Luxe Living: We Stayed At The Hotel Stars Frequent During The Cannes Film Festival, And It’s Peak Opulence

There is luxury, and then there is French luxury.

A 30-minute drive from the Nice Côte d’Azur Airport will bring you to Cannes, France, where the Hôtel Barriere Le Majestic is the crème de la crème when it comes to accommodations.

The 5-star hotel is the crown jewel of the Boulevard de la Croisette, the famous posh area that stretches along the French Riviera. Since its opening in 1926, La Majestic has been the standard in Cannes. Through its many renovations and additions, the hotel now has 257 rooms, including 92 suites and eight signature suites.

If $40,000 per night is in your budget, the Suite Majestic, with its private pool, butler service, and spa room, should be your top choice. For a slightly lower fee, the Christain Dior suite offers guests the chance to be immersed in the essence of the infamous fashion house. 

The hotel’s walls are dotted with black and white images of the stars gracing the Cannes Film Festival, presently taking place, which the hotel has supported since hosting the event’s inception in 1946.

The Hotel

Upon arrival, Le Majestic is simply breathtaking. The grand entranceway is lined with palm trees and lush landscaping, perfectly contrasting the white stucco structure. The fun decorative touch is the colorful lights projecting onto the top floors of the building. 

The lobby offers a sneak peek into the location’s splendor with its mirrored hallways, oversized floral arrangements, chandeliers, and shadow boxes displaying luxury designer items from nearby shops. And don’t worry about fussing with your bags. They are taken off your hands at the valet and delivered to your room within minutes to make your check-in process seamless. The 24/7 concierge service is an inexhaustible resource for your needs within and outside the hotel.

The rooms at the La Majestic are the epitome of French chic. The bathroom features a stand-alone shower, sunken tub, and toilet in a small privacy closet. The wall-mounted towel warmer is the perfect touch.

To ensure a good night’s sleep, the hotel offers a “pillow menu,” presenting visitors with six varieties of pillows to experience for their optimum comfort level. The nightly turndown service comes with a padded floor mat, solidifying that this is anything but the average hotel stay. The icing on top is waking up to the double view of the Mediterranean Sea and the Riviera.

As impressive as the La Majestic is alone, the onsite spa facilities are just as charming. Spa Diane Barrière provides guests with a sauna, hammam (Turkish bath), salt wall, and fully equipped fitness studio that overlooks the heated infinity pool and ocean. A licensed manicurist and hairstylist are onsite for cosmetology services.

The spa also provides personalized holistic treatments for your skin and body. To fully indulge, I suggest the full-body massage using the Ligne St. Barth coconut massage oil and a facial that utilizes the renowned Biologique Recherche skincare line.

The Food

If you hope to experience French culinary expertise in Cannes, you won’t have to go far. 

The hotel’s restaurant, Fouquet’s Cannes, is another extension of Le Majestic’s commitment to luxury. Under the leadership of 3 Michelin-star chef Pierre Gagnaire, Fouquet’s has become favored by locals and visitors for exceeding the task of using locally sourced food and produce in ingenious forms of traditional French cuisine.

The dining area’s ambiance is warm and plush. It is decorated in shades of gold and red, radiating off the dark wood tables and accents. The sexy, mysterious aura flows through to the in-house bar, led by bar manager Emanuele Balestra. Thanks to the ecological oasis on the hotel’s rooftop, he has elevated craft cocktails to a new level. The food and beverage team has cultivated an herb and flower garden that provides ingredients and garnish for menu items. 

Balestra uses the garden’s harvest to create a line of edible perfumes that bartenders use to enhance the taste of the drinks. Scientifically distilled mixes of flowers, herbs, citrus fruits, and other aromatics are used to create the perfumes, which are then sprayed on the glasses of the specialty drinks. Your typical French 75 is taken to new heights with a spritz of Menton lemon and floral accents.

The Fun

Outside dining options are just as impressive. The Mademoiselle Gray Plage, located on the property’s private beach, is the perfect place for lunch with a Mediterranean flair. 

The BFire is the newest addition to the Le Majestic’s culinary makeup. Chef Mauro Colagreco has brought the perfect blend of intense and savory flavors to the Riviera using wood-firing techniques influenced by his Argentinean and Italian upbringing.

And leave room for dessert! Executive pastry chef Nicolas Maugard presents consumable evidence of why the French reign supreme in sweet treats. Maugard also offers lessons to guests who want to try their hand at some of the restaurant’s signature desserts.

Although Le Majestic has everything at your beck and call, the city of Cannes is magical. Across from the hotel is the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès (Palace of Festivals and Conferences), the hosting convention center for the Cannes Film Festival.

A short walk will lead you to the center of the town’s activity, featuring multiple shops and the Forville Market, where you can purchase fresh produce, fish, and food. A visit to the Rivera would only be complete with a boat ride in the Mediterranean and a visit to Marguerite Island.

I highly doubt anyone needs convincing to venture to Cannes, France. Still, whether you’re making your way there for the film festival or living out your dreams on the beaches of the Riviera, Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic is the perfect place to lay your head and experience the best in French luxury.