Where to Stay on the French Riviera Right Now
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Many travelers probably think they have the French Riviera all figured out, but this Mediterranean destination offers much more than its outsize reputation suggests. Is it glam, swanky and perhaps a little showy? Mais oui. Can it also be peaceful, rugged and charming? Bien sûr.
France’s Côte d’Azur may be an A-list retreat, but amid the superyachts and champagne-fueled beach clubs, you’ll also find pine-scented hiking trails, hilltop villages and secluded spots offering plenty of peace and quiet. The nine hotels below are similarly diverse, ranging from grand estates to boutique hideaways. Some are new; others have been painstakingly restored. Many are imbued with a deep sense of history. But all are chic—and might just be the perfect place to stay a while on the French Riviera.
The Maybourne Riviera
Roquebrune-Cap-Martin
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Roquebrune-Cap-Martin might not be front of mind when it comes to the Côte d’Azur, but it’s a quietly beguiling spot. So deserving, in fact, that the Maybourne brand chose this hilly region between Monaco and Menton for its first hotel in France. The resulting property is a modernist architectural marvel, rising from the rocks and offering panoramic views of the Mediterranean from its rooms, restaurants and infinity pool. Down at La Môme Riviera beach club, light lunches and evening meals are served to the accompaniment of DJ sets under fringed, orange-striped umbrellas. Every stay includes arrival transfers from the Nice area, that all-important welcome champagne, breakfast, sunbeds at the beach club and full access to its “well-being club,” called Surrenne Riviera.
Hôtel du Couvent
Nice
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As its name suggests, Hôtel du Couvent is housed in a former convent, tucked away in Nice’s Old Town. Guests staying in one of the 88 rooms, which are spread across three different buildings, have a variety of ways to while away their days: They could spend some time with the resident herbalist, making custom remedies or teas from ingredients in the garden; sipping a café au lait at an alfresco table at Le Bistrot des Serruriers; or working their way through the various pools in the Roman bath circuit, from warm tepidarium to hot caldarium and icy frigidarium. As evening approaches, Le 1604 offers imaginative dishes like grilled octopus with rhubarb and Mediterranean seabream with kumquat confit—along with plenty of bread and cheese.
Carlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel
Cannes
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One of the grandest dames on the Croisette, the Carlton hosted the town’s namesake film festival in 1946 and has been synonymous with the event ever since. Its own history could also be a movie—the hotel has hosted everyone from movie stars to presidents, and one of the first competitive tennis matches on a clay court took place right outside. The building was beginning to show its age until a recent renovation and redesign; now, 369 bright, airy rooms and suites offer views of the city, garden or Mediterranean, including 37 residences, which take up two new wings of the hotel. The on-site restaurants and bars are as enticing for their people-watching opportunities as their food, with options including Mediterranean brasserie Riviera Restaurant, Turkish spot Rüya Restaurant and Camélia Tea Lounge for a pastry-filled breakfast or afternoon tea accompanied by live harp music.
Hôtel Martinez
Cannes
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Hôtel Martinez couldn’t be closer to the action if it had an all-access pass to the red carpet. Right in the middle of the Croisette, it’s been one of the places to see and be seen since 1929. The Art Deco landmark dominates the waterfront, with loungers lining a prime stretch of beach and even a pier jutting into the water. An outdoor pool fringed with palm trees and meticulously landscaped terraces offer more places to lounge alfresco. If you’re going to call your restaurant La Palme d’Or, it had better be an award-winning spot. Thankfully, the flagship eatery has an extravagant menu that includes octopus and tuna belly, John Dory with shrimp and a lemongrass infusion, and spiny lobster flambéed with cognac. L’Oasis du Martinez – Spa by Carita also delivers on its long-winded name; it’s a premium retreat that will help you relax with all the latest treatments and therapies.
Château de Théoule Hôtel & Spa
Théoule-sur-Mer
The 44 rooms and suites at this former soap factory and Scottish lord’s home turned upscale hotel occupy three distinctive structures, all with their own charms. Those within the crenellated walls of the Château overlook the water and gardens, the more contemporary options in the Villa come with outdoor space and the ones in the Maison des Pêcheurs, or fishermen’s house, have Caledonian design touches that reflect their building’s ancestry. Guests can also enjoy the beach and Le Spa du Château de Théoule, which includes three separate cabins—snag the open-air one to have your treatment soundtracked by the ocean.
Les Roches Rouges
Saint-Raphaël
An erstwhile motel, Les Roches Rouges was reimagined in 2017 as a modernist haven. Days here are spent dipping in the saltwater pool that juts out over the rocky coastline, playing friendly rounds of pétanque or just relaxing in the minimalist sea-facing rooms. When hunger strikes, opt for cocktails and salads in your swimwear at La Chicoula, a self-described guinguette (an open-air café, typically on a riverbank), or Provençal treats like bouillabaisse-style sea bass at Estelo. If you can peel yourself away from the property, know that the surrounding area—a quieter stretch of coast along the Golden Corniche—is full of peaceful beaches and hiking trails worth exploring.
COMO Le Beauvallon
Grimaud
Opened in 1914, this Belle Époque beauty was requisitioned by the French government as a military hospital during both World Wars before becoming a celebrity magnet in the 1950s and ’60s. It ceased hotel operations for nearly two decades, reopening in 2026 after a complete overhaul. Now, a maximum of 87 guests at a time can enjoy the historic estate, including 42 rooms (all with air-conditioning), 10 acres of terraces and gardens, a beachfront pool and club, and culinary concepts by renowned chef Yannick Alléno. Throw in 300 art installations, private boat transfers to Saint-Tropez and a complimentary helicopter pickup from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport for those staying three nights or more in the COMO Suite, and you have one of the most exclusive destinations on the Riviera.
Cheval Blanc St-Tropez
Saint-Tropez
Another historic charmer brought into the 21st century, Cheval Blanc St-Tropez—the fourth in a portfolio that also includes properties in Courchevel, the Maldives and Saint Bart’s—emerged in 2019 from a multiyear renovation with 32 rooms and communal spaces cast in a relaxing blend of Riviera blue and ivory. The “Maison,” as it’s called, even has a signature scent now (a blend of botanical bitters, fig leaves and citrus). In front of the hotel, tall trees shade a grassy area that opens to a private stretch of white sand and shallow water. After a relaxing dip, head to the Guerlain spa for high-end treatments like the so-called Hammam & Snow, a hot-and-cold experience involving an ice fountain and snow shower.
Lily of the Valley
La Croix-Valmer
Lily of the Valley is just 20 minutes from Saint-Tropez, but it feels a world apart. Surrounded by pine forests and close to several beautiful sandy beaches on the protected Cap Lardier, it’s a tranquil retreat on an otherwise bustling stretch of coast. The hotel is dedicated to health and wellness, and offers a holistic approach to both in the form of optional four-, seven-, 10- or 14-day retreats. Guests can expect a personalized program of everything from fitness checkups and coaching sessions to low-calorie menus designed by a nutritionist and spa treatments like facials, cryotherapy and foot reflexology.
Booking With Chase Travel
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Looking for inspiration? Eligible Chase cardmembers can explore hotel reviews and editor-curated guides at chasetravel.com.
Lead photo: Carlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel.
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