This is the best-value hotel on the French Riviera

The hotelHotel Le G, Nice, FranceCheck-inHotel Le G, Nice.All rooms are on the first floor, reached via stairs.Hotel Le G was a Nice wild card for a quick stay, leaping off a booking-site page among a dearth of bland, old-school, or overpriced accommodation. It’s a family hotel, formerly Hotel Geneve, rejuvenated by the owner’s children into the personality-plus Hotel Le G five years ago. Nice retains a glamourpuss reputation, albeit one that needed a nanna nap, with fraying seams and tattered sequins if examined closely. But this southern France belle is undergoing its own Renaissance with high-end hotels fuelling the economy and edgy, independent hotels such as Le G reaching out to first-time visitors. The arrival couldn’t be easier – a €5 ($8), 30-minute ride on tram line two to Garibaldi/Chateau station, a 140-metre croissant toss from the hotel. I arrive at 11pm and the hotel has emailed an entrance code and temporary QR code to open the room. I collect my key in the morning from the friendly receptionist, Daniel.Sign up for the Traveller newsletterThe latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now.The lookRooms are decorated with finds from French flea markets.Behind the heritage-listed facade, Le G is a raging fever dream of mismatched items the owners have lovingly sourced from brocantes (second-hand sellers). None of the 16 rooms are alike; an antique cash register, tasselled lamps and jungle wallpaper create a visual cacophony in the lobby, the upstairs carpet is festooned with frolicking males in 1920s swimsuits, and there’s even a disco ball on the landing. It reminds me of a three-star version of Paris’ five-star Le Grand Mazarin and manages to dodge kitsch and celebrate budget eclecticism. Cookie-cutter it’s not, with a price that makes this the best value on the Côte d’Azur at €56 ($93) a night.The roomSome rooms feature a Juliette balcony.Room nine’s hardwood floor and Juliette balcony give French flair, while the dark curtains, double-glazed windows and deep olive hues give a good night’s sleep. Lavender-scented body wash and a retro mini-bar with female-founded Buzzballz cocktails-in-a-bottle (€11.90), Corsican beer and Embrace sodas (named after cities, like the Marseille peach mint variety), lend the room a boutique feel with all you need, and nothing you don’t.Bold colours feature in most spaces, including the bathroom, at Hotel Le G.Food + drinkLe Cafe des Chineurs (bargain hunters) is accessed from the street via a separate door, and is buzzing with a hive of Nicoise social fireflies. It’s a welcoming scene, and the tapas and healthy snacks are affordable, but there’s a lot to digest; its decoration ranges from a mannequin in a gas mask to a stuffed reindeer’s head. The breakfast buffet looks appetising, but I’m lured by the winter sun to Place Garibaldi’s Panama and a side serve of people-watching. What I’ve saved on a hotel funds a stellar dinner at nearby Le Bistrot de Jan, helmed by Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen, one of the first South African chefs awarded a Michelin star.Out + aboutMere footsteps away, on Place Garibaldi, I come upon a fairytale-like Christmas market of handmade goods. Whatever the season, the location is unbeatable. It’s near to the old town and packed with bars, boulangeries and cafes. The Old Port is a three-minute stroll away making this a walk-everywhere bolthole.The verdictHotel Le G is rated as No.4 best small hotel (Tripadvisor) in Nice for a reason, and I feel like I’ve won the bang-for-buck lottery: in late November my room is €56 ($96), rocketing to €215 ($357) in peak season (September is no longer shoulder season, Nice bustles from Easter to November), still below nearby competitors.EssentialsRooms (all are on the first floor with no lift) from $96 a night. 1 Rue Cassini, Nice, France. See le-g-chineurs.comOur score out of five★★★★ 1/2HighlightAn 1896 French dictionary in a crumbling leather jacket is part of the room’s decoration – a true antique.LowlightLugging my suitcase up to the first floor.The writer stayed at her own expense.Flip Byrnes, who specialises in adventure and off the beaten track travel, is both Sydney and Europe-based and loves unearthing unsung travel gems.From our partners