The InterContinental Carlton Cannes

Of course, Cannes wouldn’t be Cannes without its Old Port, its Palais des Festivals, the Suquet district, and the famous Croisette. But the city also wouldn’t be the same without its legendary five-star palaces—the kind you come to admire and snap a few photos of, even if staying there is out of reach. Right in front of you is one of them: the InterContinental Carlton. It’s been standing here for over a hundred years. More than just a beautiful building, it’s a big part of the city’s story. So let’s take a moment to dive into its glamorous past. It all started in 1909. Back then, Cannes and the French Riviera were booming. A Russian Grand Duke—grandson of the Tsar—decided to move here. He wanted to escape the imperial court and live a love story with Sophie de Merenberg, a commoner and granddaughter of the writer Pushkin. Not impressed by the existing hotels in town which he found “too basic” or “not luxurious enough”, he helped fund a brand-new hotel: the Carlton. The name, by the way, means “free man” in Scandinavian. The project was led by Henri Ruhl, a famous British hotelier, along with architects Charles Damas and Marcellin Mayère. They opened the Carlton in 1911, and it instantly became the most elegant hotel Cannes had ever seen. Just two years later, they added an extra wing. From the outside, it’s a massive neoclassical building. You can’t miss the two domes. According to legend, they were inspired by the curves of La Belle Otero—a stunning cabaret singer and dancer from the 1920s. Behind that grand façade, there were already 250 rooms, elegant lounges, reception halls, a dining room, and a huge staircase. During World War I, part of the hotel was used as a military hospital. But in 1922, it made its mark on history by hosting the League of Nations Conference. Top European leaders came here to discuss war reparations to be paid by Germany. In the 1940s, the hotel got even closer to the world of cinema, thanks to the creation of the Cannes Film Festival. The very first festival took place inside the hotel’s old casino, which no longer exists. The Carlton became the place to stay for juries, festival presidents, movie stars, and journalists. Even after the event moved to the new Palais des Festivals, the hotel stayed in the spotlight. Filmmakers also loved it. Alfred Hitchcock, for example, shot To Catch a Thief here, with the iconic duo Grace Kelly and Cary Grant. Over the years, the Carlton just kept growing in fame. In 1989, it was officially listed as a historic monument. And in 2011, it hosted the G20 Summit. President Barack Obama stayed in the same suite on the fifth floor as his predecessor Harvey had, way back in 1922. The Carlton celebrated its 100th birthday in 2013. Recently, it went through major renovations and expansion work, with 750 people and 450 companies involved. Today, it has 304 rooms and 39 suites, ready for many more years of luxury… and hundreds of celebrity whims!