THE HEART OF SEASIDE SOCIETY
As Nice transformed from a peaceful winter holiday haven to the glittering social and cultural heart of the Cote D’Azur, one hotel led the way. Discover how one forward-thinking investor set the tone for more than a century of chic escapes.
A NEW VACATION DESTINATION
Nice for the Winter?
In the mid-1800s, the European aristocracy – French, Russian and English – flocked to the French Riviera every year, not for seaside pleasures, but rather for the lavish receptions of the winter season, for the curative fresh and a break from the hustle and bustle of the great capitals. But things were about to change...
A Vision for the Future
In 1840, with news of a railway to connect the seaside destination to the rest of France and beyond, local businessman Monsieur Domenique Leyraud saw the potential for Nice as a summer paradise. The savvy investor purchased a plot of land just a stone's throw from the seafront and entrusted architect Jean-Antoine Scoffier with the task of building a large-scale hotel in the Neo-Classical style. The specifications were precise: the hotel had to offer all the services to which a demanding aristocracy was entitled.
AN INSTITUTION IS BORN
Hotel de France
Upon completion in 1848, the building opened as the Hotel de France with 3 floors, symbolizing a new era of Nice as a resort town and becoming the center of gravity for the city’s social life. The hotel we now call the Anantara Plaza Nice has presided over Nicoise society ever since as the privileged setting for its fabulous stories. For example, did you know that one of the hotel’s past directors married an Italian prince, and President Poincarré used to have a pied à terre here?
Hotel Plaza
In 1900, the property was reopened, this time as the Hotel Plaza, and it remained a hub of social, cultural and intellectual activity, with the neighbouring Promenade des Anglais named the ‘salon of Europe’.
Hotel Plaza et de France
Following its sale in 1913, the hotel underwent an expansion and refurbishment project under the direction of renowned French architect Charles Dalmas. The building reopened as the Hotel Plaza et de France in 1918, with its façade remodeled in the Belle Époque style we see today.
Firm Foundations and Soaring Expansions
In 1960, architect René Livieri was appointed to renovate the hotel and add 2 floors. From 1970 until 2000, the hotel was owned by Gilbert Stellardo – former President of the Alpes-Maritimes Chamber of Commerce and Industry, city councillor, first deputy to the Mayor of Nice and President of OGC Nice until its sale at the turn of the century.
21st-CENTURY DEVELOPMENTS
The Boscolo Era
In 2000, the Italian family brand Boscolo Group took over the hotel, created a 6th floor in 2010, naming it first B4 Plaza Nice and later the Boscolo Hotel. In 2017, the family sold the group's hotels to an American investor, Värde Partners, who renamed the group The Dedica Anthology.
Changing Hands
In 2019, Covivio Hotels acquired a total of nine hotels, including the Plaza. Then, in 2020, NH Hotel Group signed an agreement with Covivio to operate a unique portfolio of eight upscale hotels in exceptional locations, including Rome, Florence, Venice, Prague, Budapest and of course, Nice.
Enter Anantara
In December 2022, the hotel reopened as Anantara Plaza Nice Hôtel with elegant renovations by David Collins Studio throughout the ground floor, entrance, lobby lounge and rooftop restaurant, further reinforcing the property’s reputation as a Nice institution.
Carrying a Legacy
More than 175 years ago, a hotel opened its doors and heralded great changes for this seaside city. And as Nice has evolved, the hotel we now call the Anantara Plaza Nice Hôtel has been at the centre of it all – a meeting place for society, the backdrop for stories and a partner to cultural events like the Nice Jazz Festival. As the new steward of that glorious history, Anantara is proud to continue the hotel’s distinguished legacy.