This Art Deco hotel is built directly on the shore in Juan-les-Pins, at the foot of Cap d'Antibes, and bills itself as the first on the Riviera with its feet in the water. Nice airport is 20–30 minutes away by car and the restaurants of Juan-les-Pins a ten-minute walk, so it suits a two-night stopover as well as a week by the sea. Inside, the 1930s glamour has been restored rather than replaced, with chrome chandeliers, period murals and a mosaic floor. F. Scott Fitzgerald started Tender Is the Night here when it was still a private villa. Come for the setting, and save your evenings for the bar.
Bar Fitzgerald is the showpiece, with its original oak parquet, a leopard-print rug, black leather club chairs in glossy burr-wood frames, a black marble counter and restored frescoes that map the Riviera. La Passagère has walls of glass onto the sea, big round ceramic plates painted with faces and tables outside on cobalt-and-cream bistro chairs facing the Lérins Islands. Its Michelin star goes to seafood built around lesser-known local fish such as mullet and leerfish. Out on the sun deck, La Plage serves Provençal dishes to share under pergolas.
With a small balcony on every room, the real choice is which way it faces. Sea-facing rooms look down onto the jetty, its navy parasols and clear green water, while the others are the smallest, so spend the extra. The first-floor Zelda suite is the one to book, with panoramic sea views, two bathrooms and a brass chandelier; the Sea View Suites, with two living areas, come next. Navy-and-gold geometric carpets and gold drum pendant lamps run throughout. Families should look at the Cottage in the annexe opposite, which has its own shaded terrace.
Water-skiing has been part of life on this bay since the sport's earliest days, and the resident club gives lessons to anyone aged three and up. You can also hire pedalos and paddleboards, or join a boat trip or sunset cruise from the hotel. On dry land, Antibes old town and its craft workshops are a 7–10-minute drive, and Cannes about 20. Further along the Côte d'Azur, you can hike through the red rocks of the Estérel or visit the Fragonard flower fields near Grasse.
From a sea-facing room, the Mediterranean is right below your balcony, close enough to smell the moment you open the doors and almost near enough to jump into.
If dinner at La Passagère is part of the plan, book it for Wednesday to Sunday, because the Michelin-starred restaurant closes on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Expect to pay for a lounger, even when you're staying here, and to reserve it ahead. Book the jetty early if you want to be out over the sea.
Start with a recommended trip or create one from scratch
Hotel Belles Rives can be booked with Timbuktu as part of a tailor-made France trip, rather than as a standalone room reservation. Start online, customising one of our recommended France trips featuring Hotel Belles Rives or get advice and suggestions from one of our France specialists who will design the trip around your dates, check availability and handle every booking for you.
Stays at Hotel Belles Rives start from around $190, or US$190, per person per night as part of a tailor-made trip. The exact price depends on your travel dates, room type and the shape of the rest of your itinerary. A Timbuktu travel specialist can give you an accurate quote for your dates.
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A laidback slice of the Riviera where Picasso spent four months and left 20 paintings.
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