Boutique Apartment Cannes

Funky apartment sleeping 2-9 in the epicentre of Cannes, 200m from the beach and its famous promenade, La Croisette

Cannes is a one-off, a long-standing bastion of style and glamour, the glitziest town on the Riviera. It hits the headlines every May when its impossibly glamorous film festival passes through, but there’s so much more to it than that: its old port, where you can eat overlooking the water, its lovely Old Town climbing the hill, its marina packed with million-dollar boats, and its gently curving beach, home to thousands of sun-worshippers. Best of all is La Croisette, the seafront boulevard flanked by palm trees, one of the coolest catwalks on the planet, where beautiful people dressed to kill gather each evening to stroll in the setting sun.

As for this quirky apartment, it stands a mere 200m back from the sea, bang in the middle of the action. It occupies part of the 3rd floor of a 19th-century tenement block, which is mostly home to locals. It was recently refurbished in modernist style and now comes with vintage wallpapers, retro furniture, then a red carpet in the long hall with movie-star portraits hanging on the walls. An attractive sitting room has big windows that fold back on themselves, pretty much turning the room into an interior balcony (you can sunbathe on the daybed in the late afternoon). Pastel-coloured bedrooms are on the small side, but if you’re here for the beach, the restaurants and the nightlife, you won’t mind for a minute. All have ensuite bathrooms, and Apple TVs stocked with movies and music.

Highs

• Having your own pad in this gorgeous town is a seriously cool way to visit
• You can’t beat its central position - you’re a 3-minute stroll from the beach
• Great for a group of friends, a family with older children, an extended family or 2 families; there are 4 double/twin bedrooms, plus a single bed in the lounge
• There’s loads going on - markets in the morning, the beach in the afternoon, fabulous restaurants and bars in the evening
• Good value for Cannes, though be aware that you'll need to pay a damages desposit and a service charge on arrival to cover final cleaning, linens, and an on-call concierge in the event of problems

Lows

• In an age addicted to contemporary splendour, not everyone will take to the retro feel
• The bedrooms are funky but small - if you need something fancy, look elsewhere
• The apartment block is a touch dishevelled, but there’s a tiny lift to sweep you up
• This is a privately owned apartment run by its owner, not a hotel business, so it may take a while to get a reply to your enquiry