Casino Palais de la Mediteranée (Hyatt Regency Nice)
This is one of the most beautiful palaces on the Promenade des Anglais and an architectural testimony to the Art-Deco period from the beginning of the 20th century. The facade of the building is, for the same reason, treated as a historical monument.
After World War I, wealthy people around Europe began to return to the Riviera and there was a growing demand to live closer to the water, resulting in the construction of a number of palaces along the French south coast, including Nice with casinos, including Palais de la Mediteranée and Hotel Negresco among others.
The Casino Palais de la Mediteranée was built in 1928 by three enterprising gentlemen who wanted to create the world’s most beautiful casino. It was the financier Frank Jay Gould, the hotel owner Joseph Alettio and the casino expert Edouard Baudoin.
The two Nice architects Charles and Marcel Delmas were in charge of the construction, which employed more than 350 men and cost around 30 million francs to build.
The sad period of the palace
The hotel ran into financial problems in the early 70s and went bankrupt in 1978. This led to the atheist decor and furniture being sold, and the same fate befell the famous stained glass windows.
With the exception of its facades, the casino was completely demolished in May 1990 with the objective of constructing a new complex consisting of conference rooms, leisure areas, residences and offices. However, it was to have a different fate.
The new palace sees daylight
In 2001, with 120 million euros put on the table, the businessman Jean-Francois Tattinger, together with some private equity funds, invested in the reconstruction of a super modern 5-star hotel and casino, inspired by the old Art-Deco style.
The new hotel opened in 2004 and was later taken over by the American hotel chain Hyatt and today bears the name, Hyatt Regency Nice – Palais de la Mediteranée.
The hotel contains 187 rooms, including nine suites with sea views and lounge, terrace bar and restaurant – all overlooking the Baie des Anges.
In addition, the hotel contains seven high-tech conference rooms and a reception area of 1,700 m2, which makes it possible to arrange events with more than 1000 guests.
By Tommy Sverre / 2021
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Churches & chapels Monastery Notre-Dame de Cimiez
If you feel like venturing away from the sea and strolling in the hills behind Nice, don’t hesitate to take a trip to colline de Cimiez, or Cimiez hill, to visit the magnificent monastery of Notre-Dame de Cimiez.
Squares & Promenades Garibaldi Square in Nice
Beautifully situated in the North of the old town of Nice, you will find Garibaldi Square. It is the oldest square in Nice, which dates back to the year 1773.
Boat trips Boat trip from Nice to Villefranche
Enjoy the beautiful views of Nice, Villefranche-sur-Mer and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat on a 1-hour boat trip along the French Riviera.
Excursions Hop-on Hop-off bus tour in Nice
Explore Nice with a 1- or 2-day pass to the open-top Hop-on Hop-off sightseeing bus. Hop on and off as often as you like and take the time to experience the most popular places
Squares & Promenades Old town of Nice – Vieille Ville
There are many reasons to fall in love with Nice. One of the obvious ones is the charming old town with its cozy little streets, narrow houses painted in breathtaking southern colors.
Gardens & parks Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park is a beautiful botanical and zoological park with exciting experiences for both children and adults. With one of Europe’s largest greenhouses…
Art Museum of Modern Art – MAMAC
Located in the heart of the city, close to Place Garibaldi, the MAMAC Museum exhibits modern and contemporary art from the 1950s to the present day.
Castles and palaces Villa Masséna museum
Villa Masséna is an architectural jewel from the Belle Epoque period and today houses a museum of the history of Nice and the memorabilia of Napoleon.
Excursions Excursions Nice
Nice is the heart of the Côte d’Azur and many of the most interesting excursions depart from here. Book securely with free cancellation.
Castles and palaces Colline du Château
Colin du Chateau is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the city and at the same time the place where Nice saw the light of day.
Art Matisse Museum Nice
The Matisse Museum in Nice is a city museums and it’s dedicated to the life and works of Henri Matisse as he spent much of his life in Nice and in the Côte d’Azur region.
Churches & chapels Russian church in Nice – Cathedral Saint-Nicholas
This is one of the most beautiful Russian churches of its kind outside of Russia. It is like a section of St. Peter’s Square in Moscow, just located in the middle of Nice.
Markets Markets at Cours Saleya
The markets at Cours Saleya hosts four different markets. Most famous is the Marché aux Fleurs or Flower Market, open Tuesday through Sunday.
Castles and palaces Lascaris Palace
In the heart of the old town on rue Droite lies this extraordinary mansion. It is a true monument in the French Baroque style, decorated with frescoes, luxuriously furnished rooms and ..
Food & Wine Food Mecca at Gare du Sud
The large steel hall has now been transformed into one large cultural and gastronomic mecca and the hall is enriched with a 1,000 square meter mezzanine that is being laid ….
Squares & Promenades Place Masséna
Place Masséna is a historic square in Nice, which connects the old town with the more modern northern part of the city.
Art Marc Chagall museum Nice
Chagall Museum Nice is the first national museum built to pay homage to an artist while he was still alive. It is located on the Cimiez Hill.
Ports & Islands Port Lympia
This is one of the most popular ports in Europe and it is only quite natural with its central and beautiful location by the Mediterranean.
Gardens & parks Jardin Albert 1.
Jardin Albert 1 is one of Nice’s absolutely oldest public gardens and you can hardly avoid meeting it either ..
Squares & Promenades Promenade des Anglais
This seven-kilometer long promenade is the epitome of Nice and the French Riviera. An iconic landmark that today attracts …
