The best French Riviera resorts

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All hotels have been independently reviewed and selected. We will earn a commission if you book via the links below, but this never affects our rating.

The famously picturesque French Riviera has long been home to fabled hotels loved by movie stars and golden-heeled guests alike. Along this glamorous coastline, the luxury benchmark now continues to evolve. Contemporary interiors have reinvented Belle Epoque palace hotels that come complete with Michelin-starred restaurants and private beach clubs where guests can arrive by yacht. 

The best resorts might stand out for their futuristic wellness sanctuaries or Olympic-sized pools, as castles atop medieval villages, for their boutique romance or for impressive views. For downtown people-watching, it’s hard to beat our pick out of the top hotels in Monte Carlo and Saint-Tropez, while, elsewhere, some of the coastline’s historic grande dames are back in vogue after top-to-toe revivals. Read on to discover the best French Riviera resorts.

How we review

Every hotel in this curated list has been visited by one of our expert reviewers, who are usually hosted on a complimentary basis. They stay for a minimum of one night, test at least one meal and trial other experiences that the hotel might have to offer. 
 

Hotel Negresco, Nice, France

Le Negresco

Nice, Côte d’Azur, France

9
Telegraph expert rating

The pink domed Negresco hotel takes pride of place on the Promenade des Anglais of Nice, just across the street from the beach. Art is very much a part of this hotel’s DNA, with masterpieces filling the walls of its interiors and with the decorated glass ceiling of its rotunda famously designed by Gustave Eiffel. Here, interiors leaning towards traditional opulence are home to rooms and suites pairing Louis XIII-style furnishings with modern art and luxurious communal areas including Michelin-starred restaurant Le Chantecler and the art-filled N Le Spa. Le Negresco Beach Club is open in the summer months.


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2,283

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Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel

Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel

Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Côte d’Azur, France

9
Telegraph expert rating

One of the French Riviera’s most illustrious hotels, Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat has hosted royals and celebrities since it first opened in 1908 and it still draws high fliers from across the world to this day. The instantly recognisable resort is scenically set amid acres of landscaped gardens on the tip of the dramatic Cap-Ferrat peninsula. From here a funicular leads down to a cliffside beach club and pool, and views take in the Mediterranean Sea. Accommodation options range from chic rooms to sprawling standalone villas and inviting dining and drinking venues, as well as a spa, feature throughout the sea-view retreat.


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1,948

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Hotel de Paris, Monte Carlo, Monaco

Hôtel de Paris

Monte Carlo, Monaco

9
Telegraph expert rating

This landmark palace hotel places you right on Monte Carlo’s famed Casino Square, with views also taking in the harbour and beyond. Newly transformed in recent years, the famously opulent property impresses with its grand façade and lobby leading to lavish accommodation and glamorous common areas – all decorated by acclaimed designer Pierre-Yves Rochon. Sumptuous rooms and suites fill two newer guest wings, which join areas of the original structure now set around an interior garden courtyard. Gastronomy is a focus here with the three-Michelin-starred Louis XV restaurant on site alongside other venues including the legendary American Bar.


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1,598

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Chateau Saint-Martin hotel, Vence, Cote d'Azur

Château Saint-Martin & Spa

Vence, Provence, France

9
Telegraph expert rating

The grand Provençal Château Saint-Martin is tucked into the verdant landscape high above Vence, just a 10-minute drive from the village of St Paul de Vence. The hotel stands on the site of a Knights Templar castle, with the chapel still in place, that stood here from the 1100s. The revamped château and original chapel pair nods to the site’s origins with a contemporary spirit and plenty of conceptual art. Alongside light flooded rooms with verdant views, the hotel houses Le Saint-Martin fine dining restaurant and the cliffside La Prairie spa. An infinity pool and art trail draw guests into the terraced gardens.


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875

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InterContinental Carlton Cannes, France

Carlton Cannes

Cannes, Côte d’Azur, France

9
Telegraph expert rating

The five-star Carlton Cannes is the epitome of French luxury and a heritage hotel that has plenty of stories to tell. Since opening in 1911, the property has seen everything from Alfred Hitchcock filming To Catch a Thief with Grace Kelly to world leaders meeting for the G20 summit. Behind its Belle Époque façade, original features such as marble columns and frescoes now mingle with light, bright modern decoration in recently renovated space including a courtyard garden and two new accommodation wings. The hotel has the largest infinity pool in Cannes, a beach club, spa and the promenade-view Riviera Restaurant among other dining venues.


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1,061

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Hotel Byblos, St Tropez, France

Hotel Byblos

St Tropez, Provence, France

9
Telegraph expert rating

Glitterati have flocked to this hotel at the heart of St Tropez village since the Lebanese billionaire Gay-Para created the retreat out of his infatuation for Brigitte Bardot. Houses painted in warm orange, yellow and pink hues, with blue and green window shutters, surround a labyrinth of pathways and central courtyard with sun lounger-lined outdoor pool. An on-site Sisley spa, indoor-outdoor restaurants and the legendary nightclub Les Caves du Roy come together to create the buzz this hotel is known for, with its own beach club then found on the sandy shores of nearby Pampelonne beach.


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£
981

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Pan Dei Palais hotel, St Tropez

Pan Deï Palais

St Tropez, Provence, France

9
Telegraph expert rating

Now a part of the Airelles collection, Pan Deï Palais provides a window into the love story this residence-turned-hotel was born from. The idyllic townhouse was built in 1835 as the St Tropez home of General Jean-François Allard and Princess Bannu Pan Deï who he fell in love with during his time in India. The characterful hotel now hosts guests in just 12 rooms and suites, which all open out onto a terrace and the hotel’s orient-inspired mosaic-tiled pool. These rooms are joined by pan-Asian restaurant Les Delices du Pan Deï and guests also have access to the nearby Jardin Tropézina beach club by Airelles.


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1,411

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monte carlo beach, monaco

Monte-Carlo Beach

Monte Carlo, Monaco

9
Telegraph expert rating

This boutique hotel perched atop a rocky promontory in the French village of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, arcing around the Cap Martin coastline, is a go-to for both visitors and locals. Its beach club and Olympic sized pool have been on the society scene since the 1920s. Inside and out, the hotel blends French chic with Californian villa style. Its 40 rooms and suites specifically combine minimalistic elegance with distinct design details like Matisse and Cocteau inspired frescoes. In addition to the famed Club La Vigie Monte-Carlo, buzzy restaurants and bars at the hotel include the Mediterranean terraced restaurant Elsa and poolside brasserie Le Deck. Another highlight is the spa, which also hosts yoga classes.


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1,723

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Hotel Belles Rives, Provence, France

Hôtel Belles Rives

Juan-les-Pins, Cap d’Antibes, France

9
Telegraph expert rating

The aptly named Belles Rives (beautiful shores) is steeped in the literary and societal heritage of this coastline – F Scott Fitzgerald is said to have started his masterpiece, Tender is the Night, while partying here in the 1920s and there’s a Water Ski Club where the first Worldwide Water Ski Championships took place in 1949. The hotel evokes the Riviera’s Golden Age to this day. Its 43 rooms are designed with a contemporary take on the hotel’s Art Deco past and live jazz encapsulates the hotel’s spirit in the piano bar. Indoor-outdoor restaurants including Michelin starred La Passagère complete the experience.


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681

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Lily of the Valley, La Croix-Valmer, Provence, France

Lily of the Valley

La Croix-Valmer, Provence, France

9
Telegraph expert rating

The year-round Riviera retreat, Lily of the Valley, stands high up in the hills above unspoilt Gigaro Beach. This stylish sanctuary was designed from top to toe by celebrated designer Philippe Starck. A lower tier is occupied by a wellness village, which clusters around a 25-metre pool, with stairs cutting through the hillside then leading up to the top sea-facing tier fronted with an outside terrace and another pool. Along with the hotel’s 38 rooms and suites, including a spacious wellness suite adjoining the spa, the hotel comprises several restaurants, a beach club and the Lily of the Valley Sailing Club.


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419

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the maybourne riviera, cote d'azur, france

The Maybourne Riviera

Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Côte d’Azur, France

9
Telegraph expert rating

The dramatic setting of this modernist structure is breathtaking. The architecturally impressive hotel is perched high up on the rocky peninsula above Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. From here, rooms and common areas with outdoor terraces and floor-to-ceiling glass command uninterrupted views out to sea. The light, bright interiors are filled with contemporary art and different areas benefit from the curation of various world renowned designers. The hotel has a restorative spa and picture-perfect pool but it’s the culinary offering that really draws widespread attention, with the three-Michelin-starred chef Mauro Colagreco bringing his gastronomic flair to restaurant Ceto.


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1,482

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Chateau de la Chevre d'Or, Eze

Château de la Chèvre d’Or

Provence, France

9
Telegraph expert rating

Living up to its ‘golden goat’ name, La Chèvre d’Or is dramatically perched between sea and sky on the cliff-edge of the village of Èze. A steep, serpentine path winds between here and the seaside at Èze-sur-Mer. The cliffside château lies within terraced gardens facing onto the sea, dotted with museum-worthy sculptures and featuring a highlight of this property, its panoramic swimming pool. Relais & Châteaux standards prevail throughout, from the signature two-Michelin-starred restaurant, garden café and terrace dining venue to sumptuously decorated rooms and suites – some with private pools – and wellness facilities including a panoramic sauna and Jacuzzi.


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702

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Contributions by Lisa Gerard-Sharp & Mary Lussiana

The best hotels in Cote D Azur


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This article was originally published by Telegraph.co.uk. Read the original article here.
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