It's Calm On The Côte With Hotel Couvent
It's a coast of contrasts. On one side superyachts filled with champagne-popping party people en route to La Guérite, dressed in exuberant Pucci. And on the other, you have Hôtel du Couvent. Appropriately for a converted convent, its luxury whispers. Discreet, imbued with history, a place of pilgrimage for those looking to take in the Côte d'Azur spirit that lured philosophers, writers and poets like Cocteau and Bonnard.
But just because it isn't loud, doesn't mean it isn't important, impressive. French hotelier Valéry Grégo's transformation – and preservation – of this 17th-century convent is clearly a labour of love by someone who sees this much more than just another hotel on the Riviera. And when the 88-room property opened its doors last year, a decade after work started on its restoration, it was appropriately the talk of the town for the truly discerning. It's for those whose cupboards are stocked with Loro Piana.
Monastic traditions are kept intact; where else would you find a library filled with vintage tomes, an in-house herbalist and apothecary, lush gardens or an on-site bakery dispensing feather-light madeleines? But a five-star approach also abounds when it comes to creature comforts. Neutrally kitted-out rooms, bathed in the areas brilliant light, are beautifully appointed – even those that take up the previously spartan converted nun's quarters. Plus there's a wellness centre – meditation is encouraged, mindfulness will follow naturally – complete with swimming pool, and Roman-style baths to rejuvenate. Daily menus with a focus on seasonal, local ingredients come courtesy of chef Thomas Vitele who works closely with exclusive supplier Nôtre Dame farm.
Forty years after the nuns departed, this space is imbued with life once more. It's lucky for the guests however, that the spiritual soul of the setting has been retained, celebrated. And that is what makes this hotel in Nice's Old Town, such a special place in the sun.
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