For many years I have driven through Nice on my way to Italy but I had never before stopped over for a few days. This probably had to do with its old image of a congested city with a lot of criminality. Then it caught my attention that, last year, Nice had been voted the greenest city in France: 50% of its area is covered by woodlands and 20% by herbaceous vegetation. The city has renovated many old dilapidated buildings, created car-free zones and introduced electric buses. When I arrived at the Anantara Plaza Nice this spring, I entered a rejuvenated 19th-century ar- chitectural jewel close to Nice’s seafront that marks a triumphant return, after an extensive two- year renovation, of one of the fabled hotels on the Côte d’Azur and a further stage in Anantara’s expansion in Europe. Centrally located in Nice’s Carré d'Or (Golden Square) area, the Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel offers 151 rooms, including 38 suites, some overlooking the Jardin Albert 1er and the Promenade des Anglais. This remarkable 175-year old building has been beautifully re-modelled by a group of designers and architects that included the David Collins Studio. Elegant interiors now blend old-world, belle époque elegance with contemporary luxury. The redesign respects the neoclassical style of the original building while bringing the hotel up to date with modern tastes. It features a new, tranquil Anantara Spa and a fabulous rooftop with the bar and the ‘SEEN by Olivier’ restaurant and an all-round panoramic view of the Baie des Anges and Old Nice. It was here that we enjoyed an amazing lunch and dinner, including perfect, delicate Medi- terranean and Japanese specialties. And all, of course, with that breathtaking view. The staff are impeccable and genuinely friendly. If you like to shop, you can find the finest retail district in Nice just around the corner.