Review: The Carlton Cannes – A Regent Hotel: first in review

Why book The Carlton Cannes?

The roaring revival of a beloved hundred-year-old grand dame icon, where foreign royalty once waltzed in the ornate Grand Salon ballroom, is always news, but exactly what has changed? Lots. Longtime Carlton regulars and Cannes Film Festival goers could see it coming – the landmark Belle Époque decor was getting ineluctably tired, voilà tout. And happily, no one left this snow-white wedding cake in the rain. Seven years later, including two years of closure, the hotel’s massive restoration has yielded plenty of beguiling reasons to rediscover the newly-branded Carlton Cannes, now a Regent Hotel and part of the IHG Hotels & Resorts portfolio: seven new luxe studios and a penthouse (in two wings spanning more than 20,000 square meters), an enclosed inner courtyard transformed into a leafy landscaped garden, a sunbathing deck with cabanas, the largest infinity pool in the city, a new bar and restaurant, the high-tech C-Club fitness and spa complex (opening in May), and 37 luxury residences for extended stays, plus the stylish airy rejuvenation of the classic rooms and lobby, remodelled by French interior designer Tristan Auer, who worked with Cartier and Le Crillon.

Set the scene

The moment you step through the century-old wood revolving doors, it’s hard to contain your wolf-whistle excitement, particularly if you’re already familiar with Carlton’s former cluttered dark lobby. Colossally high ceilings, petal pink Venini chandeliers, frescoed domes, and rows of stately neo-classic marble stucco columns that you probably never noticed before bathed in light. Young guest managers (dubbed “lobby ambassadors”) prettily clad in Grace Kelly-inspired uniforms – floaty cerulean pleated skirts and short beige jackets – greet new arrivals like a well-choreographed ballet. Tucked into a discreet alcove on the left is the conciergerie, a gleaming white Raku ceramic curvy desk and rows of old-fashioned wooden boxes for keys (but yes, you’ll be using a card). There’s also a VIP corner with a long sofa, and low tables with upside-down key cord tassel stands. The sunlit reception area for check-ins, set back in a separate area by the peristyle garden courtyard, is also a sight to behold: burnt-sienna-coloured clay powder encased in a long, curved glass top desk. This, the reception clerk explains, is a tribute to Carlton’s historic 1926 clay tennis courts – the first of their kind – where the legendary match between triumphant Frenchwoman Suzanne Lenglen and her American rival, Helen Willis, took place. “We tried to hide all the technology at the check-in desk, so the only thing a guest sees is the faces of the receptionists,” explains Carlton Cannes’ general manager Guiseppe Vincelli.

The backstory

Beyond its storied Belle Époque period, there’s no mistaking the mythic place-to-be-seen allure of the Carlton terrace, spruced up with modern furniture. “It’s perhaps the one hotel in the world recognisable from the plane as you fly in,” says Tom Rowntree, Vice President of Luxury Brands for IHG Hotels. There was, in fact, a monumental scale of work to be done, explains architect Richard Lavalle, starting with opening everything up – walls, perspectives – and removing eight layers of paint to uncover the original 1900s colours of the lobby and Tea Salon Camélia, now a soft mix of grey and beige with a hint of green that conjures silky vanilla whipped cream. One of the biggest finds, hidden under the faux ceiling of the lobby, was the two turn-of-the-century painted frescoes lining the domes. The two majestic curved stairways also. “We rubbed the painted bannisters with some nail polish, and suddenly something very shiny appeared. Gold leaf that dates back to 1906!” The entire renovation, orchestrated by VINCI Construction and Constructa, demanded an army of carpenters, painters, artisans and woodworkers.

The rooms

The 332 rooms and suites include signature multi-bedroom suites on the seventh floor with dining rooms and private terraces, plus a sprawling 1,000-metre-squared penthouse with a landscaped rooftop garden.

Cinephiles will want to book the renovated corner 623 Alfred Hitchcock suite where the master shot To Catch a Thief in 1954, and John Robie (Cary Grant) and Frances Stevens (Grace Kelly) immortalised their first kiss.

From our lovely fifth-floor room, we woke to a view of sailboats scudding on a slate blue-mirror sea (too early for yacht season); the curved daybed by the window is ideal for your first wake-up hit of espresso and a sweeping view of the Croisette and blue grey foothills of the Esterel in the distance. The understated Deco-meets-beach theme, dreamed up by designer Tristan Auer, was primarily, in his words, “meant to let the breeze in”. And restful it was, perhaps because of subtle touches, like the not-quite-white walls that reflect or absorb the light, and the scarcity of artwork, save a tiny hand-painted watercolour. The headboards are an elegant patchwork of cane chair and wood; the glass-topped black nightstands showcase simple strung cord; the glazed clay lamps, with raffia lampshades, are a nod to the local ceramic-making town, Vallauris.

Food and drink

The day begins with a copious breakfast buffet, served on a long marble table at the streamlined indoor/outdoor Riviera restaurant terrace (don’t miss the homemade cakes with honey from the pastry chef’s garden). The small but delectable offerings on the Riviera menu for lunch and dinner include aperitif nibbles, like a twist on the local speciality, pissaladière – rolled into caramelised onion cigars with anchovies or mini taco-like shells stuffed with fresh tuna, avocado and crab. Among the highlights: rack of lamb, Black Angus or Wagyu beef, sea bass and black risotto, and a garlicky grilled squid with sweet red peppers, served with a variety of roasted, fried or mashed potatoes. For dessert, we shared the unctuous Saint-Honoré pastry drizzled with vanilla caramel sauce and walnuts. (The Carlton’s second new restaurant, Rüya, featuring Anatolian cuisine, opens in May in time for the Cannes Film Festival). At the buzzy Bar 58 – a medley of Deco Bakelite, stunning Venini chandeliers and a pastel ceramic bar counter (inspired by eucalyptus leaves) – a “farm to bar” philosophy prevails. As an unconditional vegetable enthusiast, I tried the tangy Tomatino – Beluga gold vodka, cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and basil and olive oil. My bolder friend preferred the Sazerac Cocoa, a heady mix of Pernod absinthe, Bourbon, and white chocolate liqueur served in a silver flask.

The service

Gracious, friendly, reactive. With an impressive staff of no less than fourteen 24-hour concierges in peak season, local networking is almost a high-level sport. “Our services are all about rapidity,” confides head concierge Maxime Nerkowski, President of the Côte d’Azur and Monaco Clef d’Or Association, who is a whiz at finding guests a table in an impossibly overbooked restaurant to arranging after-hours visits to a dozen of high-end jewellery stores nearby. The biggest challenge? “Making sure that nothing ever gets lost!”  With additional help from guest relation managers and butlers on hand, the check-in is inevitably ultra-smooth.

The neighbourhood

A shopper’s paradise, with a wide selection of designer boutiques on the Croisette and smaller brand sportswear and shops along the Rue d’Antibes. The steep cobblestone streets of Le Suquet, a 20-minute stroll away, are worth a wander, particularly for the panoramic view at the top of the hill.

Who comes here?

International sophisticates of every age, seasonal trade-fair young professionals, glamour puss models, honeymooners, couples with kids in tow, heads of state and some of the world’s biggest film stars. In the all-day Camelia Tea Lounge, open to non-guests, the word is out: curious Cannes residents from pewter-maned gents in navy blazers and well-heeled matrons toting Shi tzu lap dogs are dropping in for Earl Grey and tartes au citron; come May, the who’s who of film industry folks will be strutting their finery in the cavernous period piece marble stucco-columned lobby.

For families and pets

The hotel’s rooms are large enough for families to request additional beds, or they can book adjoining rooms. The Carlton Beach Club (inaugurated in 1928, the first private beach in Cannes) across the street is not only a huge draw for parents but equally for sand-castle-building tots and water-skiing teens. Pooches under eight kilos are welcome and properly pampered with gifts like a Carlton-embossed water bowl and a bag of organic doggie treats.

Eco effort

A commitment to sustainability, with a Green-Globe certification, environmental cleaning products and locally-sourced fish, meat, cheese and produce.

Accessibility for those with mobility impairments

There are lifts to every floor and nine rooms with wheelchair access, including a luxury residence, a suite, and a sixth-floor sea view room.

Anything else to mention

History buffs may want to book room 523, where the former American President Barack Obama stayed during the 2011 Leaders’ Summit, hosted in Cannes, the same suite occupied by a certain Mr Harvey, the American rep for the very first 1922 League of Nations conference.

Is it worth it?

Yes, now more than ever. Beyond the gorgeous meticulously polished reinvention of Belle Époque splendour, there are plenty of new spaces to explore, including the soon-to-be-opened C-Club fitness and spa complex or lounge on a sunbed by the pool in utter privacy. It’s easy to envision the summer months when Bar 58 moves into the courtyard garden while others may retreat to the new cigar lounge to swap stories and puff away like movie moguls. And for this city of celluloid and glitz, restoring the true personality of the Carlton myth is a glowing achievement that will hopefully last another hundred years.

Hotel address: 58 Boulevard de la Croisette, Cannes
Price: From about £705 per night