Are you looking for a comfortable place to stay on the Cote d’Azur? Then look no further as the Mas des Oliviers is waiting for you. On the hills overlooking Nice, surrounded by a beautiful garden, you will find here a little paradise with both sea and mountain views.
We caught up with Michael and Jean-René, the owners of this gorgeous property, to find out more.
What made you decide to open your B&B?
Well, almost since we met back in 1994 we were already talking about running a guesthouse in the future - as probably a lot of other couples do around the world. We both used to work in big offices with lots of other employees and had enough of it. In spring 2005 we met a young guy at a party whose parents apparently owned a B&B in Ireland and wanted to sell it.
However, Jean-René (JR) didn’t like the idea of moving to a rainy country with probably only a seasonal business so he started to look into properties in the South of France. His mother tongue is French so that also helps!
Who runs it?
JR and I run it together, though we both have our specialities! JR is definitively the boss in the kitchen and does most of the work in the house, whereas I’m more occupied with our large garden and the pool. Plus it always depends on the guests themselves which one of us will spend more time talking to them.
In your opinion, what is its best feature of Mas des Oliviers?
Difficult to say as it combines a lot of qualities. We’re part of the fourth largest city in France but we’re surrounded by countryside. We have views to the sea and the mountains and a big garden with different fruit trees and vineyards. There’s a tennis club on the next property where our guests can play and we have a small gym in an outside room under the palm trees walled by big glass doors. Most of our guests have liked both the setting of the house and the quiet, calm atmosphere.
What’s been the most memorable moment for you while running the guesthouse?
Every customer has brought special moments and I hope that it stays this way! But one of our most memorable moments was the weekend of Ascension when we had guests from four different European countries. They all ended up having a meal cooked for them by JR and enjoyed themselves immensely.
And the worst?
That was probably our first evening after we bought the property and tried to cook our first dinner with champagne to celebrate. In the middle of the cooking the whole place went dark. We hadn’t any candles and didn’t know where the fuses were. We ended up in our car - where there was light - and called our neighbour to show us where the fuses were. For the entire evening and the next few weeks they kept blowing until we found out the vendor had apparently minimized the costs of electricity by subscribing to just a basic tariff without telling us.
Is there a gay scene nearby?
We’re situated in the middle of the French Riviera so you can easily get to the night life of Monte Carlo or Cannes in about 30 minutes. Nice has the biggest gay scene in the region with clubs, bars and restaurants. Okay, so it’s not comparable with the big gay scenes of Paris or London, but there’s still a lively scene especially in summer.
What is there to do in the local area?
Actually you name it and you can find it. The Côte d’Azur is obviously a great place to sun yourself on the many beaches, but it also offers fantastic countryside with lots of medieval villages, cultural events and art galleries with works by world famous artists. If you’re more energetic then there’s plenty of sports to indulge in from diving to sailing to golfing, horse riding, trekking, skiing, biking and so on. Most of these sports can be enjoyed in Nice and the rest can be found within an hours drive.
Is there an `average` gay traveller who uses your accommodation?
As we’ve only been open about five months it’s mainly our old friends and acquaintances. I actually think the travellers who will feel most at home with us are the ones who are looking for a quiet, luxury place in a nice, moderate climate during all seasons that’s well connected to downtown if the need arises.
What sort of clientele are you hoping to attract?
We think that we’re best suited for guests who want a relaxing environment to recover from their daily work or business people who are working temporarily in the region. We hope to attract mainly gay people as we feel most comfortable with them, but are open to straight people as well!
What services and facilities do you offer?
We have four big rooms which are all very different and breakfast is included. There is a big living room for our guests with a TV and lots of books. There’s also our little gym under the palm trees and a vine covered 'place de boule' for playing France’s favourite outdoor game. We’ve also got an outside kitchen where anybody can make their own snacks and there’s a fridge with all kind of drinks including local wines. Private parking is also available.
What are your cooked breakfasts like and do you have a vegetarian option?
We usually do a continental buffet with baguette and cones, butter and a selection of homemade jams, cereals, yoghourt, fruits and your choice of coffee, tea or chocolate. So that actually is a vegetarian option!
Where do you like to go when you go on holiday?
The last few years we’ve started to drive to other European regions which are not so well known but nevertheless very nice. You don’t have to go very far for a nice environment.
The big pitch! Why should people holiday in your guesthouse?
To relax, to unwind, to feel comfortable and to have an easily reachable ‘base camp’ to discover all what the Côte d’Azur has to offer.
Read our guide to Nice.
Accommodation Details:
Mas des Oliviers
350, Chemin de Crémat, F-06200 Nice, France
Tel/Fax: +33 (0)4 93 52 22 60
For more information email Michael or JR on contact@masdesoliviers-nice.com or visit the website at www.masdesoliviers-nice.com.
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If you own a gay hotel or B&B and would like to be featured in our next gay accommodation fact file, then why not get in touch? Email us at travel@gaydarnation.com for more information.