It was Henri Negresco who set the wheels into motion in the planning and construction phases of the Hotel Negresco. The son of a Romanian innkeeper, he was born in 1868, but it was not until 1912 that the hotel, named after the man, was brought to life. Monsieur Negresco was particularly famous in the region; he was the director of Municipal Casino and well known among princes, heads of state and other big names.
Negreso wanted to be the man to initiate a hotel to welcome his highly thought-of friends and so the palace-like appearance of the hotel seemed fitting. The architectural job was given to Edouard Niermans, a top architect of the time, and he came up with the existing design.
The Hotel Negresco Nice acts as a museum in and of itself thanks to an array of artwork, paintings and antique items of furniture. They can be found in the hallways, the bedrooms and in the public areas, adding a sense of occasion and history to the venue, and proving an added bonus to visitors.
The pieces span five centuries with royal portraits in some rooms and pieces from contemporary artists in other spaces. For example, pieces by Dali, Moretti, Gruau, Sosno and Niki de Saint-Phalle all contribute to the collection contained within this popular, well known and privately owned hotel.