La Reserve De Beaulieu

Hotel description

What began as (and yet remains) a fine seafood restaurant on the coast between Monaco and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat added a handful of guest rooms during the postwar boom, to accommodate diners weary of driving up and down the shore at night — and, in so doing, began La Réserve’s transformation into what is today one of the top hotels on the Côte d’Azur.

This is precisely the aristocratic atmosphere that made the Riviera famous, and La Réserve feels like nothing so much as an old-fashioned aristocratic residence, the sort of place where the guest’s every desire is seen to by a small army of professional servants. And just as the high standard of service draws raves, the place itself is unforgettable, exquisitely opulent, expertly crafted in soft Provence colors, furnished with delicate antiques and priceless objets d’art.

The guest rooms vary in age, and thus in size and plan; all are elegant and comfortable, with stunning Pyrénées marble bathrooms, a host of modern conveniences, and in some cases balconies or terraces overlooking the sea. There may be no better view in the house, though, than that from the pool deck, whose railing hangs precipitously over the water, with the the endless Mediterranean ahead and the stunning pastel-toned hotel behind.