A return trip to California without leaving France, the promise of this hotel

Sylvie Berkowicz | 9/16/24, 7:09 AM

Sun, sea, palm trees and a year-round vacation feeling... Pam, a new hotel in Nice, feels like it's in California!

There's something going on in this quiet street in the Riquier district. Under the vast entrance porch, a pastel-colored terrace contrasts somewhat with the rather drab 90s facade. This was once a hotel. A little old, a little dated. In a city where tourism is exploding and new establishments are opening one after the other, it was important to stand out from the crowd. It was designer Michael Malapert's proposal that inspired the owners to come up with the Californian idea. And it worked! California it is, with its assumed clichés: sport, gliding, music, lifeguards and sunsets.

A titanic project

First of all, everything had to be reorganized, with the emphasis on vast common spaces, to accommodate not only residents, but also local customers who are invited to come and work, meet, have coffee, lunch or cocktails. All the more so as Pam is located in a residential area not very popular with tourists, but just a few minutes' walk from the Place du Pin, with its many bars and restaurants, one of Nice's favorite HQs. From the street, a path reminiscent of a skateboard ramp provides the link between outside and inside. On one side is the reception area, on the other the entrance to the restaurant and the large, neon-lit circular bar. The Barbie wave has come and gone, adding a girly touch that sometimes verges on kitsch: colorful buoys here and there, a mural of glittering skateboarders straight out of the doll's wardrobe.Everywhere, there are plenty of spots to set up, tables under umbrellas, rattan sofas, and even a long, winding bench that expands into a stage to welcome guest musicians and DJs. In the bedrooms, the game is calmer, with a quilted sunset acting as a headboard, rattan armchairs and wicker hanging baskets. It's up to each guest to fill their bottle at the B-WTR fountain available on each floor. In fact, the Pam has been awarded the Clef Verte label for its good environmental practices. The Californian spirit through and through, and what's more, even in the summer, even on business trips, you'll always feel on vacation. With Pam looking after us. You probably know her - she's wearing a red jersey!