Hôtel Martinez sits on a glistening coastline on one of the most glamorous streets in the French Riviera. Since it opened in the roaring ’20s, the hotel has been the place to be seen in Cannes and has attracted A-listers and royalty over the decades.
Hôtel Martinez enjoys a prime location on La Croisette, the street that epitomises the glitz and glamour stereotype of Cannes. Expect a Ferrari parked outside the hotel, seasoned shoppers browsing the likes of Chanel and Prada and guests disembarking from their yacht onto a private beach.
During the Cannes Film Festival in May, Hôtel Martinez is at the epicentre of the action, fully booked with film stars and a 15-minute walk to The Palais des Festivals et des Congrès. However, the hotel’s prime location is not confined to the festival season alone. It’s only a 30-minute drive from Nice airport and a 15-minute walk from the Gare de Cannes station.
Although it is the largest hotel in Cannes, there is still a boutique feel to it. The hotel has undergone several refurbishments throughout the years, with the most significant of them being the multi-million-pound makeover that began in 2016, led by world-renowned interior designer Pierre- Yves Rochon, whose style has graced The Savoy London and Grand Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat.
Rochon gave the hotel a contemporary feel without betraying its 1930s art deco roots. For example, guests are soothed on arrival by the calming white and blue marble lobby that features some added je ne sais quoi with ceiling motifs inspired by Jean Cocteau, once a regular guest of the hotel. The art deco display cases remain intact, and now feature art by Damien Hirst, whose work is adorned in various locations throughout the hotel. The overall feel is light and open, continuing Rochon’s sentiment that luxury lies in space.
Room with a view
The hotel boasts 410 rooms, giving guests plenty of choice. The jewels of the hotel are the sea view suites, which offer stunning views of the sparkling Mediterranean and the Cote D’Azur coastline.
The rooms are close enough to hear the waves lapping the shore. The sea theme spills into the rooms, which are decorated with soothing white lacquered furniture and mirrors and flooded with light. The water and sunshine thread continues into the bathrooms, where guests can throw open a panel to allow a glorious sea view from the bath.
Two rooftop suites on the seventh floor, originally designed as private residences, offer guests a stunning 180° panoramic view of the Bay of Cannes that make guests feel like they are on top of the Riviera.
The suites are designed in honour of icons of French cinema – actress Isabelle Huppert and Thierry Frémeux, director of the Cannes Film Festival. Huppert inspires the femininity imbued throughout one suite while black and white cinematography a la Frémeux is throughout the other. The two suites can be booked together as one mega-suite, the largest in Europe – at a cool rate of €50,000 a night.
Dining with the stars
And it is the movies once again that sets the scene for the F&B offering at Hôtel Martinez. Chef Jean Imbert’s innovative approach, unveiled at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, redefines fine dining with menus that read like film scripts. This unique presentation does more than list ingredients; it invites diners into a narrative where each dish plays a starring role in a grand, sensory production.
“Because we have this amazing name that is known all over the world, we have to have a link with the Cannes Film Festival in a way that no other restaurant can have,” said Imbert. “It’s the most iconic restaurant in Cannes.”
“I love storytelling and in this restaurant, you can tell a story you can’t tell anywhere else. The name is ‘La Palme d’Or’. So I want to push as far as we can to immerse the people in this world,” said Imbert. “I don’t want to be another fancy fish restaurant.”
From the summer’s menu, take, for instance, the ‘Anchovies: Raw with Mediterranean Condiments, Piperade, Rillette’. This dish is introduced with a scene straight out of a cinematic classic: “Opening shot of the glossy waters of the Mediterranean, heading towards the port of La Figueirette harbour.” As you savour the anchovies, you’re transported to the tranquil shores of the Mediterranean, where historic fishermen prepare their nets, capturing the essence of the sea in every bite.
The ‘Bonito: Tastes Like Tartare, Squid Ink Tuile and Bonito Broth’ continues this narrative immersion. The menu describes “Jean-Christophe, solitary and determined, standing on the deck of his boat,” a visual metaphor for the dish’s bold, distinct flavours that resonate with the sea’s untamed spirit. Each ingredient is meticulously chosen and artfully presented, mirroring the precision and artistry of filmmaking.
The gastronomic journey extends to ‘The Red Mullet: Marinated in Coarse Salt and Passed Over the Flame, Citrus Rouille, Smoked Aubergine and Mustard Ice Cream,’ where the dawn over the coast of Provence is captured with a poetic elegance. The imagery of fishermen silhouetted against the reddening sky enhances the sensory experience, making each bite a vivid scene of flavours and texture.
Imbert’s menu at La Palme d’Or reaches its crescendo with dishes like ‘The Spiny Lobster: Cooked in a Nage, Then Flambéed in Cognac, Head Juice, Asparagus, Sorrel and Barbajuan’. This dish is introduced with a shot towards the port where “Émilie and Mathieu, two young with their catch of the day,” evoke a sense of adventure and discovery, reflected in the lobster’s rich, complex flavours.
Desserts, too, are given the cinematic treatment. ‘The Frosted Lemon: Local Citrus Fruits, Fromage Frais, Timut’ is described through the lens of the sundrenched hills of Menton, where “the camera glides gracefully through the lemon orchards”. This vivid description heightens the anticipation and enjoyment of the dish, transforming a simple dessert into an exquisite moment of pure sensory delight.
In the hotel’s other eatery Le Sud, the atmosphere is a blend of past and present, recapturing the friendly and joyful spirit of the roaring ’20s in an elegant and contemporary setting. The outdoor terrace, bathed in gentle sunlight, offers an idyllic space that epitomises hedonistic pleasure. Here, innovative Mediterranean cuisine, inspired by the spirit of yachting, invites guests to embark on a culinary voyage.
Hôtel Martinez’s culinary narrative is not merely about food; it’s about creating an immersive experience that celebrates the Riviera’s simple pleasures through the lens of cinema. Every dish, every flavour, every ingredient is part of a larger story that chef Jean Imbert artfully tells, inviting guests to not just dine, but to become part of a grand culinary film. Here, the art of dining reaches new heights, making every meal at Hôtel Martinez a scene worth savouring.
