When guests arrived at the Mouki Mou store in Athens at 6 p.m. on the last weekend in May, they grabbed cool glasses of Greek rosé before retreating into the concrete-clad boutique. Its founder, Maria Lemos, who grew up in Greece, opened the shop in the city’s historic center, Plaka, in 2023, ten years after establishing Mouki Mou’s flagship on London’s Chiltern Street. In both places, she curates a roster of under-the-radar clothing and homeware brands that center craftsmanship with a tactile, wabi-sabi approach. On this particular evening, the brand in focus was Dosa, founded by the American-based Korean designer Christina Kim, 67, in 1983. The label is known for its roomy clothes in natural, hand-woven fabrics that nod to workwear such as shepherd jackets, kurtas (long, loose shirts common in Pakistan), cossack tops and dashikis (boxy tops worn in West Africa), as well as its no-waste approach to production.
This Belle Epoque Art Hotel Boasts Some Of The French Riviera’s Grandest Guest Rooms
30.05.2024 - 04:35 / forbes.com / Salvador Dalí / Belle Epoque / Elton John / Louis Armstrong / Napoleon Iii III (Iii)
While the Belle Epoque facade and beautiful bones of the iconic 1913 Le Negresco hotel are well preserved, inside, its vast art collection, Michelin-starred dining, and ultra-luxe guest rooms and suites marry classic with contemporary.
History
Hotel Negresco’s storied history began in 1913, when the hotel opened and quickly began attracting the international jet set.
The property’s next chapter started in 1957, when it was purchased by Jeanne Augier — who welcomed iconic artists, royals, and other noteworthy celebs including Salvador Dali, Princess Grace of Monaco, the Beatles, Louis Armstrong, and Elton John to the hotel. Until her death in 2019 at the age of 95, the millionaire hotelier amassed a vast collection of art and period furniture that’s still showcased throughout the hotel’s lobby, rotunda, restaurants and bar, salons, hallways, and even the guest rooms.
The curated collection is impressive both in its size — a staggering 6,000-some pieces — as well as its diversity and range. Yes, there are priceless 17th-century tapestries, Chagalls, Picassos, and an original portrait of Napoleon III by court painter Hyacinthe Rigaud (the other two hang in Versailles and the Louvre). But in the Royal Salon, a playful sculpture by Niki de Saint Phalle in primary colors spins underneath a chandelier of 16,800 Baccarat crystals. There’s also a salon dedicated to street art.
Location
Le Negresco takes pride of place on Nice’s famous Promenade des Anglais. You’ll see the iconic pink cupola emblazoned with its name in glowing lights from anywhere on the promenade.
Number of Rooms & Suites
128 total: 102 rooms and 26 suites
The Vibe
Belle Epoque glamour layered with centuries of curated art
Highlights
Architecture and Decór
The hotel’s gorgeous Belle Epoque architecture is well preserved, including its iconic pink dome — where a jaw-dropping chandelier and the glowing glass of the domed ceiling illuminate a curated collection of paintings and sculptures ranging from classic to contemporary.
Like the diverse art collection, each of the hotel’s 128 ultra-luxe rooms and suites is unique, and they feature a deft mix of antique and modern elements. All are spacious, sumptuous, and decorated with original art and objet. 80 percent feature views of the bay, while others look out onto the lush gardens of the neighboring Masséna Palace.
But the suites and signature suites are even more show-stopping. Take the ultra-luxe Marie-Antoinette suite, which is done up in an elegant pairing of robin’s egg blue and goldenrod. From the spacious living and dining areas ornamented with elegant Sèvres vases, a terrace with elegant columns and panoramic views of the sea and promenade, a dressing room, bathroom, and powder
Stronger Tourism Linkages Will Boost Local Supply Capacity – Minister Bartlett
The Ministry of Tourism and its public bodies will be ramping up efforts to boost the capacity of local suppliers in a bid to further strengthen linkages between tourism and other key sectors of the Jamaican economy. This commitment was underscored by Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, during his recent 2024/2025 Sectoral Debate opening presentation in Parliament.
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Everything you need to know about Nice before you hit the French Riviera
The queen of the French Riviera, Nice drips elegance and panache from every belle époque palace, baroque chapel and Mediterranean-blue chair on the prom. The capital of France's celebrity-stalked Côte d’Azur might be modest in size, but the choice of things to see and do in this iconic coastal town stretches well beyond bracing strolls along Promenade des Anglais and lizard-lounging on bum-numbing pebbles on the seashore.
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Win a Stay at This Iconic Las Vegas Hotel Suite From 'The Hangover' — Here's How to Enter
We will soon mark a very important anniversary for one of Hollywood's greatest comedies. We are, of course, talking about «The Hangover,» aka the best buddy movie and best flick about Las Vegas in history, which celebrates its 15th anniversary on July 16. And we aren't the only ones honoring the movie. Casino.org is also here to celebrate it by offering one lucky person the chance to stay in a suite at Caesar's Palace.
The Best New Hotel Restaurants in the World
While we often celebrate our favorite hotels around the world, we rarely spotlight the spaces within the hotel that make the property shine. Often, these are the areas—the bars, the restaurant, the rooftops and more—that become destinations unto themselves, pulling in a devoted set of locals to help turn a hotel into a place that residents use, too. So, as an extension of our recently released 2024 Hot List of the best new hotels in the world, we are highlighting the best new hotel restaurants, spas, and bars, as picked by our editors. Below, the hotel restaurants that compete with the best places to eat, anywhere—and the dishes you can't miss.
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