What it is

The classic French Riviera experience.

What it isn't

A buzzing party scene with paparazzi—despite the high-profile guests.

What we think

A destination unto itself, the Grand Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat is perhaps the most iconic and opulent hotel in the South of France. Opened in 1908—Gustave Eiffel designed its grand rotunda—the Belle Epoque monument was extensively renovated and restored in 2009 by beloved French designer Pierre-Yves Rochon; it is now managed by Four Seasons. The common spaces and 73 rooms are all cream and white, with black framed paintings and fresh flowers. Huge windows and French doors open to the sparkling Mediterranean or the immaculate gardens. The furniture is mostly traditional, but not forbiddingly so, and the marble bathrooms are huge and luxurious. Michelin-starred Le Cap also conveys a modern sensibility, with its updated French-Mediterranean cuisine and a 600-plus bottle wine cellar. The 8,000-square-foot spa, reached through a subterranean passage, offers a long, luxurious list of treatments.

You're here because

You crave the South of France of Picasso and the Kennedys. Pure seaside elegance and serene glamour.

The Moment

Brought down the hillside by a glass funicular, you step up to the dazzling Olympic-sized, heated saltwater infinity pool, ready for your lesson with legendary coach Pierre Gruneberg, who taught Picasso and Paul McCartney to swim.

Restaurants & Bars

Restaurant Le Cap - Mediterranean food, one-star Michelin restaurant

Restaurant La Veranda - Classic Mediterranean cuisine

Restaurant le Club Dauphin - Lunch only, sea side dining

The Dauphin Lounge - Swimming pool restaurant roof top bar

Le Bar

Location

Hidden in the pines on the tip of the Cap-Ferrat peninsula between Nice and Monaco. Nice airport is about 30 minutes by car, Cannes is an hour.