The Negresco.

I don't think I would ever tire of looking at this building. It truly is a magnificent piece of architecture and design. I have actually featured the Negresco right at the beginning of this blog but I think it's worth a revisit.
The facts: the hotel was built by a Romanian called Henri Negresco who was director of the municipal casino when he had the clever idea of building a sumptuous hotel to attract the moneyed classes to the riviera. It was designed by Edouard Niemans with the pink dome being designed by Eiffel. The chandelier composed of 16,309 crystals was by Baccarat so we really are talking top of the range. The chandelier is especially stunning though it's hard to capture its beauty in a photo.
The hotel opened in 1913 but was turned into a hospital during the first world war and then fell into the hands of creditors after the war. Negresco died at the young age of 52.
In 1957 the hotel was bought by the Augier family who turned the hotel's fortunes round. The hotel now houses an important art collection and a famous restaurant as well as being a 4 star hotel and a listed French monument. The hotel has its own web site in English and French and even if you can't visit in person, you can take the cyber tour and take a look at that chandelier.