Le Majestic Barriere. A Cannes Icon Reopens In March Following A Glorious Face Lift.

Anthea Gerrie Follows In The Footsteps Of Movie Legends At The Glamorous Le Majestic Barriere in Cannes

With the Cannes Film Festival still a hot fixture on the showbusiness calendar, it seems strange that one of the most famous landmarks in the resort where starlets strut their stuff every spring should be contemplating its centenary. But despite its impeccably bright face the newly-refreshed Le Majestic Barriere, opened in the Roaring Twenties when the French Riviera became a new celebrity playground, is now a grande dame.

This hotel with the most enviable position in Cannes – opposite a broad sandy beach, close to the harbour from where boats sail to the diverting Isles of Lerin and within walking distance of the Old Town – is no longer the only 5-star hotel on the legendary Croisette where movie greats lay their heads. But the famous pergola perched above the swimming pool is still a favourite nook for broadcast interviews, sitting right next to the Palais des Festivals, home of the world-famous exposition whose jury is a frequent predictor of future Oscars.

It was not movie stars, still a new breed, but European royalty for whom luxury palace hotels were first envisaged when Cannes’ glorious crescent-shaped promenade was completed. But early visitors like Charlie Chaplin and F. Scott Fitzgerald paved the way for the heroes of the silver screen who followed, and ready to host them were the Barriere family, who had already built palace hotels and a casino in Normandy’s ritzy Deauville and charged their tried and tested architect Theo Petit with recreating his magic on the French Riviera.

Construction started in 1923 on the site of an existing hotel, creating an art deco facade with three wings. By the time the project was completed five years later with the third wing the interiors were ready for their first revamp. Updates have been constant, and now world-renowned designer Isabelle Stanislas has reimagined many of the newly renovated sea-view rooms and suites, cementing a sense of place without sacrificing any of the historical features which make the hotel so memorable.

First impressions are fired in a grand lobby lent a wow factor by magnificent chandeliers, from which steps lead up to a magnificent art deco restaurant and bar. Head towards the sea and you hit the terrace where an excellent breakfast is served overlooking the swimming pool, sun deck and that famous pergola.

What distinguishes the guestrooms, apart from new decor clearly saluting seaside vacations, is a sense of spaciousness all too rare today and uninterrupted ocean views, thanks to floor to ceiling French doors opening onto Juliet balconies. While some suites have terraces, I could not have enjoyed my Mediterranean vista more than from my armchair overlooking the palm-lined curve of the Croisette where I enjoyed coffee from my in-room machine every morning. Stanislas has renovated with a light touch, bringing plenty of blonde wood to the suites as well as the blue and white fabrics which set a new signature

My huge bed may have been the most comfortable I have ever slept in, and my clothes closet the largest. An entrance lobby separated the bedroom from a large, bright, white tile and marble bathroom with its walk-in shower, deep bathtub, luxury toiletries, make-up mirror and huge, fluffy bathrobes hanging behind the door.

While breakfast was magnificent, thanks to excellent viennoiserie and a fine selection of organic cheese and produce, dinner is a meal in transition; I was surprised to be slightly disappointed in the food at Le Fouquet’s, given the famous restaurant brand, menu designed by one of France’s most respected chefs and the sheer glamour of the luxe red and gold decor. Any let-downs were, however, assuaged by a perfectly dressed salad from the kitchen garden and the old-fashioned thrill of crepes suzettes flambeed tableside to order.

Changes are afoot for 2026, but at the time of my visit the gastronomic star of Le Majestic was Ciro’s, the hotel’s beautiful blue and white-striped beach restaurant where authentic bouillabaisse and many other excellent fishy delights are on offer; it will reopen at the same time as the hotel for the season in early March.

Out of sight the Majestic Barriere is performing modern miracles like the cultivation of 60,000 bees across rooftop hives yielding 150kg of honey for guests; the hotel also peppers its own herb garden with insect hotels to promote pollination. But this is one property where modern hotel trends play second fiddle to star-studded history.

From Grace Kelly and Catherine Deneuve by way of Robert de Niro to Antonio Banderas and Matthew McConaughey, movie legends have chosen this hotel to lay their heads for generations and will likely continue to do so for as long as the old-school glamour quotient is maintained.