Hotel Majestic Barrière

The hotel is located on the Croisette, virtually opposite the Palais des Festivals, where the Cannes festival is held. Expect a 30-minute drive to get to the Nice Côte d'Azur airport and 20 minutes to get to the station.

During our visit, renovation work was in progress in the entrance of the Majestic and in an area which was to boast gardens with a swimming pool and a solarium terrace. The completion of these facilities was scheduled for 2010.

The entrance hall lives up to the standards and ambitions of grandeur and luxury of this hotel and to its international renown. Large columns support an incredibly high ceiling (resembling a historical monument) and are decorated with refined flower arrangements that blend in perfectly with the cushy sofas, where guests may recline while they wait for their keys or enjoy a quick break. There are also a few shops (luxury boutiques, needless to say) and window displays.

On the right there is a bar decorated in Egyptian tones, where you'll feel as if you were sitting in a café in Saint Petersburg (or at least as one imagines it): light colours, dark wall-to-wall carpeting and tea served in the afternoon.

There is a bellboy to take care of your luggage, and should you arrive by car, a parking valet is at your disposal: The tone is set upon arrival! After some renovation, the establishment reopened its doors in 2008 and unveiled a modern version of this luxury hotel, where classical elements blend with designer and trendy details.


. We were particularly appreciative of the small details that make all the difference and revive the bubbling spirit of the Belle Epoque era, such as the vintage wooden lift.

At first glance, you can tell that the Majestic Barriere is not a place you come to for its standard rooms. First of all, the standard rooms do not boast a sea view, and one may well wonder if there's any point in coming to Cannes if one can't admire the Croisette and wave to the crowds like any self-respecting movie star!
Secondly, some of the rooms are ridiculously small, and just getting from the bathroom to the bed requires a series elaborate contortions.

For utter luxury, choose a suite with a sea view. They're spacious and are an ode to the concept of luxury in the 21st Century, which is indeed space. There's also their design, a clever mix of modern and classical influences, which helps to provide the perfect setting. The bedroom features a huge bed and will remind you of the stately rooms of the olden days, with dark and traditional wall-to-wall carpeting. This classical style comes as a stark contrast to the more modern elements such as the bedding's neutral tones, the mp3 dock, the massive flat screen TV and the darker tones or the simple lines of the furniture. These accessories are made by famous international brands such as 'Berlutti'. In short, this is a setting with chic influences that are slightly reminiscent of the Napoleonic era, revisited by the Milan school of design, and both trendy and minimalist.
Then there's the bathroom, which is slightly less modern but just as impressive: it shows an enthusiastic use of marble mixed with a wide range of technological details (the thermometer in the shower for instance). However, the bathroom is generally rather classical in style, something that lovers of all that's modern should bear in mind

In addition to the suites, the hotel offers several categories of rooms, different only in the view they offer: the Deluxe rooms have a sea view, the Executive ones are situated in the side wing of the building and the Superior rooms afford a view of the city. The suite sadly remains unaffordable for most people, but it's worth booking a Superior room at least, mainly because it's only from this category of room upwards that the size can be described as reasonable (approximately 25 m²), unlike the standard rooms that are closer to 17 m². Their interior decor resembles that of the suites, with the clever mix of classical undertones and modern touches. For some unfathomable reason, the bathroom is entirely clad in pink marble. Apparently it's all the rage.

Everyone knows or has heard of the Majestic Barrière's restaurant: The Brasserie-Restaurant, 'Le Fouquet's'. Needless to say that this is one of the better known establishments of the French gastronomic scene. With a reputation spanning from Paris to Cannes, it's one of those fashionable places where you come to admire and to be admired. You also come here for the fine cuisine, as the establishment often relies on the services of the biggest international chefs.
In Cannes, Le Fouquet's specialises in modern cuisine and offers theme menus, such as 'Gastronomic Italy'. Next to the reception area, the restaurant affords a view of the Croisette and its daily (and nightly) comings and goings. Light comes in through large bay windows and the room is decorated in a simple style, which will make you feel at home: wall-to-wall carpeting, skylights and large American-style counters with a series of black and white photos of movie stars. However, the alignment of all of the wall-mounted flat screen TV sets is unfortunate and the constant broadcast of advertisements and fashion show footage excludes any sense of visual tranquillity...

Further inside, the Bar seems to be trying to put on the appearance of some sort of an Egyptian 'smoking room" with numerous sculptures. There is five o'clock tea and wall-to-wall carpeting, but it is maybe slightly too traditional in style.