to the beach -- a private swath of which belongs to the hotel -- in eight minutes. Cultural sites are within walking distance, too: Art lovers, for instance, can ogle Impressionists at the Musée des Beaux-Arts, a mere 12 minutes away. Modern masters are showcased at a trio of venues located within a 15-minute drive. A few minutes more will get you to the Cours Saleya Flower Market in the heart of Nice’s Old Town by either car or tram (there are stops for the latter nearby), though you can reach it on foot in 25 if you’re feeling ambitious. Barring traffic, the airport is a about a 13-minute drive in the opposite direction. 

• Seven-minute walk to Promenade de Anglais
• 12-minute walk to Musée des Beaux-Arts
• 13-minute walk to Gare de Nice-Ville train station
• 19-minute walk to Place Massena
• 12-minute drive to Acropolis Palais des Congres 
• 13-minute drive to Nice-Cote d'Azur Airport
• 14-minute drive to Musée d'Art Moderne or Musée Matisse 
• 15-minute drive to Musée National Marc Chagall 
• 15-minute drive to Colline de Château (Castle Hill) elevator 
• 17-minute drive to Cours Saleya Flower Market 
• 20-minute drive to Corsica Ferries
• 29-minute drive to Port of Nice-Villefranche (cruise port)

"Funky," "futuristic," and "unforgettable" are three adjectives these rooms call to mind -- but not all guests will apply them in a positive way. Available in nine styles, the Spity Hotel's concept accommodations rely heavily on color, and sometimes the use of it works. For example, the oversized blue pixels covering the walls of Digital Rooms are playful and striking; conversely, the garish yellow shade that dominates Rendezvous Rooms is so bright it could give you a headache. On the other end of the spectrum, the White and White digs with their minimalist furnishings and self-explanatory color scheme are so sterile they can read more as an ultra-mod hospital room than a hotel. Another downside is that rooms here sometimes sacrifice function for fun. Barely closed-in bathrooms (featuring either showers or shower/tub combos) are especially problematic; ditto for platform beds that often seem too low or too high. Moreover, though all boast air-conditioning, digital safes, iPod docking station, LCD televisions, and free Wi-Fi, only some have coffeemakers, none have minibars, and storage space is in short supply across the board.  

The Spity's top attraction is, quite literally, the small but pretty rooftop pool which provides panoramic views of the city and sea beyond. In season, guests wishing to get closer to the latter can take advantage of the hotel’s private beach area, which comes complete with a beach club and kids' activities; unfortunately, you’ll have to pay for the pleasure of using it. A hotel bar notable for its DJ booth and giant projection screen plus a wellness center with a hammam and massage menu offer alternate forms of relaxation, while business facilities (1,292-square feet of meeting space among them) let A-type travelers combine work and play. Other on-site amenities include a 24-hour front desk with multilingual staffers and concierge capabilities; a casual organic restaurant and adjacent dining deck; a library corner laden with books and board games; add-on dry-cleaning/laundry, babysitting and airport transfer services; free newspapers in the lobby; and free Wi-Fi throughout.