The Best Spa Hotels in Cannes, France

This glam boutique hotel feels like a Cannes secret – and so does its spa. Start with a workout in the hi-tech gym, guided by an expert coach, then move onto the anti-aging facial treatments to revive drab skin. Or, after a good steam in the sauna, why not flake out by the rooftop pool – a sun trap with loungers where you can work on your tan and sip cocktails. However you play it, Five Seas is about unadulterated decadence – aka Cannes-do attitude.

“Majestic” is right. This grand dame, which looms over popular strolling artery, La Croisette, is a hub for all things bling in this very glittery city. The main draw? The good-looking, contemporary rooms, with epic views out to the sparkling Mediterranean; and the multiple dining spots (including moody bars and a gourmet restaurant on a pontoon). And don’t miss a treatment in the fabulous spa, which has A-list-worthy, anti-aging cryotherapy treatments.

You might find it hard to tear yourself from the C-Spa, between the skin-softening scrubs, muscle-melting lomi-lomi massages and roster of amenities. (Frothy hot tub? Get in!). It’s the kind of place you could lose entire afternoons – days even. But you’ll find other temptations to distract you at Hôtel Cézanne. For example, the garden – a rarity in Cannes, but perfect for sipping meditative morning coffees; or the concierge, who can pull out a list of the trendiest places to eat (and get you in). Best of all, try the hotel’s private beach, minutes away.

The rooftop alone will make you feel good. It’s a lovely space, with a plunge pool, hot tub, and umbrella-shaded loungers: a real find in central Cannes, blissfully far above the city rush. The plushest suites, too, are soothing; all calm, sandy tones, with hydro-jet bathtubs and terraces. But nothing can match the spa. A large pool complex, multiple treatment rooms and balneotherapy tubs are all on tap to get you fully relaxed.

It’s true: you can find relaxation even within spitting distance of the central train station. Simply book into Hotel Montaigne, a cool, contemporary base with whitewashed rooms, a restaurant turning out hot Mediterranean flavours, and a patio lined with lemon trees (just the place come aperitif hour). All that and an extensive spa, with hydrotherapy baths for unknotting city-stressed muscles, a roomy hammam and skin-brightening facials. It’s open every day, 7am-9pm, so you can come for a quick massage before your pastry breakfast, or just before bed.

Get ready to soak up the elegant tropical vibes of the French Caribbean island of St Barts – in reach of the designer shop-packed downtown of Cannes. Decamp to this resort-style property and you’ll be rewarded with a palm- and bougainvillaea-trimmed pool, complete with suave outdoor bar and loungers. Your shoulders will drop lower upon arrival in your tranquil suite, which is dressed in earthy tones and looks out to greenery. But the real selling point is the spa in Cannes Villa St Barth, which comes with couples’ massages and fine Mediterranean-blue views from its solarium.

The grand Hôtel Cristal is all about the finer things in life – al fresco breakfasts, enjoyed in the Provençal sunshine; stylish rooms, with balconies opening to palm trees; room service dishing up caramelly canelé cakes. And, of course, spa-ing, whether your thing is splashing in an infinity pool overlooking the city or sweating out last night’s glass of wine in a sauna. Balneotherapy baths are among the specialities – just what the doctor ordered if you’re seeking to melt those tense muscles.

The pool alone is worth booking in for: a glittering blue expanse in central Cannes, the place for cooling off after a sticky morning pounding the city pavements. But the spa at Neho Suites has more, including a eucalyptus-scented hammam and stress-busting sauna. Sign up for a Mexican-inspired Rose Delight treatment, which involves a floral oil massage followed by a hot bolus body treatment to turn your muscles to putty. You’ll emerge smelling as fresh as a summer garden, too.