Tag Archives: Five Seas Cannes]

Family Life, Top 10, Travel

Welcome Back, Euro Summer 2026, Exciting News and Much More!

Monaco Sunrise. All photos courtesy of NHYM 2026. This post may contain affiliate links.

Welcome back from the Summer Holidays! I hope everyone has had a wonderful summer, be it exciting, restful or adventurous. Mine was very, very hectic, travelling to over 6 countries and 8 cities/towns/villages. It was a LOT. But hopefully one day – when I have recovered – I will remember these core memories and my children (now full blown teens) will remember these days with fondness and happiness. In the meantime, I am exhausted and keep flitting from post-holiday blues, to post-holiday exhilaration.

Roquebrune Cap Martin NHYM 2026

Firstly, let’s talk Euro Summer 2026, which I realise is a flex in the US, but really a necessity for us Euros. The sunsets and the light are just incredible, and frankly unmatchable. There’s a reason Picasso, Matisse, Van Gogh, Fitzgerald and every other painter and writer came here for inspiration. It never ceases to inspire me and brings me back here year after year.

Cannes Sunset. NHYM 2026

A few friends have been asking about the Cannes/Cap D’Antibes/Juan area, which has had a serious revival recently: there have been so many new openings, it’s hard to keep track of them all, but it is one of the reason I love coming back. There are new restaurant and hotel openings every single year that I love to try out. Cannes has a new culinary scene with Zuma (yum), La Petite Maison (yum but expensive), Nammos (not yum, just expensive), and Il Grande (yum and expensive), and many new hotels have also popped up (see below, Mondrian, Belle Plages and more). It’s an exciting time, although I always recommend coming in May, June or September, outside of high season, which can really be unpleasant and ridiculously priced.

CANNES/CAP D’ANTIBES/MOUGINS HOTELS

Here’s a small list of hotel recommendations in the area, ranging from value-for-money hotels to boutique hotels, to ultra luxury hotels.

1.Three Stars Boutique: Hotel Le Sud, Antibes For a cozy, stylish, affordable boutique hotel in Antibes.

2. Four Stars Boutique: Hotel La Villa Cannes: Exceptional value and great location, if you want an affordable option in Cannes.

3. Four Stars: La Bastide de Mougins: For an inland, Provencal experience, it is 20 minutes from Cannes but 5 minutes away from the gorgeous medieval village of Mougins.

4. Five Stars Boutique: Hotel & Spa Belle Plage, Cannes My personal favourite, a stylish, design Cannes hotel with easy access to the beach and one of the best rooftops in Cannes. My hidden gem!

5. Five Stars: Le Mas Candille, Mougins: Also in Mougins, a new renovated provencal hotel with a Clarins spa and cool restaurants, it has already attracted George and Amal.

Zuma, Cannes. NHYM 2026

6. Five Stars/Boutique: Villa Mirae, Cap Antibes A new stylish boutique hotel in Cap D’antibes, it is a stone’s throw away from La Garoupe Beach. Plage Keller is currently closed and under refurbishment. Another gem that bites the dust…

7. Five Stars: Les Belles Rives, Cap D’Antibes: F Scott Fitzgerald’s old seaside retreat needs to feature in this list, but make sure you get a seaview – do NOT under any circumstance get a road view, as its pretty unattractive and therefore just not worth it. The restaurant by the beach is really wonderful, but keep in mind that even hotel guests have to pay for beach chairs so it is not a cheap option. It has old school furniture and decor, but that is part of its historic appeal.

8. Five Stars: Mondrian, Cannes: A new design hotel in the middle of Cannes, for the design conscious and a fresh Japanese restaurant, Nakomoto. Great seaviews.

9. Five Stars: Martinez Cannes For a Cannes stalwart, the Martinez has a great pool, but watch out for the pool hours for the kids. Seaview & Private beach.

10. Five Stars Boutique: Five Seas, Cannes This one was recommended to me by a Danish family that comes back year after year. It’s a smaller boutique hotel with a rooftop pool and part of the same hotel family as the Villa Mirae.

11. Luxury: Carlton, Cannes Recently refurbished and renovated, it aims to return to its former glory under the Regent brand, under the IHG umbrella. For those who want ultra luxury in the middle of Cannes. The Michelin star restaurant is worth it.

12. Ultra Luxury: Hotel du Cap Eden Roc Another favourite of mine, the Hotel du Cap is arguably one of the best hotels in France, which hosts everyone during the Cannes Film Festival and the Amfar gala. You have to book months (years) in advance, and even then, be careful not to get a ground floor, damp room, which friends have had to deal with. The ultimate Grande Dame of the Cote D’azur, it has everything you could ever ask for.

Other wonderful new hotels outside this area are Le Chateau de Theoule, Hotel du Couvent in Nice (one of my favourites), and Maybourne Riviera (Amazing Architecture and Views of Monaco) and Les Roches Rouges , which I will be reviewing very soon!

Bay of Cannes NHYM 2026

The downside to this new-found popularity is that many of my ‘hidden gems,’ are no longer hidden, which has had pretty unwelcome consequences. La Guerite, which used to be one of my favourite places to go to along the French Riviera, and where I had my 40th birthday party, has literally been ruined by Influencers. I have been going for the past 13 years, but unfortunately its success has changed it: gone are the spontaneous days where Elton John and Usher would literally stand up to sing in front of the Geurite crowds. Last year, Jeff Bezos and Lebron James were caught having a (metaphorical) fight there, and this year, it was full of influencers, attracted to the F1 drivers (not that I mind) and footballers (Mbape and Haaland) that all partied there this year. Previously, it was a hidden European gem, now social media has brought (so many) American influencers, Saudis and everyone and their mother (including mine, who loved dancing to ABBA).

La Guerite NHYM 2026

Another hidden gem not far from St Tropez has been run over by the Notting Hill crowd (I won’t mention where, else I will get boycotted). I couldn’t believe how many Londoners I ran into. It’s fine if you want to run into everyone you know, but for those who are looking to disconnect and relax, well it was impossible.

Vista Restaurant at Lily of the Valley. NHYM 2026

Finally, there are those places that have become astronomically expensive due to their fame: Chateau de La Messardiere, once one of my favourite hotels, has become completely out of reach since its White Lotus fame and its renovation by Les Airelles. Ditto La Guerite. Now, it has literally become the most expensive Beach Club in the world, where spending 500K in one afternoon is a sign of having ‘made it.’ I spoke to one of the staff I knew and asked what they thought of the change, (we silently agreed that it had changed so much), and his answer was that ‘it still remained full of love and fun.’ I would agree with that, I just felt like it completely lost its exclusivity and elegance. They added more tables this year and made it bigger than ever.

NHYM 2026

Each time a hidden gem has been found, I move on to the next, but this time, sorry guys I won’t tell you where my latest hidden gems are, I want to keep them hidden a little longer for myself and my friends….

My new hidden gem NHYM 2026

Well, this one isn’t that hidden: a very famous American Politician and Presidential candidate was having lunch next to us.

Another Hidden Gem NHYM 2026

Also, I have a lot of new collaborations to announce, from luxury luggage label, Level 8, to a really cool hotel, Les Roches Rouges, which I will be reviewing as an official travel writer. In addition, I have some exciting news that I will be sharing in the next few months, which has been in the making for the past 10 years. I will keep building the anticipation until it is time. Keep a lookout for updates!

Sunset Monaco NHYM 2026

Finally, for those who, like me, start planning their next holiday as soon as their last holiday finishes, you can get some inspiration from my last few posts:

In the meantime, good luck for the back – to – school mania!
xx

NHYM

http://www.nottinghillyummymummy.com

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