Radisson Blu 1835 Hôtel Cannes ★★★★

Though sadly no red carpet is unfurled for us upon our arrival at the Radisson Blu 1835 Hotel ****, we were greeted at the front desk in a manner befitting Hollywood royalty. The lobby is contemporary and stylish, furnished largely in cool creams with splashes of aquamarine and a pale purple, evocative of the magical sunsets over the Mediterranean Sea.

The precise care taken with the interior decoration to create a luxurious but unpretentious ambiance is matched perfectly by the attentive but unobtrusive service throughout the hotel. Cool creams and neutral tones of our room, coupled with the contemporary interior design, create a tranquil retreat above the hubbub of the lively city below. Views of the sea from our Deluxe Room only contribute further to a sense of calm.

While you could quite easily spend your days cocooned in the luxurious hotel, its excellent location means it isn’t far to go for an authentic Cannes experience. Just five hundred metres from the hotel, the Old Port is a charming spot to enjoy a coffee while watching the sleek luxury yachts bob gently in the water. Once a small fishing village, Cannes retains an emphasis on aquatic activities, though nowadays fewer fishing boats and more super yachts and jet skis occupy the sheltered cove. Of course, the Cannes Film Festival ensures the town retains its reputation as one of the trendiest resort towns in Europe.

With its rich history in mind, we set off to discover the real Cannes, bent on exploring all there is to see and do in the romantic seaside destination. We wandered along the beautiful Promenade de la Croisette, a well-manicured boulevard lined with palm trees on one side, and trendy boutiques, chic cafés and restaurants on the other. The picturesque white sandy beaches of the waterfront are a relaxing diversion from the town’s ostentatious glitz and glamour.

Back in the hotel, after a long day walking the city, we freshened up in advance of dinner at the Radisson Blu’s 7th floor Vertigo restaurant for some delectable tapas and cocktails, well deserved after a long day’s walking. Facing the azure Mediterranean Sea, the expansive rooftop terrace is a stunning place to enjoy dinner and drink in the views of the city at sunset, when the lights begin to sparkle like diamonds. Though the curtain might fall on another temperate night in Cannes, the Radisson Blu 1835 Hotel **** remains the star that steals the show.