Hôtel & Spa Belle Plage

Mr Smith and I pulled up at elegant Cannes hideaway Hôtel & Spa Belle Plage in the pouring rain. It was September and we’d driven in from the sleepy cliffside commune of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie where we’d been languidly recovering from a weekend-long wedding in Chaponnay. The South of France really is a place of romance, and we arrived still high on love and a little sleepy from the drive. We handed our keys to the valet and took shelter in the lobby, an indoor-outdoor space which could be mistaken for a beach club. It effused Riviera chic, with palm trees blowing in the wind and a mint-coloured Vespa parked by the reception desk.

The lift whisked us up to the fourth floor, where we checked into our Deluxe Room. Decked out in natural hues and organic materials, it had a featherlight feel. Every detail had been carefully considered – even the kettle was stylish – but despite the room being smart and functional, soft textures, striped linens and pebble-patterned floors were refreshingly unpolished touches. Looking beyond the gauzy curtains out onto the balcony, everything inside seemed to reflect the view: a picturesque landscape in shades of green, terracotta and blue. 

The hotel stands tall on a corner of Le Suquet, one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Cannes. Its sleek modern building was designed by architect Raphael Navot, and the curved, off-white façade and rounded balconies catch the afternoon light in a way that conjures a strange sense of nostalgia. Le Suquet is known as the birthplace of Cannes. It was once a fishing village, miles away from the glitz and glamour it’s synonymous with today; but winding cobblestone streets and charmingly crumbly, topsy-turvy apartment buildings allude to the humble history of the area. Despite it being so central, there’s a peaceful calm to the place which is also infused into the atmosphere at Hôtel & Spa Belle Plage. 

The hotel has 45 rooms and one suite, but we rarely caught sight of our neighbours, except when we were dining at the restaurant. The glass-walled rooftop eatery Bella is where breakfast is served (both buffet and à la carte), and in the evening Israeli chef Eyal Shani combines bold Mediterranean flavours with French sophistication. It also has a large, wraparound terrace with a spectacular bird’s eye view of the Bay of Cannes. Mr Smith and I ate breakfast alfresco while plotting our day ahead over coffee and croissants. With the sun beaming down on us and waves lapping the namesake plage just across the road, there really wasn’t much to deliberate over. We grabbed our towels and books and headed down to the coast to while away a few hours with our toes in the sand.

Wherever I travel in the world, I’ll always find time to slip away to a nearby spa, so I was pleased to learn that Hôtel & Spa Belle Plage also consists of the nearby wellness haven Villa Belle Plage. Set within the historic Villa Rocamare, it’s a romantic setting that draws you in completely, and makes you forget everything going on outside. Treatments use heavenly Augustinus Bader, Cellcosmet and Maison Alaena products, and there’s salt therapy, a sauna, hammam, and Watsu massages, too. I highly recommend at least one visit, but you don’t have to come here to find calm – even back at the main hotel, the pace felt consistently gentle, and everything seemed harmoniously designed to soothe the nervous system. 

In the evening, Mr Smith and I were delighted to find we were just a 10-minute walk from the Palais des Festivals, so we wandered down to and around the port, before reaching the famed Boulevard de la Croisette. Sleek yachts, like sea-faring spaceships, bobbed along the waterfront, and it felt like – even in the dark – night time was when Cannes really shone. We perused the rows of shops on the main strip and in the web of streets further inland, where we found indie boutiques alongside showrooms for well-known designer names, plus chic bars to hop. Then we headed back to the hotel for dinner at Bella, feasting on lamb chops, hummus topped with roasted shrimps and hazelnut butter, and an artfully plated beetroot carpaccio. The cocktails were as creative as the food; I had an ‘Ashkelon’: an intriguing black drink comprising a mezcal-tequila hybrid, muddled with vanilla, passionfruit and activated charcoal. The rooftop bar felt like the heart of Hôtel & Spa Belle Plage, with a buzzing atmosphere and glittering views we grew completely enamoured of. A few more cocktails later and we were ready for bed, ending our last night in Cannes just as when we’d arrived, feeling sleepy and a little romanced.