Interview with Antoine Volant, Hotel Manager at Hotel Ozz by HappyCulture from Nice, France

Lifestyle - Interview

by Melisa Kaya

Founded in 2016, Hotel OZZ is the first sharing hotel of HappyCulture. They offer a different experience to their guests. In Hotel OZZ, guests can stay in single rooms according to their preferences, or share their rooms with other guests in the same comfort. They can share what they live in the day with other guests and they learn different things they can do the day after. It's a different hotel where guests can watch a football match together or play Fussball in the common area. In order to learn more about Sharing Hotel concept, I asked Antoine Volant, Hotel Manager at Hotel OZZ by HappyCulture.

Antoine, before start talking about Hotel OZZ by HappyCulture, could you tell us about your background and your career in HappyCulture Hotels?

I joined the HappyCulture group especially to launch the OZZ project, the chain is mainly composed of 3 and 4 stars hotels, OZZ is the first kind of Sharing Hotel in the group, we are pioneers! Before that, I have a background in hotels and hostels like Generator Paris hostel, a huge hostel welcoming up to one thousand guests, where I used to lead the front desk. I have as well a background as a world traveler as I use to work in aviation with Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE. Most of our guest are backpackers and world travelers, we both share one passion: traveling and meeting new people.

Hotel OZZ by HappyCulture

I would like to learn more about your location first. Could you briefly tell us about your location and its advantages for your guests?

The OZZ is located in downtown Nice, the famous capital of the french riviera, a 1h30 flight from Paris.

We have situated a 2 min walk from the main train station which is a 20min ride by train or bus from the Nice international airport.

The hotel is exactly in the middle of the city, near the main shopping street and surrounded by numerous tasty restaurants. Points of attraction like museums, the historic old town, and the beautiful blue sea beach are all at walking distance from the OZZ.

Could you tell us about the Hotel OZZ by HappyCulture and the overall concept?

The comfort of a hotel, the soul of a hostel! We aim to offer a comfortable bed to travelers at a decent price delivering a great experience and giving them the opportunity to meet with each other and create unforgettable encounters!

Hotel OZZ by HappyCulture

How would you explain to us Sharing Hotel concept? What are the advantages of staying in the hotel which has Sharing Hotel concept?

A sharing hotel gives you the opportunity to meet other travelers easily. In your room before watching your favorite series on your smartphone or in the lobby playing Fussball, you can share what you discovered during your day, share your stories and adventures, get good tips for future visits and much more!

Indeed as a hostel, we offer shared rooms and as well as private double rooms featured as at a 3-star hotel. You can then enjoy either the social part of it or the private and quiet side of it too. If you come as a group, you can also privatise your room and use the common area to play games and meet new friends.

The idea is this, to enjoy the soul of a hostel with the comfort of a hotel at a decent price.

Hotel OZZ by HappyCulture

What type of different rooms do you offer to your guests? Could you tell us about your rooms? What are their features?

We offer private double rooms featured with big double beds with a TV, closet, mini fridge, toilets and shower in the rooms.

We also have dormitories featured with bunk beds. Each bunk has its own curtain, power plug and night light.

They also come with private lockers that you can lock with your own padlock or the one we sell at the reception.

All rooms are featured with A/C, free WIFI access and have the toilet and bathroom inside.

Hotel OZZ by HappyCulture

What could you tell us about your guest? Why do they prefer the Hotel OZZ by HappyCulture?

Our guest comes from all kinds of backgrounds, from the backpacker to the businessman just creating their startup, we count numerous kind of people: families, world travelers, football teams, theater groups and music bands... they come from the 4 corners of the world!

Hotel OZZ by HappyCulture

Please tell us about your services and amenities. How they make your guests' lives more fun and easier?

The OZZ offers a great common area where people can relax and meet each other. Games such as Fussball or ping pong table are available. They can also play several board games while they are enjoying their free coffee that we offer all day long.

If they stay at the OZZ during the evening, they should be able to enjoy a nice glass of French wine or a local beer at our bar and happy hour is ON from 18h to 21h! We also organise from time to time events such as a live group music party like the Hawaii Party, Quizz night, Karaoke night or the “languages cafe meet-up” that allows you to practice the languages of the world. We always try to encourage people to meet each other!

What can your guests do when they step out of the Hotel OZZ by HappyCulture and step into the streets of Nice?

Nice and its surroundings have numerous sites to visit! In Nice they can first enjoy the main shopping street right next to the hotel, walk to the famous Massena Square, go to the old town and climb the steps up to the castle hill in order to have a wonderful view of the city. Then, when you see the amazing colours of the sea from the top, you spot where you want to end up next and it is easy to get there too! There are also museums, theatre, countless restaurants and bars with great nightlife!

Quickly accessible by train or bus, you can go to Monaco, Cannes, Antibes, Eze Village (a beautiful old village) Saint-Paul-de Vence (another typical local village) and even Italy if you have the time! There are so many things to see in Nice and around if you take public transport. Luckily our hotel is situated a 2-minute walk from them!

Hotel OZZ by HappyCulture

Which services and features of Hotel OZZ by HappyCulture make it different from other hotels in Nice?

Our bunk beds offer travelers great comfort at a decent price, you will barely find that in Nice. The cool and convivial atmosphere present in the OZZ makes it a unique place!

What kind of additional services do you offer for business travelers?

We offer free wifi access everywhere in the hotel, we, unfortunately, don’t have any meeting rooms or car park facilities.

How can travelers make their individual or business/group reservations? Do you have any advantage packs that you offer to your regular and long-term guests?

We do have a department dedicated to groups and corporate guests. Queries can be transmitted directly to our reception, either by mail or phone. We do offer special rates for groups and for loyal customers willing to come back on regular basis at the hotel, however, we do not have any special rate or package for long-term guest.

Hotel OZZ by HappyCulture

Which is the top season for travelers who want to visit Nice? What is the reason?

I would advise travelers to visit Nice in late September, beginning of October, as the weather is still very pleasant, the sea still warm from the summer, the street, touristic places and beaches less busy and accommodation prices dropping with the arrival of the low season.

What are the most famous attractions near you?

Near the hotel, you are very close to Jean Medecin shopping avenue, Shopping Center Nice Etoile, Galleries Lafayette, the Russian church, the Notre Dame church, Chagall Museum, the beach is at 15 min walk and the old town at 20 minutes walk or 5 minutes by tramway.

Hotel OZZ by HappyCulture

If you have only one weekend in Nice as a first-time visitor, in this limited time, what are the best things to do?

I would go to the very famous “Promenade des Anglais”, grab my swimming suit to enjoy the sea, spend some time wandering around in the old town, stop by the very tasty Fenocchio Ice cream shop, enjoy the sunset from castle hill, eat a nice Napolitan pizza in the colourfull oldtown and take advantage of the second day to go to Monaco by train (20 minutes ride), spend a couple of hours there and come back to Nice in the afternoon.

How do you describe Nice in one sentence?

Nice is like a pearl, it is a perfect balance of all its aspects, it is the city that you always dreamed about.

Anything you would like to add that I haven’t asked?

I would be happy to welcome you here and show you around :) ! See you soon!

Thank you Antoine for this enjoyable interview.

For more information, please visit website of Hotel Ozz Nice

This interview was conducted in a Question-and-Answer format. The answers were checked for grammar and punctuation and published without any additional editing. Friday, August 24, 2018. All photos are the property of their respective owners.