The prince has so found a new home away from home in the Art Nouveau hotel, amidst an early twentieth-century atmosphere and fine details such as the imposing elliptical staircase which, as legend has it, inspired director Alfred Hitchcock in creating the spiral that acts as a leitmotif in his masterpiece "Vertigo". Albert of Monaco is the latest in a series of important guests from the worlds of politics and culture who have stayed in the hotel over the years: Emperor Hirohito, Yitzhak Rabin, Simon Peres and Rudolf Nureyev, just to mention a few.
At Hotel Bristol Palace Albert of Monaco also enjoyed an elegant institutional dinner, while receiving white and red flowers - the colours of Monte Carlo - as a tribute evoking his subsequent visit to Euroflora, which among many floral wonders also boasts a rose garden with a brand-new variety, named Princesse de Monaco in dedication to Albert’s mother Grace Kelly, iconic actress, wife of Ranieri of Monaco and a guest of the fair in 1966. Her visit has forever since remained a landmark in the history of the floricultural show.
HOTEL BRISTOL PALACE
Hotel Bristol Palace in Genoa is in the heart of the city, just a few steps away from the Dukes’ Palace and Piazza de Ferrari, and a few meters from the Carlo Felice Opera House and the most important museums and palaces. The Hotel, opened in 1905, immediately became the setting for legendary parties and an exclusive restaurant for European high society. The façade and the interiors retain the charm of the architectural style in vogue at the time: Art Nouveau.
Liberty atmospheres reign in the building: the most notable symbol of that golden age is the elliptical staircase in white marble, a visually striking element of great scenic effect. A valuable architectural detail that would have inspired director Alfred Hitchcock, in town to shoot “To Catch a Thief”, the spiral design that would in time become the leitmotif of his masterpiece, “Vertigo”.
In the 133 rooms and suites of the hotel, luxury is integrated with modern comfort, including fine details that summarize the best of Made in Italy design and top-of-the-range services, offering to all guests a truly immersive experience under the banner of top quality. A key element of the hotel’s hospitality is its Restaurant, named “Giotto”, which welcomes Genoese and non-Genoese people alike in a magnificent frescoed room and on the large outdoor terrace, offering Italian dishes based on high quality ingredients belonging to Ligurian and Genoese tradition.
