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It’s sundown at the Hotel Negresco in Nice and the head barman is recommending I try a glass of Rosé Champagne, the same one they’ve been serving for a century, much beloved of the legendary owner Madame Augier who until recently lived with her dogs Lilou and Lili in the hotel’s penthouse. If Nice is the city where the best of the Côte d'Azur comes together – art, sparkling sea views, and elegant boulevards – then the Hotel Negresco is its crown jewel.
Artworks from Louis XIII to contemporary French adorn the walls (Salvador Dali & Picasso were regulars here), bedrooms are so close to the sea you can hear the waves and a chandelier designed by Baccarat sparkles above the main atrium. F Scott Fitzgerald took inspiration for the opulence and glamour of the Roaring Twenties he describes so evocatively in ‘Tender is the Night’ from soaking up the scene at the 1913 bar. But don’t be fooled by the vintage exterior, the hotel combines old world charm with modernity.
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Renowned for its Michelin starred restaurant, Le Chantecler, Negresco has recently added a world class spa to its offering with paintings and sculptures from the hotel’s art collection looking remarkably at home amongst the acres of marble and shimmering pool. I had the signature 90mins treatment with a mini facial- Olivier Claire serums bringing my complexion back to life as my muscles were pummeled into submission. Grateful for a quiet evening alone & face already bed-ready, I left the massage oil in my hair, and salt from a sea swim on my skin and ordered room service.
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Chef Virginie Basselot, holds the distinction of being only one of the two women recognised as a Meilleurs Ouvrier de France (MOF) since the award’s inception in 1923 and oversees all restaurants at the hotel so food is a serious business there. I was so obsessed with the Lobster Caesar salad I had it both nights with a glass of St Emilion and followed by her famous Crème Brûlée.
Rooms service still feels like an occasion as the rooms themselves are a distinguishing feature. The majority have wrought iron balustrades opening onto mini balconies - perfect for watching the world go by on the Promenade des Anglais. For a special occasion (or to feel like the archetypal Dauphine), a handful of suites open onto the Gardens of the Massena Palace with the beach in the distance.
In a world which often feels frantic and overwhelming, the Côte d’Azur holds its elegance and timeless charm. ’ll be trying to channel my inner Grace Kelly from now on.
