Le Cavendish, Cannes

Ideally located a few minutes walk from the Palais des Festivals and La Croisette, Le Cavendish, built in 1897, reopened in May 2001 after a comprehensive renovation programme which re-created the atmosphere and the style found only in "private demeures" at the end of the 19th Century. After the renovation it only retained the elevator which is a museum piece, the Carrara marble stairways and the façade classified as a historical monument.

Designer Christophe Tollermer is in tune with all that is rich in the Mediterranean locales of southern France and Italy. The result is an ambient opulence that is always elegant and unique but never overpowering. As for colors - trendy purple, incensed reds and provencale greens, among others are used unconventionally to cover settees, walls and curtains. The addition of ornate light fixtures lend to an overall impression of both privilege and fancy.

Combining breakfast buffet, afternoon tea and open bar service where guests can serve themselves a drink while reading a newspaper or talking to other guests. The intimate lounge bar will seduce you by its winter-garden charms. The open reception desk and the salon with antiques and travelling memorials welcoming their guests in a private atmosphere.