Carlton Cannes

The Carlton's twin cupolas, supposedly modelled on the breasts of the Belle Époque courtesan La Belle Otero, have dominated the Croisette since 1911. Every May during the Cannes Film Festival, the hotel's terrace becomes the most photographed stretch of pavement in the world — Cary Grant ran across its rooftop in To Catch a Thief, and in 2013 thieves stole €103 million worth of jewels from a display in the hotel (they were never recovered). A recent multi-year renovation has brought the 343-room hotel back to its original Belle Époque splendour while adding a contemporary spa and restaurants that hold their own against the Riviera's best.