Katya Apukhtina
Google
My family, friends, and I have been visiting Belles Rives for many years. In fact, my grandparents fell in love with Antibes through this very place, which led to our family acquiring property in the area. That’s why I say this with genuine disappointment, that the standard at Belles Rives has declined severely.
Over the past year alone, I’ve visited at least seven times, and each visit has been worse than the last.. from unprofessional service and inattentive staff to poorly made drinks and subpar food. I, myself, have never stayed at the hotel, but I’ve often come for a drink or meal, drawn by the view and nostalgia. Sadly, those are no longer enough.
On my most recent visit, on the 24th of June, I came with a friend for a casual drink and something to share. We ordered the burrata with tomatoes, repeatedly confirming with our server that the dish contained no nuts, as my friend has a serious allergy. We were reassured multiple times, and nothing on the menu indicated otherwise, so we proceeded.
First, it took 20 minutes to receive our drinks. Then, the burrata arrived, smothered in pesto. We immediately raised the concern, and after another long wait, a replacement arrived. Another waiter kindly offered bread, which never came. Our desserts followed. I ordered the crème brûlée, which turned out to be a cold, jelly-like, oddly flavoured reinterpretation that bore little resemblance to the classic dish.
The final disappointment came with the bill, which took 25 minutes to arrive despite the restaurant being nearly empty. A staff member approached with the bizarre and condescending question: “Are you the allergy people?” She then insisted the original pesto was “nut-free,” despite listing pine nuts as an ingredient immediately afterward (a baffling contradiction). Her explanation was confusing and dismissive, and frankly, quite troubling given the seriousness of the issue.
We later learned it was our servers first day, and frankly, we felt bad for her. She was clearly unsupported.
It’s deeply frustrating to watch a once-loved establishment lose its sense of hospitality and quality. While the view remains beautiful, it no longer justifies the experience; the service, food, and attitude have all fallen well below the standard that Belles Rives once represented. Regrettably, I don’t see myself returning anytime soon.