With its colourful history, art deco décor and star guest list – not to mention a private beach – Hotel Belles Rives near Antibes is the perfect French Riviera destination
Like so many of us, when F Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald first came to the French Riviera they were enchanted by its charms. The couple were staying with friends in a house near Antibes and liked it so much that they decided to find a place of their own. After searching the area they finally settled on a magnificent seafront home nestled among the pines near the town of Juan-les- Pins. For the next few years the home, known as Villa Saint-Louis, became the gathering place of the world’s best and brightest with Rudolph Valentino, Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso and a host of royalty and jet-setters among the regular visitors.
So in 1929, when Russian-born Boma Estène and his wife Simone bought the property and turned it into Hotel Belles Rives, they already had history on their side – something any hotelier will tell you is a very valuable asset. Over the years, as the property was passed from generation to generation, that asset continued to grow steadily, so much so that it now boasts a visitor book that includes the Duke of Windsor, Maurice Chevalier, Mick Jagger and George Clooney.
What brought them then and what keeps them coming today is the timeless elegance the property exudes throughout. Of course, things have changed since the days of F Scott; just last year the hotel underwent a major facelift at the hands of interior designer Olivier Antoine, but all along the Belles Rives has managed to retain its 1930s charm. This is something guests feel from the moment they enter the lobby, with its frescoed ceiling, Terrazzo alla Veneziana floors and three large bronze and alabaster chandeliers.
Upstairs are 43 spacious and comfortable rooms, with private balconies overlooking the sea and decorated in the purest art deco style. Most contain original period furnishings and each is equipped with the latest creature comforts, including air conditioning, satellite TV and Wifi.
Guests have a choice of restaurants from fine dining at La Passagère to light Mediterranean cuisine served overlooking the sea at Plage Belles Rives. Evenings are spent at the Fitzgerald Piano Bar – a member of a select group of Historic Cafés of European Patrimony – with cocktails and music around the old Black Baldwin grand piano, or in the smoking room, with a fine Cuban and a brandy.
In the summer months, while sun-worshippers up and down the coast pack themselves, sardine like, on the beaches, guests at the Hotel Belles Rives have use of a private beach complete with its own jetty, and a beach club with snack bar, terrace and lots of water sports equipment. Anyone who has ever visited the Riviera in the height of summer will know that finding a quiet spot on a beach like this is priceless.
And if you don’t like sand between your toes, you can always pop across the street to the Belle Rives’ sister hotel, Juana, where the Aga Khan and Winston Churchill chose to stay when in the area. Another historic site, Hotel Juana was completely renovated in 2003 and now offers 40 spacious rooms, a gym, massage facilities, a hamman and a swimming pool. Guests at the Belle Rives and the Hotel Juana have access to the facilities of both hotels. – Guy Fiorita
