Best Hotels on the French Riviera

Travel trends come and go, but the Côte d’Azur remains an inexorably attractive destination for its limpid turquoise waters, festive beach clubs, arty cultural venues and superb regional cuisine.

Here are our top picks to help you find the right place under the dazzling Riviera sun.

Best For: Couples who cherish sleek modernist-inspired design, haute gastronomy, suites with private pools and a mesmerizing cliff-top panoramic view of the coast.

Vibe: Chic, polished, ultra-stylish

Where to Eat: Headed by Michelin three-star chef Mauro Colagreco, the top-floor panoramic restaurant Ceto features exquisite, innovative seafood; the Riviera Restaurant serves a range of regional dishes from the Riviera, Corsica and Liguria; the more casual poolside eatery offers chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s healthy menu.

Top Tips: Book a signature Flying Cloud massage or Augustinus Bader facial in the holistic spa; take the shuttle down to the small private beach club by the rocks; reserve a visit to Eileen Gray’s nearby modernist masterpiece Villa E-1027 alongside Le Corbusier’s beach hut.

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Best For: Couples or families with older children who cherish this storied glitzy seaside palace for its sheer beauty—vast manicured gardens, windswept pines and the iconic rock pool where you’re likely to be doing laps alongside a major movie star.

Vibe: Über-glamorous, sophisticated, private

Where to Eat: Elegant Mediterranean cuisine at the Restaurant Louroc, helmed by Michelin-star chef Sébastien Broda, open for dinner; breakfast and Mediterranean-style lunches are served on the sunny terrace of the Restaurant Eden-Roc; for all-day service, the Grill Eden-Roc offers a range of salads, pasta and fish. The recently added casual Italian eatery, Giovanni’s (for guests only), is hidden away in the pine forest. Add to that numerous spots for cocktails, from the Eden-Roc Lounge to the Bar Bellini.

Top Tips: Book one of the redesigned contemporary sea-facing junior suites at Eden-Roc. And the recently opened Dior Spa, housed in a jewel-box pavilion, offers exclusive body and facial rejuvenating treatments, also available in the privacy of a specially outfitted Dior seaside bungalow.

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Best For: Couples, families and groups who enjoy exploring the spirited neighborhoods of Nice’s Old Town and the antique-shop district near the port, but who want a berth near the beach.

Vibe: Stylish urban oasis, relaxed

Where to Eat: The hotel’s charming indoor/outdoor Le Patio, surrounded by lemon trees, serves excellent Mediterranean-style specialties. Across the street at the water’s edge, try the recently opened and elegant seafood haunt, Les Bains du Castel.

Top Tips: Take advantage of Nice’s effervescent art scene and plan a visit to the Chagall Museum and the Matisse Museum. Pick up olive oil, soap, dried herbs and hip streetwear in the labyrinthic alleyways of Vieux Nice, then head to the city’s Golden Triangle, a short stroll away, for serious brand-name shopping.

Best For: Couples and families with children who appreciate a quiet pocket of elegant seaside splendor, lush gardens, a stunning Olympic-size seawater pool and contemporary Pierre-Yves Rochon–designed rooms.

Vibe: Belle Époque grandeur meets clean-line modernity

Where to Eat: Choices abound for every mood: a gastronomic feast at the intimate Le Cap; Mediterranean fare under the pines at La Véranda or at recently spruced-up Club Dauphin; romantic dinners à deux in a vegetable garden tucked away on a bluff in the neighboring heights, La Table du Potager, all headed by Michelin two-star chef Yoric Tièche.

Top Tips: For special occasions, book the newly restored five-bedroom private hideaway Villa Beauchamp surrounded by lush landscaped gardens where you can lounge in a seaside cabana with a killer coastal view. For kids, there is everything from tennis to swimming, plus pastry classes, mocktail concocting and specially designed spa treatments for children.

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Best For: Couples and families looking for a relaxing retreat atop a wooded bluff with colossal-sized suites or private villas, only a 15-minute drive from buzzy St. Tropez. Highpoints include a serious wellness and fitness boot camp program, a sprawling state-of-the-art spa and outdoor pools.

Vibe: Stylish, unfussy, serene, upscale

Where to Eat: The two Michelin-starred restaurant La Voile helmed by chef Eric Canino features superb Mediterranean-inspired tasting menus; the sea-facing La Brasserie offers a variety of dishes from seafood to grilled meats; a third dining spot, Les Terrasses la Muña, excels in refined Japanese dishes.

Top Tips: Star attraction: the Pampelonne outpost, La Réserve à la Plage, the hotel’s private beach club with shuttle service. Expect a Starck-designed restaurant with a thatched wood roof and marble bathrooms and an upbeat boho chic vibe that attracts both families and the overspill crowd from Club 55.

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Best For: Couples and families with children looking for a base in an artfully restored castle. Swim, relax, enjoy the spa and also explore the wild hiking trails of red rock Estérel.

Vibe: Romantic, intimate, serene

Where to Eat: The beach restaurant, La Plage Blanche, located on a curve of sand, features delicious local cuisine and freshly caught platters of fish. The convivial sea-facing bistro offers fine Italian cuisine and a variety of Mediterranean dishes.

Top Tips: Take a spin on the winding coastal road with its heart-stopping views of turquoise creeks; visit the nearby Château de la Napoule for its gardens and eclectic art by Henry Clews Jr.; indulge in a shopping spree in Cannes, only eight miles away.