Winter is nearly over. It’s been a good three months of staying in, hot chocolates, and movie nights; but it’s safe to say we’re over it by now and in need of something new… like our favorite hotels opening their doors again for the spring seasons. The Grand Hôtel du Cap Ferrat, Hôtel le St Paul, Hôtel du Cap Eden Roc, and the Grand Hotel Tremezzo, they’re all here, and here’s why you should consider staying in one of them this spring.
Grand Hôtel du Cap Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel – Côte d’Azur :
Ideal for:
People with families and anyone who wants to experience an iconic, no holds barred luxury hotel experience.
Atmosphere:
It’s no coincidence that the Grand Hôtel du Cap Ferrat, a Four Seasons Hotel, has been around for over a century.
To understand its pedigree, you only need to take a look at the guest list: Winston Churchill, Elizabeth Taylor, Charlie Chaplin; all have had the honor of calling this hotel home, and to this day, it’s still a star-studded affair.
With only 74 rooms, 17 acres of landscaped gardens, and a level of service which delivers what you need before you even know you need it, this Four Seasons hotel easily places among the best in the world.
Families will love the amount of outdoor space available and the Club Dauphin – home to one of the most beautiful infinity pools in the world – is where the kids of Charlie Chaplin, Somerset Maugham, and Paul McCartney, learned to swim.
Four Seasons Grand Hôtel du Cap Ferrat – Club Dauphin
Rooms
Designed by Pierre-Yves Rochon and with gorgeous views of the French Riviera stretched out before them, the rooms at the Grand Hôtel du Cap Ferrat a Four Seasons hotel are a feast for the senses.
Designer Pierre-Yves Rochon’s choice of an all-white color palette make them a refreshing place to return to after a few hours in the pool, or after a day spent in the French Riviera’s towns.
Grand Hôtel du Cap Ferrat, a Four Seasons Hotel – Palace Sea view Suite.
A curated selection of artworks and wooden parquet floors bring tasteful accents to the room’s color scheme, and outside your window, the cerulean blue of the Mediterranean acts as the master touch. Look out to the horizon on a sunny day, and it’s clear that room and sea were meant to blend as one.
Even entry level rooms (if any can be said to exist in this hotel) are generously sized, and come with deluxe marble bathtubs. Suites come equipped with deep soaking tubs and views over the hotel’s lush gardens or the Mediterranean. For those who really want to splurge, the Villa Rose-Pierre – designed by Alberto Pinto – is a fully fledged French Riviera Villa in the hotel grounds set in its own 2.5 acres of garden and is only a short distance from Nice, Monaco and Cannes.
Grand Hôtel du Cap Ferrat, a Four Seasons Hotel – Pool Suite.
Dining
Four restaurant and bar options are available at the Grand Hôtel du Cap Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel and all offer a different dining experience and cuisine style for you to enjoy. What they have in common, is their commitment to excellence, and beautiful views of the ocean as their backdrop.
Le Cap
Grand-Hôtel du Cap – Ferrat – A Four Seasons Hotel – Le Cap Restaurant-
Run by Michelin Star Chef Didier Aniès, Le Cap’s menu is dictated by the seasons, and whatever quality ingredient finds its way on the Chef’s chopping board. Pair your selection of meats, seafood, and fish with a grand cru bottle from the hotel’s extensive list, and pick a table on the terrace under the Aleppo trees, and we guarantee you’ll be in culinary heaven.
La Véranda
Grand Hôtel du Cap Ferrat, a Four Seasons Hotel – La Véranda Restaurant.
La Véranda’s setting is as delicious as what comes from its kitchens. With a hundred-year-old Aleppo pine tree towering over it, and the gorgeous Mediterranean ocean as a backdrop; it’s hard to find a more picturesque setting for an alfresco dinner.
Club Dauphin
Jump into an air conditioned glass funicular and whisk down to the Club Dauphin and its gorgeous infinity pool. If you’re feeling peckish, the poolside grill restaurant serves Mediterranean-inspired light dishes – raw vegetables, grilled catch of the day, and sandwiches.
Hôtel Le St Paul – France – St Paul de Vence
Ideal for:
Anyone not interested in the ritzy side of the French Riviera. If you want to relax in a luxurious but unpretentious setting, this is the place.
Atmosphere:
Found in a UNESCO-listed medieval promontory overlooking the waters of the Mediterranean, the Saint-Paul enjoys one of the most picturesque and unique settings in the French Riviera.
The medieval town of St Paul is very different from its neighbors Cannes and Nice and if you associate the Riviera with the beaches and glamor of these coastal towns; get ready to have your preconceptions challenged.
Town of St Paul de Vence
St Paul de Vence is quintessential Provence. Here it’s all about slow living, Baroque buildings, the scent of lavender, old men playing pétanques… and art galleries. Plenty, of art galleries.
The Hotel Saint Paul reflects the town’s spirit. It’s a luxury retreat surrounded by narrow cobbled streets, ancient buildings and with breathtaking views of the landscape from its balconies. Inside, original paintings by Chagall, antiques and open fireplaces create a homely environment that’ll cocoon you from the outside world.
Rooms
With only 16 rooms and suites available, few hotels in the French Riviera rival the Hotel Saint Paul’s intimate and cozy atmosphere.
Hotel le St Paul de Vence – Valley Suite
Hotel le St Paul de Vence – Junior Suite Valley Living Room
The items of furniture you’ll find in the rooms – drawers, Louis XVI writing desks, wing chairs and more – are bespoke made by a cabinet maker, and every inch of the richly decorated rooms are covered in noble materials such as silk or cashmere. So much so, that if luxury is in the details, this hotel easily ranks among the best in the world.
The views from the rooms and suites vary, but all offer a typical Provencal setting – quiet medieval streets or landscapes – every time you open the window. But if you’re really after a wow factor every time you look outside, the Terrace Suite, and its 360° views over the valley, comes with our highest recommendations.
Dining
Le St Paul Restaurant- Terrace
With only one restaurant available, the hotel doesn’t exactly flood you with dining options, and it doesn’t have to.
Here it’s quality over quantity.
The Saint-Paul Restaurant is exactly what you’d expect a gourmet provincial eat to be and more. The authentic designs made of vaulted ceilings and stone – with a 17th-century fountain as the centerpiece – complement the excellent regional dishes.
Hôtel du Cap Eden Rock – Antibes – France
Hotel du Cap Eden Roc
Ideal for:
Anyone who likes to mingle with the Hollywood A-listers on r&r time, and for those looking for one of the best hotel experiences money can buy.
Atmosphere:
Hotels don’t come with more grandeur and glam factor than the Hotel du Cap – Eden Roc.
Immortalized in F Scott Fitzgerlad’s final novel, “Tender is the night” in 1934, the Hotel du Cap – Eden Roc already had a reputation for being ” a summer resort of notable and fashionable people ” (Fitzgerald’s words, not ours) and it’s lived up to it ever since.
Hotel du Cap Eden Roc – Lobby
Every bit of this hotel was designed to please – and surprise – the world’s most jaded guests.
Sitting on a hilltop in the Cap d’Antibes, the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc offers incredible views over the Mediterranean sea and a 22-acre garden to gaze upon when you’re not busy lounging by the infinity pool or waxing lyrical with the interesting people you’ll meet.
But, the hotel’s wow factor, is intangible. The way it gathers the world’s ” crème de la crème” and still manages to create a relaxed and unpretentious vibe, should have some of the world’s biggest hotels taking notes.
Rooms
The hotel’s 116 room and suites were recently renovated, and they’ve never looked better.
Hotel du Cap Eden Roc – Suites
Outside the window, it’s quintessential French Riviera: Citrus groves, Magnolias, the waters of the Mediterranean and the Lérins islands. 18th-century style interiors recall the hotel’s history and in the suites, stone fireplaces, jacuzzi’s and terraces make for one of the best hotel experiences the French Riviera has to offer.
Hotel du Cap Eden Roc – Villas
Dining
Eden-Roc Restaurant
One of the French Rivera’s best tables since 1973. The Eden – Roc Restaurant’s super trio – Executive Chef Arnaud Poette, Head Chef Gaiatto, Pastry Chef Lilian Bonnefoi – never disappoint. The restaurant’s setting – suspended over the sea, and with views of the Lénins islands – is idyllic.
Eden – Roc Grill & Bar
A relaxed restaurant serving simple but delicious Mediterranean fare, the Eden-Roc Grill & Bar is a great place to sit down for lunch and soak in the sun and cocktails.
Eden – Roc Champagne Lounge
The Eden -Roc Champagne Lounge is the place to see and be seen in the French Riviera. Sommelier Xavier Dinet, in collaboration with 14 prestigious Champagne houses, presents a fine selection of bottles to choose from. If you’re having a selection headache, resident expert Christophe Lencioni is more than happy to give you a few pointers.
Juice & Ice Cream Bar
Tasty, refreshing, and with a calorie count your dietician would approve, the Juices served at the Juice & Ice Cream Bar are a must try. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, the bar’s homemade sorbets and ice cream – topped with dried fruits and homemade chocolate – are like heaven in a cup.
Bar Bellini
As the name suggest, this is one of the best places to sip on a Bellini. The views from the terrace are gorgeous, and the refined interiors are the perfect setting for a good conversation.
Bar La Rotonde
Watch the sun set on the Lérins Islands, with the soothing music of a live piano in the background in this historical bar. Once a favorite of dignitaries and artists, the bar’s recent refurbishment has left it looking better than ever.
Grand Hotel Tremezzo – Lake Como – Italy
Grand Hotel Tremezzo – Exterior
Ideal For
Anyone who wants to experience a hotel on the shores on Lake Como and wake up to views of the Bellagio and Gringe mountains. In other words, everybody.
Atmosphere
Decadent. A stay at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo is more than your standard hotel experience; it’s like stepping into a parallel universe, one with Botticelli-like oil paintings, chandeliers, marble busts, a billiard table from the 1800’s and staff so efficient and friendly you’ll want to take them back home with you. And of course, the beautiful Lake Como is in the background sparkling away. Truly decadent.
Rooms
Whether you’re after the serenity of the hotel’s century-old park or you’d like to wake up to views of the lake, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo, has you covered.
Grand Hotel Tremezzo – Rooftop Suite
For honeymooners, the Santa Maria suite’s views of the Lake Como (visible right from the room’s four-poster bed) and Verona marble whirlpool tub create the perfect atmosphere for a couple’s getaway. The terrace from the suite Greta – inspired by Hollywood actress Greta Garbo – gives you a direct view of the tip of the Bellagio but for the ultimate splurge, the hotel’s Rooftop Suites, offer some the best views of any hotel around.
Grand Hotel Tremezzo – Suite Maria
Dining
Home to the iconic three T’s, guests of the Grand Hotel Tremezzo enjoy an unparalleled dining experience on Lake Como.
T Pizza
Woodfire Pizzas at the T Pizza
Located by the Piscina dei Fiori, the “T Pizza” restaurant is a relaxed place to enjoy fantastic grills and woodfire pizzas. In summer evenings, the restaurant prepares candlelight dinners by the poolside for you to enjoy.
T Beach
Framed by the waters of the Lake Como and the hotel pool, the T Beach restaurant is an idyllic setting in which to enjoy the creative cuisine of Chef Gualitero Marchesi, one of the biggest names in Italian cuisine right now.
T Bar
Whether you want to unwind with a good book, or looking for a place to meet some interesting people, this discreet and chic bar on the banks of the Como is the ideal place. The bar’s T cocktails are unmissable.
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