Cannes — Glamour, Red Carpets & the Croisette 🎬
The Riviera at its most cinematic: palm-lined boulevards, superyachts stacked in the harbour, and a red-carpet staircase that's launched a thousand photographs. Hand-picked stays and must-book experiences — every link takes you straight to Trip.com to check live prices and book.
🏨 Where to Stay
- Hôtel Martinez ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Cannes' Art Deco icon on the Croisette, opened in 1929 and the unofficial headquarters of the Film Festival every May. 410 rooms in white lacquer and ocean blue, the Michelin-starred La Palme d'Or, a private beach and L'Oasis spa garden.
- Carlton Cannes, A Regent Hotel ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — the "Grande Dame" of the Croisette since 1911, reopened in 2023 after a two-year, multimillion-euro renovation by Tristan Auer. Twin Belle Époque domes, the largest hotel infinity pool in Cannes, and 37 residence suites in two new wings.
- Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic Cannes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — directly opposite the Palais des Festivals steps, a nearly-century-old Art Deco temple to French elegance. A private beach, heated pool, Michelin-adjacent dining at Beefbar, and a lobby lined with 2,500 photographs of Cannes' most famous visitors.
- Villa Garbo ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — attainable pick — an intimate 11-suite hotel residence in an 1884 townhouse, a five-minute walk from the Croisette and the beach, with a fireplace lounge, spa and Nespresso-equipped kitchens — genuine Cannes charm without the Palais price tag.
✈️ Flights
- Flights to Nice (NCE) — around 2 hours direct from Manchester to Nice Côte d'Azur, Cannes' nearest airport, then a scenic 30–40 minute drive or train ride west along the coast.
🎟️ Experiences
- Palais des Festivals et des Congrès — the beating heart of the Film Festival: the famous 24-step red-carpet staircase (yes, it's blue the rest of the year) and the Walk of Stars handprints out front. Free to visit and photograph year-round.
- Île Sainte-Marguerite — a 15-minute ferry from the Old Port to the largest of the Lérins Islands: pine-forest trails, hidden coves for swimming, and Fort Royal, where the mysterious Man in the Iron Mask was imprisoned for 11 years. A proper escape from the Croisette buzz.
- Le Suquet — Old Town — Cannes' original medieval hilltop quarter, all cobbled lanes and pastel houses climbing to the Musée de la Castre and Notre-Dame d'Espérance church. Climb the bell tower for the best panorama over the bay, then stay for dinner as the lights come on below.
🚗 Car Hire & Transfers