Carlton Cannes

Ever since it opened in 1911, this grand hotel – with its landmark domes, allegedly modelled after the breasts of courtesan La Belle Otero – has been the stuff of Riviera legend. Scenes from Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief were filmed in the hotel, and during the Cannes Film Festival it still fills with stars, thanks to its pole position on La Croisette.  

Some suites have movie star names and curious features: the Sean Connery has a bathroom under its dome, while the luminous Grace Kelly has a reading nook by a porthole window. Champagne breakfasts on the sunny terrace add another layer of glamour. It’s a splurge, but great fun for film fans. 

The hotel’s private beach, jetty and restaurant are still the see-and-be-seen spot in Cannes.