Film Star Fabulous: Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic Cannes

Meticulously manicured lawns are studded with skyscraper tall palm trees and flanked by big name boutiques. Gucci and Pomellato rub shoulders with Celine and Loro Piana at this playground for princes, sheikhs and ultra-high-net-worth-individuals. In the lobby, you’re instantly hit with the smoky, spicy signature fragrance that scents the hotel. Vast sweeping high ceilings are adorned with gargantuan chandeliers. It’s all very old school opulence.

The Film Festival put Cannes on the map, and this cinematic link is palpable throughout the hotel. Walls are graced with monochrome black and white snapshots of A-Listers — either those who have stayed as guests or visited for the parade of press junkets throughout the festival: Marilyn Monroe, Nicole Kidman, Richard Curtis and Elizabeth Taylor, Robert De Niro and Brad Pitt are just a few standout names. Despite its star power, discretion is guaranteed. Famous guests can slip out via the back of the hotel away from the paparazzi’s prying eyes. Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic prides itself on next level service, with some guests staying for months. High-net-worth guests move in for the summer — one such patron apparently arrived with 650 pieces of luggage — and nothing is too much trouble for the slick team.

High-octane Glamour

A feat of architectural gravitas, Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic is the only U-shaped hotel in the region. With seaview rooms aplenty, 50 percent of these have been refurbished under the exacting eye of Isabelle Stanislas. The celebrated interior designer has artfully preserved the hotel’s heritage, while adding an air of modernity. Riviera chic reigns supreme in the elegant suites. Splashes of oceanic blue, nautical pinstripes and bespoke geometric furniture make for truly serene spots to bed down.

Before you dine at one of the hotel’s celebrated restaurants, you can primp and preen in a cavernous marble bathroom stocked with Guerlain products. If you’re sparing no expense, book a suite with a butler. The enormous Christian Dior Suite, designed with the French fashion house’s team in 2010, is all chic grey, muted tones and sumptuous fabrics. The expansive balcony overlooks the red carpet. Equally impressive is the signature Majestic Suite with a heated infinity pool on the terrace. It feels like your own personal yacht club. Outside, superyacht owners and their guestscan be seen sunning themselves on deck by day, before retreating to the hotel by night.

Delectable Dishes

There are more than 450 restaurants in Cannes, but you need not venture beyond the hotel. New for 2025 is Le Plage, the hotel’s private beach club. It’s perfect for soaking up Cannes’ annual quota of around 330 days of sunshine. Here, guests will find Ciros Cannes, the latest branch of the iconic 1920s Deauville restaurant, whose famous guests include Yves Saint Laurent and Catherine Deneuve.

Start with an aperitif at the Instagrammable marble-clad al fresco bar or under a red and white umbrella, before making your way into the restaurant. It has been designed to resemble a luxury cruise liner replete with wooden panelling, nautical notes and lemon trees. Recommendations for your starter include red tuna tataki or hyper-seasonal asparagus with a creamy hollandaise sauce and pearls of fresh scallops. For your main course, try a salt-baked catch of the day. It is ceremoniously chiselled before the most elegant deboning I’ve ever seen at the table. If you prefer a lighter bite, the grilled sea bream served with roasted artichoke is a triumph.

Dishes are designed to be convivially shared, so opt for a large cup of frosted fruit. It’s piled high with berries and pineapple swirled with dry ice to strike a theatrical note. An espresso with freshly baked mini madeleines concludes proceedings.

Back inside the hotel, Fouquets is the Cannes outpost of the famed Parisian brasserie, which opened1899. It’s suitably chintzy with grand chandeliers, pressed white tablecloths, the gentle tinkling of jazz, and dim lighting. The maître d’ serves up international hotel classics, such as burrata with heirloom tomatoes, smoked salmon with blinis and sour cream, New York-style burgers and fries, plus juicy steaks. Do save room for the ultimate Crepe Suzette flambéed at the table.

Guests can dine at the sister four-star hotel, Hôtel Barrière Le Gray d’Albion. Here, Mademoiselle Grey, a bohemian luxe al fresco beach club, is perfect for lunch with friends. Try the Mediterranean sharing plates of truffled hummus, tempura squid and fragrant tabouleh, before delving into fresh fish dishes, from octopus plancha to grilled prawns.

Spas and Sunbaked Shores

Cannes is the place to present the glossiest version of yourself. Stop by Spa Diane Barrière. Glow-inducing facials and skin-smoothing massages are carried out using Biologique Recherche products. Or why not book a bouncy blowdry or bespoke make-up masterclass for those glamorous finishing touches.

You may be happy to bask in the sunshine sipping a Hugo Spritz before taking leisurely dips in the magnificent heated pool, but for a change of pace the hotel can organise excursions, from workshops in Grasse, the home of luxury perfume-making, to wine tasting in Provence.

Escape the glitz with a short boat trip to the enchanting island of Sainte-Margeurite to view the bay of Cannes, take a walk in the pine trees and enjoy the turquoise waters. At Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic Cannes, history and timeless elegance collide for a luxurious stay. Expect gilded Art Deco décor, a lively atmosphere year-round and top-notch service whether you are a Hollywood doyenne or not...

hotelsbarriere.com/en/cannes/le-majestic