Following a €99 million renovation, Hôtel du Couvent has become one of the most exciting new hotels on the Riviera.
The last decade has seen something of a remarkable renaissance for Nice which, alongside a new tram system, a revitalised old town and a corridor of landscaped parkland—the Promenade du Paillon—has been welcoming a slew of new luxury five-star hotels. The city’s latest addition, nestled between Monaco and Cannes, is perhaps its most stylish, and unexpected, yet, having seen a 400-year-old nunnery converted into high-end retreat, Hôtel du Couvent.
Extremely centrally located yet somehow a world away from the hustle and bustle, Hôtel du Couvent is set in an old cloister surrounded by orange trees in the heart of Old Nice. It’s the first ultra-luxury property from Valéry Grégo, one of the world’s most innovative hoteliers and the name behind Les Roches Rouges and Le Pigalle in Paris as well as L’Alpaga in Megève. He worked together with interior decoration firm Festen Architecture to respectfully restore the structure’s old bones while building fresh new spaces.
Spread across four discrete buildings, the hotel is home to 88 guest rooms including 18 suites, some with marble fireplaces, arched ceilings and pretty alcoves. Simply decorated, expect artefacts rescued from abandoned churches, a mix of antique oak and midcentury furniture, antique glassware and petite vases of fresh flowers that are refreshed regularly. Parfumier Azzi Glasser has also created her own line of amenities for the hotel, which can be found in the slick en suite bathrooms with heated floors.
Inspired by the many Roman baths that were found in this area of France, the subterranean spa is a much welcome addition to the Nice wellness scene, complete with indoor pool and three dipping baths of various temperatures. Be sure to book in for at least one massage during your stay, in which trained therapists administer restorative treatments using local herbs and essential oils, while there’s also a great schedule of fitness classes including yoga, Pilates and boxing for anyone looking to squeeze in a workout.
The rest of the day can be spent relaxing around the 20 m lap pool, exploring the in-house herbalist apothecary or wandering the bucolic terraced gardens, designed by Chelsea Flower Show gold medallist Tom Stuart-Smith, which are also where chefs grow local ingredients to be used throughout the three restaurants.
Hôtel du Couvent, which opened in June, may have been designed to blend in seamlessly with its surroundings, but we think that could prove difficult for what is the most anticipated new hotel the French Riviera has welcomed this year.
