Le Majestic Cannes occupies one of the most enviable positions on La Croisette, directly opposite the Palais des Festivals and its famous red-carpeted steps. Open since 1926, it has spent the past century welcoming generations of actors and filmmakers, including Alain Delon, Catherine Deneuve, Matthew McConaughey and Robert De Niro. Yet the reason to stay here has little to do with who has slept here before, although you almost certainly will feel like you’re living on a glamorous film set. This is a hotel that knows exactly who she is.
I travelled to Cannes alone, and it’s a particularly good hotel for it. There is enough life downstairs that you never feel stranded in a silent resort, but nobody looks twice when you arrive for breakfast, dinner or an afternoon by the beach on your own. The moment you set foot in the grand lobby, there are sparkling crystal chandeliers, enormous flower arrangements and natural, attentive service you’d expect from a hotel used to A-list guests. It is also an excellent spot for people-watching and, perhaps even better, designer-bag-watching. Très chic, undeniably glamorous… though flip-flops and a beach cover-up still feel perfectly at home.
The location is one of the main reasons to stay here. You can walk almost everywhere in Cannes, with the Palais des Festivals directly opposite, the designer boutiques of La Croisette outside and Le Suquet within easy reach. Cannes station is also a short walk away for day trips to Antibes, Nice, Monaco and Menton. The real joy is the sense of independence, especially on my solo trip.
A Riviera room with a view
The bedrooms have recently been given a nautical spruce-up by architect and designer Isabelle Stanislas, with shades of sea blue that mirror the Mediterranean and gold accents lifting the hotel’s Art Deco interiors. I stayed in a Junior Prestige Suite with a sea-view terrace, where a generous bedroom opens onto a wide balcony overlooking the water and superyachts in the distance. It is the perfect spot for a morning coffee, or better still, a room-service breakfast.
Inside, there is a king-size bed and a spacious bathroom, with a separate bathtub and shower, double vanity and Guerlain amenities. Two sun loungers sit outside on the terrace, making it very easy to lose an afternoon without leaving the suite.
If that sounds generous, the two-bedroom Majestic Suite takes things several steps further, with a private rooftop pool, home cinema, fitness and massage room, and a dedicated butler. Subtlety has never been Cannes’ strong suit. That’s why we love it.
Breakfast here easily becomes one of my favourite parts of the day. The buffet is generous, with fresh fruit, pastries, omelettes and pancakes, but it is the sun-drenched poolside setting beneath red parasols that feels unmistakably French, almost like a film set. An elderly couple read the morning papers over coffee, while families plan the day ahead. You’ll want to linger.
Poolside to pontoon
Days at Le Majestic Cannes revolve around the water. Start beside the family-friendly heated pool, then cross La Croisette to Ciro’s, the hotel’s private beach club barely 30 seconds away. The Cannes outpost of the century-old Deauville seafood restaurant has tables and an outdoor bar on the sand, plus a private pontoon lined with loungers over the water. The seafood-led menu is light and made for long, leisurely lunches: order the lobster roll, local sea bass or grilled octopus, washed down with a chilled glass of Provençal rosé.
Come dinner time, the poolside terrace takes on a livelier mood with the arrival of the newly-opened Beefbar. The Monte-Carlo-born steakhouse feels right at home here with a live DJ, dressed-up crowd, late-night cocktails and a menu made for sharing. Start with the kobe beef prosciutto served with panettone and the wagyu gyozas, before moving on to one of the excellent cuts of meat. There are also dishes created for Cannes, including tagliolini with caviar and grilled lobster.
The spa is worth a visit and feels like its own little world, filled with natural light and a calm, treatment-focused atmosphere. There are yoga and Lagree classes, high-end fitness equipment and bespoke treatments carried out by expert beauticians. After a few days in the Cannes heat, my Biologique Recherche facial is exactly the transformation my skin needs.
Le Majestic gives you every reason to explore Cannes and just as many to stay put. The city is at the door, the beach across the road and, back inside, the hotel puts on a show from breakfast to last orders. You leave well looked after, very well fed and convinced that Cannes’ leading lady still knows exactly how to hold the spotlight.
Quick summary – Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic Cannes
- Style: Grand Art Deco hotel with French Riviera polish
- Location: A front-row spot on La Croisette, opposite the Palais des Festivals
- Key feature: Sea-view suites and a private beach club with its own pontoon barely 30 seconds from the lobby
- Dining: Poolside dinners at Beefbar and long seafood lunches at Ciro’s
- Wellness: Biologique Recherche facials, hammam, sauna and fitness facilities
- Ideal for: Cannes first-timers, couples, solo travellers and families who want the beach and city on their doorstep
hotelsbarriere.com/en/cannes/le-majestic, @hotelbarrierelemajestic
