This Belle Epoque-style hotel features a few of the most sumptuous guest rooms on the French Riviera

While the Belle Epoque façade and the gorgeous skeleton of the long-lasting 1913 Le Negresco The hotel’s interiors are well preserved, with the extensive art collection, the Michelin-starred restaurant and the ultra-luxurious guest rooms and suites combining classic and modern.

Story

The eventful history of the Hotel Negresco began in 1913, when the hotel opened and quickly attracted the international jet set.

The property’s next chapter began in 1957, when it was purchased by Jeanne Augier – who welcomed famous artists, royals and other notable celebs reminiscent of Salvador Dali, Princess Grace of Monaco, the Beatles, Louis Armstrong and Elton John to the hotel. Until her death in 2019 on the age of 95, the millionaire hotel owner amassed an enormous collection of art and antique furniture that continues to be on display within the hotel’s lobby, rotunda, restaurants and bars, salons, hallways and even guest rooms.

The curated collection is impressive each in its size—an incredible 6,000 pieces—and in its variety and range. Yes, there are priceless Seventeenth-century tapestries, Chagalls, Picassos, and an original portrait of Napoleon III by court painter Hyacinthe Rigaud (the opposite two hang in Versailles and the Louvre). But within the Royal Salon, a playful sculpture by Niki de Saint Phalle spins in primary colours under a chandelier product of 16,800 Baccarat crystals. There’s also a salon dedicated to street art.

Location

Le Negresco occupies pride of place on Nice’s famous Promenade des Anglais. From anywhere along the promenade, you may see the long-lasting pink dome with the restaurant’s vivid name.

Number of rooms & suites

128 in total: 102 rooms and 26 suites

The atmosphere

The glamour of the Belle Epoque paired with centuries-old curated art

Highlights

• A primary location on Nice’s famous Promenade des Anglais
• Large, opulent, unique guest rooms
• A curated collection of 6,000 artworks and antique furniture
• Michelin-starred restaurant Le Chantecler
• Beach club with restaurant and deck chair rental

Architecture and decor

The hotel’s beautiful Belle Epoque architecture is well preserved, including the long-lasting pink dome, where a surprising chandelier and the glowing glass of the domed ceiling illuminate a curated collection of paintings and sculptures from classical to contemporary.

Like the varied art collection, each of the hotel’s 128 ultra-luxurious rooms and suites is exclusive and contains a skilful mix of antique and modern elements. All are spacious, luxurious and decorated with original artwork and object80 percent offer views of the bay, while others overlook the luxurious gardens of the neighboring Masséna Palace.

But the suites and signature suites are much more stunning. Take, for instance, the ultra-luxurious Marie Antoinette Suite, decorated in a chic combination of robin blue and goldenrod. With spacious living and dining areas adorned with elegant Sèvres vases, a terrace with elegant columns and panoramic views of the ocean and promenade, a dressing room, a toilet and a powder room, it must be one in all the grandest guest suites on the Côte d’Azur (That is kind of something).

But the suite major dish is the opulent neoclassical bedroom fit for a queen. Featuring antique furniture, a pair of caryatids (columns that take the form of the feminine figure) and a four-poster bed draped in silk from Tassinari & Chatel (a Living Heritage Company award-winning French silk manufacturer founded in 1680), the room is directly inspired by the Queen’s bed on the Petit Trianon – Marie Antoinette’s beloved mini-chateau on the grounds of Versailles.

Eat

The culinary program at Le Negresco is led by Normandy-born chef Virginie Basselot. The ChanteclerAt the Michelin-starred restaurant, guests enjoy exquisite tasting menus that mix classic and contemporary in a luxurious dining room with 18th-century woodwork and décor.

The hotel also offers two other casual dining options: The Rotunda And Le Negresco Beach Club Restaurant.

In the historic Bar, Guests can sip a glass of champagne and revel in live jazz while surrounded by gleaming original walnut paneling dating from 1913, a portrait of Napoleon III and a tapestry dating from 1683. The Versailles BarYou can enjoy cocktails on a sun-drenched terrace while watching the comings and goings on the busy promenade.

Who it’s best fitted to

• Couples, including honeymooners and people celebrating an anniversary
• Familys
• Business travelers
• Gourmet
• Solo travelers
• Every lover of art and architecture

What’s nearby

• Old Town of Nice
• Cours Saleya Market (Flower Market)
• Acropolis Convention Center
• The Matisse, Chagall and modern and contemporary art museums are all inside 3 km.
• 5 km from Nice Airport
• 19 kilometers from Monaco
• 24 kilometers from Cannes

For more information and to book a stay, please visit Le Negresco.