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The Carlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel, is the best luxury hotel in Cannes. It sits on La Croisette, the seafront promenade that runs from one end of Cannes to the other, and in front of the promenade is its famous beach club where you can rent a lounger and spend your day on the soft sand, dipping your toes into the warm Mediterranean sea.
Some travelers may prefer one of the other luxury hotels that snake along the beach, but trust me, the Carlton is the best, and we outline why below.
Location
Cannes is a renowned city located on the French Riviera, a glamorous stretch along the southeastern coast of France. It is part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, nestled in the Alpes-Maritimes department. Geographically, Cannes boasts a picturesque setting bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, providing it with a mild Mediterranean climate characterized by warm summers and mild winters.
The city is situated approximately 24 kilometers (about 15 miles) southwest of Nice, making it easily accessible from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, which is the nearest major airport serving international and domestic flights. We took a taxi from Nice airport to Cannes, and it cost €100 EUR for the 45-minute ride.
The location of the Carlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel, couldn’t be better. It is right at the center of a Croisette, surrounded by designer stores, with the Martinez hotel to one side and the JW Marriott a few doors down to the other side. In front of it is the famous promenade and the hotel’s equally famous beach club, which is open from April to October. This is the place to see and be seen in Cannes.
Style & Character
The Carlton Cannes was built in 1911 by the renowned architect Charles Dalmas. It was originally named the “Carlton Hotel,” inspired by the Carlton Hotel in London. The hotel was designed in the Belle Époque style and to this day, is known for its lavish ornamentation and grandeur.
The Carlton Cannes attracted elite clientele from its inception, including royalty, aristocrats, and celebrities. It quickly became a symbol of luxury and sophistication on the French Riviera.
Like many landmarks in Europe, the Carlton Cannes faced challenges during World War II. The German forces occupying France requisitioned the hotel and used it as a military hospital. After the war, the hotel was restored to its former glory and resumed its status as a premier destination for the international jet set.
The Carlton Cannes gained further prominence in the 20th century as Hollywood stars began frequenting the French Riviera. It became a favorite among celebrities attending the Cannes Film Festival, cementing its reputation as a hub of glamour and luxury.
So, how was our experience? We loved it! The Carlton Cannes has been recently refurbished, and the finished article is fabulous.
When you arrive, the welcoming concierge will usher you in via the hotel’s historic revolving doors. Beyond is the creamy white marble foyer, which is gorgeously open-plan.
From memory, this area of the hotel used to be more claustrophobic, but since the refurbishment, the entire lobby area has been opened up, and only marble pillars and flower arrangements separate the entrance area from the extensive lobby lounge.
This lounge has enormous windows that flank one side and look out towards the seafront. They draw the dazzling sunshine inside to bathe this magnificent, marble-encrusted hall in sunlight. In this sophisticated and vibrant dining and lounging area, you can enjoy breakfast, terrific afternoon teas, and evening aperitifs.
The check-in desk is cleverly hidden behind the foyer in another stylish room, which removes people from the foyer so that it never feels crowded. To one side, there is a marble staircase winding upwards, and to the other is a VIP lounge. The concierge also sits in a curved room off the foyer.
Service & Facilities
Beyond the lobby are a bar and a restaurant. From there, you can make your way out into the garden, which hosts more bars and eateries and a wonderful outdoor pool that’s open from March to November.
The garden is pretty, with lots of colorful tropical flowers and green lawns, and loungers are placed around the pool to make the best of the sunshine and its sheltered location.
If you stay in the summer, you will want to use the beach but the restaurant and the lounge bar at the Beach Club are open all year long. The Carlton Cannes sunbeds are available from April 1st until October 15th, and this is just a fabulous place to laze away the day.
In the evening, the beachfront restaurant and bar have a youthful vibe with music and lots of tables on decking by the sand. This is where you want to be on a warm evening unless you prefer to sit out in front of the hotel or in the air-conditioned lobby lounge.
Rooms
You must book a seafront room at the Carlton Cannes. When you open your windows and look out from your Romeo and Juliette balcony, you will be greeted by Cannes seafront in its entirety, as you can see from one end to the other. The rooms are so close to the sea that you can also hear the waves crashing on the shoreline from your room. There is a palm-lined road in front of the hotel, which your room will look down on; this is more of a promenade for cars next to the pedestrian promenade. It has a slow pace and makes little noise.
You won’t be able to resist constantly gazing out of the window, and even when you sit on your bed or on one of the strategically placed desks or sofas in your room, you can see the sea through the rungs of your ornate balcony peeping through the top of swaying palms.
In the distance are the mountains that drop down to St Tropez. While we stayed, these hills were draped in cloud and mist, looming out of the sea like ghostly pirate ships. When the weather is good, these hillsides glitter with lights.
We booked a suite, number 428, and it was fabulous and felt brand new. It had a generous sleeping and living area with bay windows that looked right out over the sea. The decor included white walls with pelmet detailing, which felt modern and historic at the same time. There were mirrors and artwork on the walls, and in the corridor that adjoined the bedroom to the living area was lined with a bookcase containing some art books on the South of France.
The living area had two generous sofas and a desk by the window where you could perch with your laptop absorbing the views.
The bathroom was huge, with a double basin and plenty of worktop space to lay out your toiletries, a large separate shower, a nice bath, and a separate toilet area with a bidet. The sink area had fun art deco-style mirrors with gold rims that could be angled, giving the room character. Underneath the sink were loads of super fluffy towels. If you’re used to Four Seasons bathrooms, this was much like a Four Seasons bathroom in design and space.
The spacious bedroom had the same lovely views through a second bay window; you could enjoy them even when lying in bed. Both the bedroom and the living area also had huge flat-screen TVs. There was a free mini bar in the suite with free soft drinks, nuts and Champagne. Plus, you could get 3 pieces of laundy cleaned free of charge during your stay which was a nice touch.
The free minibar is apparently a feature of all Regent hotels, and we loved this facility and gobbled up the nuts, coke, and Champagne. The Champagne is, however, only free if you book a suite.
The windows at the Carlton Cannes were ludicrously soundproofed, and sealed out any noise when they were closed. They didn’t appear to be triple-glazed, but the double-glazing was excellent and made the room so quiet you could hear your heartbeat. The curtains were blackout and worked really well in blocking the light, and the beds were comfortable (both the main bed and the roll-away provided for our son). So our room ticked every box and was a joy to stay in. The only disadvantage of a room like this is that you are very sad when you have to leave!
Food & Drink
If you book a stay here via our luxury travel concierge, breakfast will be included. The breakfast here is excellent. The hotel was busy when we stayed, so the restaurant tables spilled out into the glamorous, marble-clad foyer, which was a wonderful place to enjoy an omelet, a slice of cake, and a coffee. In the summer, you can also eat out on the terrace, which would be a brilliant place to start your day.
The buffet here was great, with high-quality ingredients. There were three jugs of freshly squeezed juice, including orange juice, and a “detox” fresh ginger juice that was actually quite nice – unlike those ginger shots you sometimes get that are so tart they make you wretch. As it was Easter, the staff had kindly placed a bowl of mini Easter Eggs by the juices, which you could help yourself to.
The buffet contained numerous cheeses, meats and smoked salmon, bread and salad, yogurts and fruit salad cakes, spreads, and cereals. There was a separate hot area with silver dishes of scrambled eggs, potatoes, and other hot veggies.
Drinks and eggs cooked to order were delivered to our table. We had omelets and poached eggs, which were perfectly cooked, and rather too much cake. I’m sure I’m missing numerous tasty bits off my list but suffice to say, the spread was delicious and filling, the staff were lovely, and the setting in the newly refurbished foyer was superb.
We enjoyed the hotel bar in the evening, which had a brilliant atmosphere, gracious staff, and the nicest mocktail I’ve ever had. The setting was in a dark room with lots of dangly lights and a stylish bar area at the back, speckling character in an otherwise moody cigar room setting. While it was non-smoking within the bar, the room felt like an extremely classy gentlemen’s club.
To one side, there was a doorway that gave you access to an open-air terrace area where guests were enjoying a cigar and a tipple in the fresh air. This bar has to be one of the most perfect bars I’ve ever been to. It was so chic and so fun. Whether you stay at the Carlton Cannes or not, you should stop by for one of their delicious cocktails or mocktails.
Conclusion
Carlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel is the best and only hotel to stay at in Cannes if you like to travel in luxury. IHG’s Regent brand is right up there with Four Seasons hotels with its excellent and immaculate product. I could rave about the Carlton Cannes for another ten paragraphs, it was that good. You must try it!
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