Grand Hotel du Cap-Ferrat

France
Europe

The Experience

Mingle among the ultrarich in grand yet discreet style, amid some of the most beautiful (and expensive) real estate on earth. The peninsula of Cap-Ferrat, located halfway between Nice and Monaco in the center of the Cote d'Azur, has been a playground for kings, great artists and multi-millionaires for more than a century. And the Grand Hotel, built in 1908 at the apex of the peninsula and now a protected national monument, is Cap-Ferrat's splendid center—17 acres of quiet shoreline and parkland surrounding belle époque architecture, a gourmet restaurant, and luxurious accommodations.

The Rooms

Designer Albert Pinto gleefully mixes styles and materials, filling his spacious rooms with dark woods, bright Mediterranean colors and original pieces and fixtures throughout. Every well-appointed bathroom has a slightly different marble floor; room 403 also has a Jacuzzi and steam room. Deluxe terrace seaview rooms are simply breathtaking, but the truly well-heeled may prefer the four-bedroom 5,920-square-foot Villa Rose-Pierre. It's been a home away from home for four U.S. presidents, and includes its own pool, fitness room and clay tennis court.

The Service

Take an air-conditioned funicular ride down to the water, and you'll find Club Dauphin, where spa treatments are given near a heated seawater infinity pool. For drinks, the piano bar is named for W. Somerset Maugham, who moved to Cap-Ferrat in 1928 and often graced this very room until 1940. And at Le Cap, the terrace restaurant, chef Didier Aniès combines Provencal and southwestern French influences (the Aquitaine caviar with leek and olive oil is a favorite), while sommelier Joël Rolland has amassed a spectacular collection of Bordeaux, including Château Lafite-Rothschilds dating to 1797 and a continuous vertical set of the legendary Chateau d'Yquem beginning with 1854. Simply elite.

The Highlights

The location is a treat to explore, of course, with a view stretching from Italy to St. Tropez, enhanced by whimsical modern sculptures and lush foliage maintained by no fewer than eleven full-time gardeners. But while you're taking in the view of rare alep pine trees from a rotunda designed by Gustave Eiffel, remember the history of the place—cherished retreat for Chaplin, Churchill and McCartney, and rendezvous for presidents, prime ministers and kings—and then amble down to the pool and ask for Pierre, who has worked here for 58 years; his stories will connect you to them all.

 

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