Hotel Negresco

The stand-out pad on the Promenade des Anglais
Word to the wise: If renowned in-house restaurant Le Chantecler is out of your budget, try the carousel-themed La Rotonde; set menu from EUR 34.

Talk of the town: Octogenarian hotel owner Madame Augier, who resides in the tower, has bequeathed her entire estate to a charity for the homeless and unwanted animals.
Said to be modelled on Dutch courtesan Mata Hari's breasts, the perky pink domes of this fabulous belle epoque hotel tower high above the Promenade des Anglais. Even if you're not planning to splash out on one of the Hotel Negresco's luxuriant sea-view suites, it's well worth poking your nose into this grand old icon for a look around.

Following a few years of rocky trade, the hotel was revived during the 50s by the Augier family who installed an exceptional art collection as well as ostentatious furnishings and decor befitting the grand building. Never one to shy away from change, the Negresco has recently seen a facelift in the form of newly-designed suites and the introduction of an award-winning young chef to its famous Regency-style restaurant, Le Chantecler.