Fodor's Expert Review Les Belles Rives

33 bd. Édouard Baudoin, Juan-les-Pins, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06160, France Fodor's Choice

Lovingly restored to 1930s glamour, this fabled landmark proves that what's old is new again, as France's stylish young set make this endearingly neoclassique place with lovely Art Deco accommodations one of their latest favorites. Not far from the onetime villa of Gerald and Sara Murphy—those Roaring Twenties millionaires who devoted their lives to proving the maxim "living well is the best revenge"—the Belles Rives became the home-away-from-home for literary giant F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda (chums of the Murphys). Dining on the terrace of the on-site Michelin-starred restaurant on a fine summer night, with the sea lapping below and stars twinkling in the velvety Mediterranean sky, you'll share that "living well" feeling. There's no pool, but the private beach (très cher, as is the €39 burger) is just steps away.

PROS

  • views are quite spectacular, but ask for a room with a frontal (not lateral) sea view
  • lots of water sports
  • Michelin-starred restaurant with vegetarian set menu

CONS

  • everything at beach costs extra (loungers, towels, umbrella)
  • careful when ordering fish by the gram (it's pricey)
  • thin walls

QUICK FACTS

Hotel
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HOTEL INFO

Phones: 04–93–61–02–79

HOTEL DETAILS

43 rooms
Rate Includes: Closed Jan.–early Mar., No Meals

What’s Nearby