24 Hours at the Mondrian Cannes
A classic never goes out of style. This quote refers best to the French Riviera also known as Cote d’Azur. My last time being there almost eight years ago, I though it is the right time to introduce this piece of heaven to my friend. Instead of taking the plane into Nice, we decided to go slow and take our car so we would remain more flexible on the coast. Our first stop was the Principality Monaco before we moved on to the city of Cannes - home to the world famous Film Festival and the dazzling Croisette Boulevard. I have to admit that I have a special connection with the French Riviera since my parents brought me here for the first eight years of my life and I even learned swimming close to Nice. Thinking of Cannes brings me back to childhood days walking along Croisette, swimming in front of the old-school grand hotels and people-watching. I was eager to see how it feels as a grown-up and booked us into one of the city’s latest luxury hotels.
Mondrian Cannes is housed in the premises of the former Le Grand Hotel Cannes directly on the boulevard Croisette. What looks like another massive mid-century building complex turned out to be a stylish yet intimate boutique hotel. While it’s not the most palatial hotel on the Croisette, entering the discreet gate at the boulevard gave a stunning first impression. When pulling up close to the main entrance, a porter rushed towards our car and assisted immediately with our luggage before he parked the vehicle on the hotel’s own outdoor parking spot behind the building. As soon as we entered, we were warmly welcomed by the concierge and front desk staff. Check-in was quite easy and within a few minutes we were shown our room on the third floor facing the Mediterranean Sea.
Generally the new design of the Mondrian matched perfectly to the maritime surrounding. It was the perfect combination of white and blue mixed with elegant wood details. Everything looked and smelled super fresh, one could really tell this hotel was just recently re-opened and rebranded to Mondrian Cannes. We both agreed that the room was super when it comes to size and design. While I was impressed by the extremely heavenly bed (the best bed during our trip to Cote d’Azur), my friend was blown away by the soft and chic carpet blending in wonderfully. A chic sofa corner creates a cozy vibe and the spacious terrace with two arm chairs is the right place for a pre- or post-dinner drink. We couldn’t enjoy neither of the two as we had a dinner reservation at the much celebrated La Petite Maison, which I would definitely skip the next time. There are much better places to enjoy a wonderful dinner, such as the hotel’s own dining venue called Mr Nakamoto.
Speaking of food, we happily enjoyed the generous welcome amenities consisting of a box of chocolates and fruits. For turn-down service they treated us with pralines by my favorite La Maison du Chocolat. As a lovely touch many hotels on the French Riviera include the minibar these days and Mondrian Cannes is no exception - all non-alcoholic drinks are complimentary which comes in handy when returning from dinner. Even though the bathroom was on the small side, the toilet was in a separate room and the shower was a walk-in shower with great water pressure. Toiletries were by Balmain (lovely smelling) however in free-standing refillable containers which I am not a huge fan of. Obviously for such a new property, the towels were incredible soft and generally housekeeping did a great job twice daily. I loved the pillow and bedding, enabling a wonderful rest overnight without any noise.
Waking up with such a stunning view of the bay is truly one-of-a-kind and simply worth the splurge. After a first morning coffee on our terrace, we were ready to discover breakfast downstairs. The design of the public spaces is stunning and well thought through. Generally it is a beautiful place and I can highly recommend the breakfast when staying at a calmer season. During our stay, the hotel was fully booked and the situation and service at breakfast was therefore a bit chaotic. We had to proactively waive at our server several times for a coffee order. I did not dare to order an egg dish, as the cook looked like having a long queue of orders. Other than that, the quality of products offered was excellent. Orange juice was freshly pressed and they even offered branded champagne as part of the breakfast experience. Positive mentioning goes out to the hostess at the entrance of the room who made sure all products are properly refilled at the buffet whenever needed.
After we vacated the room, we had a lunch reservation at the highly celebrated La Guerite Beach Club. It is a great walk along Croisette watching people sunbathing, walking or swimming along one of the most impressive seaside towns in Europe. I really fell in love with Cannes again, even if it is not a long-lasting love - the prices in Cannes are even higher than in Saint Tropez and Monte-Carlo for a less bustling atmosphere. Maybe Cannes is living from its reputation and events such as the Film Festival. Although I have no rush in returning to Cannes, should I need to come back, I would definitely stay nowhere else than the Mondrian. It’s a fresh addition to the old school hotel scene and the small and intimate size make it a great choice for luxury travelers.
Disclaimer: We were guests of the hotel for editorial purposes. However the above written has not been influenced and represents the author’s own opinion.
