Gray d'Albion

Never mind the reference to England in its name — the Hotel Gray d’Albion is French through and through. More specifically, it’s more or less the distilled essence of the Cannes luxury hotel, notable not for any eccentricities but simply for its execution; for the way it so successfully exemplifies everything we expect from the Riviera’s luxury hotels.

The mid-century architecture sets it apart from the oldest generation of Cannes luxury hotels, but this particular brand of modernism runs in a deep streak through this town’s hotel scene. The interiors are contemporary-classic, exquisitely refined, with a touch of gilded opulence that’s tempered by a reliance on earth tones and neutral colors — what sets them apart from the stylistic norm is a certain subtlety, a tastefulness that’s common to all the Lucien Barrière hotels.

This end of the Croisette affords particularly easy access to the Palais des Festivals, and while the one significant omission is the lack of ocean frontage (and hence sea views), the Gray d’Albion does have its own private beach club. The beach is where you’ll find one of the hotel’s two restaurants; the second serves wide-ranging global cuisine made from local produce and a local point of view.