The French Riviera, which is between the Alps, the line with Italy, and the Mediterranean Sea, is one of the most popular places for tourists to visit. The French Riviera is known all over the world for seaside towns and villages like Cannes, Nice, Monaco, and Saint-Tropez. It has a mild, sunny temperature all year long. Popular places to visit in the area include lively seaside towns like Juan-les-Pins, beautiful sandy or pebbled beaches, the wild scenery of the Estérel, the pretty islands of Lérins and Porquerolles, and century-old towns like Saint-Paul-de-Vence and ze. France’s Mediterranean coast is also full of beautiful hotels. Here are my picks for the 10 best French Riviera hotels.
1. HOTEL BELLES RIVES
The Hotel Belles Rives is a famous Art Deco mansion that sits above the sparkling shores of the French Riviera. From the rooms’ impressive balconies, you can see the sea in all its glory. The Belles Rives used to be the home of Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda. Its bold design and blue-striped curtains give it a nostalgic feel that brings to mind the wild glamour of that time. All 43 rooms have French step-out balconies. If you want to see the sea, book a room with a straight view. You can sunbathe, swim, or try one of the many water sports offered at the Hotel Belles Rives’ private beach and pier. Indulge in a massage in one of the private cabanas on the beach or get a Valmont beauty treatment at Belles Rives Beauty during your luxury vacation. Then, eat at La Passagere, which has a Michelin star and a deck with a view of the sea that can’t be beat. This restaurant is the epitome of Mediterranean chic.
- Hotel website: Hotel Belles Rives
- Tip: When you book through Virtuoso, you get free VIP perks like a room upgrade, breakfast for two every day, early check-in, late check-out, free chairs on the beach, and a $100 USD food and drink credit.
2. LILY OF THE VALLEY
At Philippe Starck’s Lily of the Valley, the Côte d’Azur shows its wild side. The beautiful house is only 20 minutes from Saint-Tropez and has incredible views of the sea. The hotel is on top of a hill and surrounded by protected nature areas. The sandy Gigaro Beach is just a few steps away. The 44 rooms and suites at Lily of the Valley blend in with the natural settings. At the heart of the hotel is an impressive wellness center with seven cabins, two steam rooms, a snow shower, sauna, and a health-focused restaurant with vegan and vegetarian choices. The “wellness village” is run by experts and has everything from aerial yoga and Biologique Recherche treatments to customized weight-loss and detox programs. Hike through pine-covered hills, swim in two beautiful pools, or grab a chilled glass of rosé on the beach below, where parasols are set up.
- Hotel website: Lily of the Valley
- Tip: When you book through Virtuoso, you get free VIP perks like an upgraded room, breakfast for two every day, early check-in, late check-out, and a $100 USD resort credit.
3. LE NEGRESCO HOTEL
Le Negresco Hotel has been a part of Nice and the Côte d’Azur for more than a hundred years. When you stay at Le Negresco, it’s like jumping into a happy mix of styles and ages. Contemporary artists, masterworks, and huge figures are just some of the things in Le Negresco’s important collection of art and period furniture. The collection has more than 6,000 pieces. Rare antiques and history paintings are mixed with works by Moretti, Dal, and Niki de Saint-Phalle, which looks very interesting. Madamme Jeanne Augier, whose family owned the hotel from 1957 to 2019, was an art lover who put together a collection that would look good in a museum. The rooms with balconies that look out over the sparkling sea are the most luxurious, but they all show off Madame Augier’s exquisite taste. The hotel is also home to Le Chantecler, Nice’s best restaurant, which has a Michelin star.
- Hotel website: Le Negresco
- Tip: When you book through Virtuoso, you get free VIP perks like a room upgrade, breakfast for two every day, early check-in, late check-out, and a $100 USD food and drink credit.
4. CHEVAL BLANC ST TROPEZ
At Cheval Blanc St-Tropez, the views of the sea are framed by pine trees that are over a hundred years old. It is a quiet place in this glamorous hot spot. Deep blues and stark whites make the 30 modern rooms with terraces facing the bay full of yachts feel relaxing. In the public areas and rooms of the hotel, there is a lively living art gallery that catches people’s attention and pays homage to the past of the Bohemian village. Laze away the day on the Maison’s beach, where the hotel staff, who are called “Ambassadeurs,” pay special attention to those who want to relax by the water. You can walk into town, take a ride in the custom-made Bentley, or let the Ambassadeurs plan a trip around the Côte d’Azur just for you. Chef Arnaud Donckele, who has three Michelin stars, shows off his skills every night at La Vague d’Or by putting together a symphony of Provencal flavors.
- Hotel website: Cheval Blanc St-Tropez
- Tip: When you book through Virtuoso, you get free VIP perks like a room upgrade, breakfast for two every day, early check-in, late check-out, and a $100 USD resort credit.
5. GRAND-HÔTEL DU CAP-FERRAT, A FOUR SEASONS HOTEL
The Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, a Four Seasons Hotel, is an icon of the French Riviera. It is at the tip of the beautiful Cap-Ferrat Peninsula, between Nice and Monaco. The house faces the Mediterranean and is surrounded by a private 17-acre estate with pine trees and gardens with flowers of every color. Since 1908, this award-winning legend has played home to many heads of state, famous people, and artists. Guests can stay in one of 49 guest rooms, 24 suites, or a super-luxury house with views of the sea or a lush pine forest. The popular beach club at the hotel, called Club Dauphin, is open from April to October and has an Olympic-size heated seawater pool, cabanas, a water-edge deck, and a private cable car to get there. The hotel has three great restaurants, including Le Cap, which has a Michelin star and serves modern French food.
- Hotel website: Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, a Four Seasons Hotel
- Tip: When you book through Virtuoso, you get free VIP perks like a room upgrade, early check-in, late check-out, breakfast every day, and a $100 USD resort credit.
6. HOTEL DU CAP-EDEN-ROC, AN OETKER COLLECTION HOTEL
The Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, which is on the southern tip of the Cap d’Antibes, is the perfect place to play on the French Riviera. It has a private beach, a park, a pool, and a pier. It was built in 1869 as a private house and turned into a hotel in 1887. It has a luxurious collection of rooms, suites, and villas, all of which are set in a quiet area with lots of pine trees and a clean coastline. Families and celebrities from all over the world come every year for the season to enjoy the hotel’s warm and generous welcome and its great leisure facilities, which include a fabulous infinity pool carved right out of a coastal cliff. If you look around, you’ll see the seaside cabanas where Greta Garbo relaxed, the blue waters where Kirk Douglas water-skied, and the rocky outcroppings where Marc Chagall did sketches.
- Hotel website: Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, an Oetker Collection Hotel
7. CAP ESTEL
Cap Estel is on a two-hectare rock that sticks out into the Mediterranean Sea. It is surrounded on three sides by water, so it has great views in all directions. Only 10 minutes from Monaco, 10 minutes from Beaulieu-sur-Mer and St-Jean-Cap Ferrat, and 30 minutes from Nice, the hotel is the perfect place to explore and enjoy the beauty of the famous French Riviera. Cap Estel is a small hotel in its own gated land, surrounded by lush greenery and beautiful trees. It is hidden and private, a quiet oasis where you can get away from the crowds and relax in peace. It’s no wonder that famous people from all over the world have been coming here to relax for more than 50 years. With only 28 rooms in four different places, Cap Estel gives luxury, privacy, and the highest level of comfort in a charming and elegant atmosphere with 5-star service.
- Hotel website: Cap Estel
- Tip: If you book through Virtuoso, you can get free VIP perks like a room upgrade, early check-in, late check-out, breakfast for two every day, and a $100 USD spa credit.
8. CHATEAU DE LA MESSARDIERE
The Chateau de la Messardière is a castle hotel from the 1800s that sits on a quiet hillside with a view of the beautiful Bay of Pampelonne. Since 2019, the Chateau has gone through a glamorous makeover. New services and facilities have been added all over the land. Just three minutes from the center of the village, the Chateau is a quiet place where guests can feel at home while hearing the beat of Saint-Tropez in the background. The typically warm weather can be enjoyed at the outdoor pool, which is almost the size of an Olympic pool, at the restaurant Open Sky, which is right next to the pool and looks out over the beautiful Bay of Saint-Tropez, or at the private sand beach Tropézina, which is just a short walk from the hotel. If you want to do something, you can take the hotel’s shuttle, which runs around the clock, to the busy tourist town.
- Hotel website: Château de la Messardière
- Tip: When you book through Virtuoso, you get free VIP perks like a room upgrade, breakfast for two every day, early check-in, late check-out, and a $100 USD food and drink credit.
9. THE MAYBOURNE RIVIERA
With its modern style and stunning views, The Maybourne Riviera is quickly becoming the newest and most popular beach resort on the French Riviera. The hotel looks like it’s breaking through the rocky peninsula of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin and into the sparkling Mediterranean Sea with its unique design. The luxurious property is perfectly located between Menton and Monte Carlo, with sweeping views of warm terracotta roofs, olive fields, and citrus trees heavy with fruit all the way to the azure horizon. Walk around the land and you’ll see citrus orchards and herb gardens that smell great. Sea-to-table food made by world-famous cooks Mauro Colagreco and Jean-Georges Vongerichten is served here. Or, relax with a glass of chilled rosé de Provence from one of the nearby vineyards on your private patio and look out over the water. This is standard in all 45 rooms and 24 suites.
- Hotel website: The Maybourne Riviera
- Tip: When you book through Virtuoso, you get free VIP perks like an upgraded room, breakfast for two every day, early check-in, late check-out, and a $100 USD resort credit.
10. LA RESERVE RAMATUELLE HOTEL, SPA & VILLAS
When you first see the beautiful crescent-shaped roofline of La Réserve Ramatuelle, Hotel, Spa & Villas, which is set among lavender and pine trees, you’ll know you’ve arrived. This high-end hotel, designed by the famous architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, is in the private La Réserve neighborhood on the Côte d’Azur near Saint-Tropez. It gives guests a quiet, personal setting. From the terraces of any of the nine guest rooms, 19 suites, or 14 luxury private homes, you can see beautiful views of the Mediterranean. The luxurious spa has 11 treatment rooms and focuses on personalized treatments and exercise programs that will help you age better and feel better. At the restaurant, you can taste the flavors of the south of France in a way that is good for you. La Réserve Ramatuelle is very impressive, with great service and a beautiful style.
- Hotel website: La Réserve Ramatuelle, Hotel, Spa & Villas
- Tip: If you book through Virtuoso, you can get free VIP perks like a room upgrade, breakfast for two every day, early check-in, late check-out, and a 50-minute massage for two.
