The Hôtel Negresco opened in 1913 on the Promenade des Anglais, facing the Baie des Anges. Its founder, the Romanian-born hotelier Henri Negresco, wanted a palace worthy of the aristocratic clientele that spent the winter on the Riviera. With its dome of pink and green, it is the emblem of the Nice seafront and one of the best known luxury hotels in Nice.
History
The hotel opened a year before the First World War, which interrupted its early success and turned it into a hospital. In 1957 it was bought by the Augier family, and Jeanne Augier ran it for more than half a century, filling it with works of art and keeping it independent. The building was classified as a historical monument in 2003.
Architecture and design
The architect Édouard Niermans, a specialist of Belle Époque casinos and hotels, designed the palace. Its centrepiece is the Salon Royal, an oval room under a glass dome, lit by a monumental crystal chandelier. Each floor and each room is decorated in a different period style, and the hotel holds a collection of paintings, sculptures and furniture from the 17th century to contemporary art.
Location
The hotel faces the sea on the Promenade des Anglais, a short walk from the old town of Nice, the Cours Saleya market and the Musée Masséna next door.
Weddings and events
The Salon Royal and the hotel’s reception rooms host weddings, dinners and receptions facing the Mediterranean.
At a glance
What sets it apart
- 01Opened in 1913 by Henri Negresco on the Promenade des Anglais
- 02Pink and green dome, an emblem of the Nice seafront
- 03Salon Royal under a glass dome
- 04Classified historical monument since 2003
Chronology
Dates that matter
1912
Henri Negresco begins building his palace on the Promenade des Anglais.
1913
The Negresco opens in January.
1914
The hotel is turned into a military hospital at the outbreak of the First World War.
1920
Henri Negresco dies, ruined by the war years.
1957
The hotel is bought by the family of Jeanne Augier.
2003
The Negresco is classified as a historical monument.
2016
On 14 July the hotel shelters people fleeing the attack on the Promenade des Anglais.
2019
Jeanne Augier dies in January after six decades at the head of the hotel.
