Royal Antibes ★★★★

Following in the steps of my favourite writer from across the pond, I arrive in Antibes, the 'Jewel of the Côte d'Azur', ready to give myself over to sunshine and joys of the Mediterranean. Even in F. Scott Fitzgerald's day, Juan-les-Pins was already a playground for the rich and glamorous flappers of Europe and America, a place of elegant soirees, millionaires and artists organising extravagant parties.

I find myself in a relatively new hotel, the Royal Antibes. As the hotel rises to view, my first glimpse confirms my impression of its youthful charms. Standing strident against the urban relief of Antibes, the hotel is a real head-turner. Designed by Gerard Vollenweider, it rises like a streamliner cleaving the clear blue of the sea. Its façade is playfully transparent with large windows, glass balconies and railings that evoke its maritime theme.

The Royal Antibes is deeply anchored in the town's maritime traditions, with Antibes being home to the first pleasure port in Europe, its famous Millionaires Quay. The sailing motif can be found again and again as you explore the hotel. Rich teak finishes are a sleek detail that works hand-in-hand with the giant prints of yachts and sailors’ knots and I find deep cherry wood, glossy walls and brilliant stuccos at every turn. The décor – every bit as fresh as you'd imagine – somehow makes me feel as though I were on the bow of a splendid yacht, bobbing out in the bay, with the salted air crisping up my curls... Contemporary, luxurious and elegant, Fitzgerald would have been in his element!

Tucked away on the hotel's ground floor, the Royal Spa – in partnership with the prestigious Parisian Cinq Mondes spa group, no less – is a nurturing space where the outside world no longer exists. It’s my first stop. Surrounded by clean lines and sympathetic lighting, I luxuriate in the Hamman, hot tub, sauna, relaxation room... and enjoy the meticulous attentions of the masseurs.

After relaxing some more, while wrapped in a soft dressing gown and finishing the final chapters of my book, I remember that outside lie the winding streets of the old city and its ancient battlements, the spectacular views of the Cap d'Antibes and the eccentric delights of the Picasso museum. I decide to close my book and step outside...