Hôtel Le Negresco

Nice

The city of Nice, deep in the Baie des Anges, grew from the foot of the hill of the chateau between the Paillon River and the sea. Its strategic position between the mountains and sea made it a very coveted site, which before becoming French in 1860, belonged to the House of Savoy in 1338 and later to the Piedmont-Sardinia kingdom. It was only after it became French that the city extended beyond the Paillon, along the magnificent Baie des Anges - Bay of Angels. The history of the city is reflected in its architecture. The old town with its narrow, winding streets and its red, ocher and yellow facades, invokes a modern day Italian city. The Baroque churches and certain palaces reveal the city’s Genovese influence, and along the bay, the numerous buildings dating to the Belle Epoque and the 1930s are a reminder of the presence of winter visitors like the English and Russian aristocracy and many wealthy French as well, who fled the cold, damp winter to take advantage of the mild Mediterranean climate. The world-renowned Promenade des Anglais which runs along the Baie des Anges was built by English winter visitors at the end of the 19^th century. Reputed for its blue chairs, the promenade is the link between the city and the beach. It’s a favorite spot for joggers, retired people, tourists and seekers of a Mediterranean suntan!

A museum inside a palace

Dominating the Baie des Anges with its celebrated pink dome, the mythical Negresco hotel has been looking down onto the Promenade des Anglais for almost a century. Built in 1912 by Henri Negresco, the famous director of the Municipal Casino, the hotel was and still is adored by the world’s crowned heads and the wealthy. The palace is a veritable living museum where classical works such as royal portraits hang side by side with those of contemporary artists including Dali, Niki de Saint-Phalle and Moretti. It was Jeanne Augier, the present owner of the Negresco who had the idea of sharing her love of art and history with the hotel’s international clientele. The art works, furniture and rare objects which make up the collection are on display in the hotel’s salons, rooms, suites and halls.

Of the 96 rooms and 21 suites each has its own style, ranging from Louis XIII to modern art. Rich, elegant and often unique pieces of period furniture, Sèvres porcelain, a Louis XVI bed, classical paintings, Baroque or classical décor, silk or velvet curtains all represent history and invoke the past. The present and the future are omnipresent however, in the state of the art technical equipment, including the latest LCD screen television sets and free wifi. From the Royal Suite, located under the legendary dome and the deluxe suites with their private terraces, the view of the sea is extraordinary. The others open onto the interior façade of the hotel or the Massena Park.

The Negresco’s facades, its roofs and the large central hall with its glass roof designed by Gustave Eiffel have been classified as historical monuments.

Henri Negresco offered his hotel to the France during World War One to be used as a temporary hospital. It was he himself who paid for the upkeep of the 100 beds. He was mobilized and stationed at the hotel where he watched over the building. He died penniless however, at the end of the war.