Hotel Martinez Review: The Beating Heart Of Cannes

I hadn’t planned my first stay at Hotel Martinez around the Cannes Film Festival, but in hindsight, I can’t imagine a better time to experience it. Over this period, the first thing you notice isn’t the famous white Art Deco façade, but the crowds gathered behind the barriers hoping to catch a glimpse of Hollywood’s biggest stars as photographers jostle for position and entourages drift through the revolving doors.

Opened in 1929, Hotel Martinez quickly established itself as one of the addresses of choice on La Croisette, attracting everyone from the Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson to Coco Chanel, at a time when the Roaring Twenties had transformed Cannes into the Riviera’s glamorous playground. Named after Sicilian hotelier Emmanuel Martinez and designed by architect Charles Palmero, it was the largest hotel on the French Riviera, bringing a fresh Art Deco aesthetic to a coastline better known for its Belle Époque grand dames. Today, its sweeping façade, with its geometric detailing has become one of Cannes’ most recognisable landmarks.

In 2009, the hotel underwent a major overhaul, led by French designer Pierre-Yves Rochon who was tasked with restoring its Art Deco spirit while bringing the interiors into the 21st century. A lighter finish and airy palette is now revealed through white lacquer furniture, soft creams, buttery yellows, pale blues and warm ivory tones, while a monumental glass chandelier suspended above the lobby staircase and subtle nautical references nod to both the Mediterranean and the ocean liners that once cruised along the coast.

Today, the hotel has 410 rooms and suites, four restaurants and bars, a private beach club and one of the largest hotel pools in Cannes, all spread across a prime stretch of La Croisette, right at the heart of the action. This is most notable during events like the Film Festival, when the lobby becomes a revolving door of celebrities, photographers, security, and impeccably dressed festival-goers – which makes people-watching almost as entertaining as strolling along the main seafront drag. And even if celebrity spotting isn’t your thing, there’s still something exciting about staying somewhere that has played such a central role in Cannes for almost a century.

With that in mind, while I’d always opt for a sea view room on the Riviera, my Deluxe Garden View room was a peaceful retreat, its outlook over the hotel’s gardens, where palm trees and Mediterranean plants shield the room from much of the hubbub outside. The room itself is compact, but perfectly proportioned and while the shower was a little snug, the water pressure made up for that.

As for the food, La Palme d’Or, the Michelin-starred ode to cinema and the Mediterranean, was closed during my stay for private events. This left Le Sud as the hotel’s social hub, which turned out to be no bad thing. Breakfast is best enjoyed in the sunshine on the terrace, where  à la carte dishes are paired with an excellent buffet including charcuterie and cheeses (of course), fresh baguettes and generous bowls of creamy salty French butter to help yourself to. Come evening, the terrace is one of the hotel’s liveliest gathering spots, with guests spilling outside for drinks beneath the palms.

Occupying the largest private beach on La Croisette, the beach club over the road is every bit as buzzy, its crisp white-and-blue yachting-inspired design following the same Riviera aesthetic found throughout the rest of the hotel. If crowds aren’t your thing, the spa sits tucked away behind the main building, where lush tropical gardens surround the pool. Here, seven treatment rooms offer everything from signature Carita facials and bespoke massages to Hydrafacial and cryotherapy treatments, alongside a steam room and fitness centre.

A true Riviera gem, the long lunches, afternoons by the pool and drinks on the terrace remind you why people have been coming to Hotel Martinez for generations.

C&TH Key Notes

What to order: The beautifully presented club sandwich at Le Sud.

The drink order: A chilled glass of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs on the terrace at Le Sud as La Croisette begins to come alive for the evening.

Room to request: During quieter months, book a Sea View Room for the classic Riviera outlook. Visiting during the Film Festival or Cannes Lions? A Garden View room is a surprisingly peaceful alternative.

Insider tip: If you’re planning lunch at La Plage du Martinez or by the pool, don’t leave it too late. Both kitchens stop serving after 4pm.

Don’t miss: A stroll through Le Suquet, Cannes’ old town, where the narrow streets, lively restaurants and café terraces make for some of the city’s best people watching.

THE LAST WORD

It’s easy to understand why Hotel Martinez has remained one of Cannes’ defining hotels for almost a century. There may be more intimate addresses along the French Riviera, but few place you quite so effortlessly at the centre of the action.

BOOK IT

Rooms at The Martinez start from €1460 for a Deluxe King Bed, including breakfast. hyatt.com