Villa Garbo Hotel in Cannes, France

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Updated: April 8, 2022

Essentials
• Location: Boulevard d’Alsace, right on Rond-Point du Général Maubert.
• Hotel website: villagarbo-cannes.com
• Hotel phone: +33 4 9346 6600
• Check prices for Villa Garbo

Villa Garbo – Exclusive hotel residence that oozes luxury and style.

Behind Villa Garbo’s secure gate, you step into a place of calm, sophistication, and serious luxury. This Belle Époque mansion from 1884 houses just twelve apartments, so it could hardly be more exclusive or the service more attentive and personal. Owners Christine and Guy Welter bring years of experience in the hotel industry and a welcoming spirit to the villa. The interior, which they had fully reconstructed by the sought-after designer Christophe Tollemer, is an appealing mix of classic furniture forms by Mis en Demeure, luxurious materials, and bright modern splashes of color. All apartments are spacious, with fully-equipped kitchens, granite bathrooms, and a BOSE home cinema system, so you get the service of a hotel and the flexibility of an apartment. Many have a sofa bed or an additional bedroom, making the hotel family-friendly. To round off the indulgence, there is a spa with steam and treatment rooms, a gym, and a lovely private terrace where guests can enjoy free apéritifs each evening.

See Also

• Best Family Hotels in Cannes
• Best Boutique Hotels in Cannes

Villa Garbo – Location

• Address: 64 Boulevard d’Alsace, 06400 Cannes.
• Area: Excellent location in a palm-shaded garden just off the busy Boulevard d’Alsace. The immediate area is pretty and residential, with plenty of good restaurants nearby. The train station is a 12-minute walk (0.6 mile). Excellent shopping on Rue d’Antibes is 2 minutes (0.1 mile) away and the famous designer boutiques and beachfront hotels of Boulevard de la Croisette are 5 minutes (0.2 mile) away. Everything is within walking distance.
• How to Get There: If arriving by train, Cannes train station is a straightforward 12-minute walk (0.6 mile) from the hotel. From Nice-Côte d’Azur airport, take the train from the nearby Nice-Saint Augustin station; it’s cheap and takes only 36 minutes. There is also Express Bus 210, which goes to the Cannes train station as well; returns are €33. If flying into Cannes-Mandelieu airport, there are cheap local buses, the A and the 1, which will take you to Cannes train station in under 30 minutes.
• Private Transfer: We use and recommend Welcome Pickups car service. Booking through a private car service will cost only a bit more than a taxi – about €26 from Cannes-Mandelieu airport and €73 from Nice-Côte d’Azur airport – but can be worth it to avoid the long taxi queue and for the convenience of paying ahead.
• Handy to: La Croisette, shopping on Rue d’Antibes, the beach.

Villa Garbo – The Basics

• Ages: Guests are an international mix of couples, families, and professionals heading to a trade conference, usually aged 35+. Children are welcome, as all rooms apart from the Prestige can accommodate more than 2 people, and cots or extra beds are available on request. However, there are no specific amenities on offer for children.
• Beach: Hotel guests have access to a private beach area on La Croisette, for a charge. This is free if you stay 2 nights or more and book the special offer on the hotel website.
• View: Rooms at the front enjoy a view of the lush garden and down to the sea.
• Private Pools/Jacuzzis: No private pools or jacuzzis.
• Laundry: Laundry, dry cleaning, and ironing services are available (additional charge).
• Parking: There is a parking garage onsite costing €25 per night. Reservation is required.
• Extras: Concierge service. Airport shuttle (for an additional charge). Fitted kitchen, fridge with drinks (for a charge), espresso machine, and BOSE home cinema in the room. Free toiletries created by Pierre Bourdon for Authentic Hotels, bathrobes and slippers in the bathroom. Complimentary welcome drink and drinks each evening in the lounge bar. Sunny terrace for relaxing. Access to a private beach area on La Croisette (usually for a charge).
• When to Book: Book 3 to 4 months ahead for the high summer season. Consider avoiding the film festival in May as accommodation gets booked up far in advance.
• How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
• Phone: +33 4 9346 6600
• Email: reservation@villagarbo-cannes.com
• Website: villagarbo-cannes.com

Villa Garbo – Amenities

• Pool: No pool.
• Spa: Spa with a treatment room offering beauty treatments and massages, a steam room, and adjoining shower.
• Fitness Center: Small, with a selection of exercise machines, next to the spa. Open 24/7.
• Laundry: Guests have access to a washing machine and dryer in a common laundry room.
• For Disabled Guests: 1 suite is specially adapted to be fully wheelchair-accessible, with a wet room. There is step-free access to the hotel from the street and elevators to all rooms. Do speak to the hotel about your needs in advance.
• For Families: Children up to 12 stay for free, with cots and additional beds provided on request; children aged 13-16 stay for €50. The Suites Deluxe can sleep 2 adults and 2 children up to 12; the Duplex can sleep 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children; the Penthouse can sleep up to 4 adults.
• Activities: The owners and staff are more than happy to advise on and help organize restaurant reservations and other activities for you in the area.

Villa Garbo – Food and Drink

• Restaurant: The hotel does not serve lunch or dinner but there are numerous dining options an easy stroll away.
• Lounge/Bar: The lounge bar by the entrance to the hotel is striking, in shades of grey and bright green, and decorated with contemporary artwork. It is exclusive to hotel guests and serves complimentary drinks daily, 6-8 pm, making it a nice place to socialize.
• Breakfast: The excellent breakfast buffet is always included in the room rate, unusually. Served 8-11 am daily in the breakfast room, in the rooms, or on the terrace in summer. As well as yogurt, fresh fruit juice, and organic cereals, there are homemade cakes and jams.
• Room Service: Breakfast can be taken in the room at any time, and there is a menu for ordering room service, including a selection of dishes from the nearby l’Antidote restaurant.

Villa Garbo – Rooms

• Room Types: Prestige • Suite Deluxe • Duplex • Penthouse • List of all Rooms
• Smoking Rooms: The Villa Garbo is 100% smoke-free.
• Best Room: All the suites are pretty special. However, the Penthouse is a very spacious 75m², with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, lounge, dining area, and fitted kitchen, topped off by a 25m² roof terrace with panoramic views of Cannes.
• For Families: Each Suite Deluxe can sleep 2 adults and 2 children up to 12, with a king bed/2 twin beds and a double sofa bed in a separate lounge. The Duplex and Penthouse both have 2 separate bedrooms and bathrooms; the Duplex can sleep 3 adults, or 2 adults and 2 children, and the Penthouse can sleep up to 4 adults.

Villa Garbo – Local Transport

• Walking: The most popular spots in Cannes are all within easy walking distance. Shopping on Rue d’Antibes is 2 minutes (0.1 mile) away, La Croisette and the beach are 5 minutes (0.2 mile) away, and the Palais des Festival about 15 minutes (0.7 mile) away. The train station is 12 minutes’ walk (0.6 mile).
• Subway and Bus: Local buses by Palmbus serve the town from a station by Le Vieux Port (1 mile). The 21 bus stops just outside the hotel on its way to the train station and then west to the Hôtel de Ville; in the other direction, it will take you close to the eastern end of La Croisette and its beaches. The A and 1 buses are an excellent option for getting from Cannes-Mandelieu airport to the train station and back. Lignes d’Azur buses go from the train station further afield, e.g. to Nice, Nice-Côte d’Azur airport, and Grasse.
• Taxis, Uber, Lyft: Taxis from Nice-Côte d’Azur airport take around 30 minutes (15 miles) and cost around €80. Ubers are a bit cheaper, starting at around €50-60. For the short ride from the hotel to the Palais des Festivals, both taxis and Ubers are around €8, but you will probably prefer to walk in the town center.

Villa Garbo – What’s Nearby?

Recommended Nearby Tours

• Food tour with La Serviette Blanche – This award-winning company now offers a 2.5-hour walking tour for foodies called Flavors of the Côte d’Azur. It is led by Chef Eliane and takes in around 10 different stops to taste food that represents Southern France and the Mediterranean, all of which are included in the €85 price. The meeting point is in front of the Tourist Office, next to the Palais des Festivals, a 15-minute walk (0.7 mile). La Serviette Blanche also runs cooking classes and dinners at a chef’s table.

Best Nearby Restaurants

• L’Antidote – Chef Christophe Ferré’s place is laid-back and welcoming, located in a townhouse with a lovely sunny terrace. Expect modern, seasonal Mediterranean cuisine. The menu is excellent value too – lunch starts at €18 for 3 courses and dinner at €31. (50m).
• La Brouette de Grand Mère – A cozy, red-walled bistro where traditional Southern French food is the star. There’s only one generous menu – for €49, you get a welcome drink, starters to share, then salmon and a vodka shot, a choice of 6 main dishes, and finally, a choice of dessert, all accompanied by half a bottle of wine per person. There is a separate kids’ menu for €19. (0.2 mile).
• La Palme d’Or – At the Hotel Martinez, diners look out from a lovely balcony onto La Croisette as they enjoy Cannes’ fanciest table – the only one to hold 2 Michelin stars. Chef Christian Sinicropi’s food is refined and based on Provençal flavours. Book well ahead. (0.3 mile).
• L’Affable – Behind a curtained door, this contemporary French restaurant is elegant and ever-buzzing. The menu is seasonal and features highlights like tempura king prawns and the signature Grand Marnier soufflé. (0.3 mile).
• Le Park 45 – Le Grand Hotel’s high-end gastronomic restaurant. The location is just lovely – an elegant dining room and terrace overlook gardens that slope down to La Croisette. The menu by chef Hervé Busson promises surprises in fine dining. The dinner set menus start at €65; the summer-only lunch menu is good value at around €30 for 2 courses. (0.4 mile).
• Bobo Bistro – Very cool place serving delicious European cuisine using local, organic produce. The décor is arty, the crowd ‘bourgeois bohemian’ (as the name suggests), and the atmosphere, buzzing. (0.5 mile).
• Le Grain de Sel – Seek out cosmopolitan flavors at this elegant bistro on pedestrianized Rue Hoche. The Asian-influenced menu features such delights as octopus with coriander and beef tataki alongside fresh gnocchi with truffles. There is also a kids’ menu for €11. (0.5 mile).
• Da Laura – The place to go for unpretentious, authentic Italian food. Think fresh pasta, bold flavors, and local specialties from Piedmont, such as risotto with truffles. Locals love it, so be prepared to wait for a table. (0.6 mile).
• BFire by Mauro Colagreco – The private beach of Hotel Barrière Le Majestic now boasts this restaurant from a twice-Michelin-starred chef. The menu showcases wood-fired dishes inspired by his Argentine roots – hence the name – and changes seasonally. Very chic, with prices to match. (0.6 mile).
• Le Roof – Chic cosmopolitan bistro, wonderfully located on the 5th floor of the Five Seas Hotel. Enjoy the panoramic views as you dig into a healthy ‘roofbowl’ at lunch (€29 for 2 courses). Alternatively, enjoy the ‘sharing cuisine’ at dinner, inspired by the chef’s travels. (0.6 mile).

Best Nearby Bars and Breweries

• Au Pot de Vin – Pull up a stool at the long bar in this former garage and enjoy almost 1,000 wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy, and beyond, some available by the glass. The food menu features Provençal cheese platters, delicious ham, and more substantial plates. (0.2 mile).
• La Chunga – A Cannes institution, next door to the Martinez Hotel. At this restaurant/piano bar, the drinks keep flowing and the DJs and live music keep the crowd dancing till 5 am. (0.2 mile).
• JW Grill – Designer-chic lounge bar in the Marriott hotel on La Croisette. Go for a special occasion or just to indulge, and sit on the terrace looking out to sea with a glass of wine for that glamorous Cannes experience. (0.4 mile).
• Le Tube – This bar in a former garage is cool and laid-back, a contrast to the glitzy hotel bars that dominate the town. It houses temporary art exhibitions and offers a food menu as well which is big on carefully sourced organic beef. (0.4 mile).
• La Môme – This ever-popular restaurant has opened a new cocktail and raw bar. The décor is strikingly Art Deco, the cocktails, fantastic, and the crowd, young and fashionable. The food options are tempting too, from ceviche with popcorn to appealing desserts. (0.4 mile).
• Armani Caffè – Suitably stylish café bar among the boutiques on La Croisette and a fabulous place for people-watching. Enjoy light Italian bites along with a drink on their pretty terrace. (0.4 mile).
• Le Cercle – Le Grand Hotel’s chic wine bar is one of the oldest in Cannes. The atmosphere is quiet and warm, with music from a resident pianist. The views of the hotel gardens and La Croisette are gorgeous and the drink selection is extensive. A signature cocktail is around €20; ask the head barman for a Bellini, which is a secret recipe of his. (0.4 mile).
• L’Épicurieux – Wine bar and restaurant in a central location near Rue d’Antibes. A great place to sample local French wine especially, with knowledgeable and friendly staff. (0.6 mile).
• Le Roof Bar – Spilling out onto the roof of the Five Seas hotel itself, this bar is the place for cocktails and street food with friends. A bit less exclusive than other hotel bars, it also offers Afterwork or happy hours and nightly DJ sets from 7 pm (except Sunday). (0.6 mile).

Best Nearby Cafes

• Itineraire Café – Small, friendly, and very serious about coffee. Itineraire roast their beans themselves and will help you choose a coffee from the extensive menu. Tea drinkers also get a choice, with 85 kinds of tea, and you can then buy the product to take home with you. The breakfast on offer is pretty great too. (0.6 mile).
• Boulangerie Jean-Luc Pelé – A bakery/café from Cannois chocolatier and pâtissier Pelé; his chocolate shop on Rue Meynadier is also well worth a visit. This is a fantastic venue for a light lunch or for afternoon coffee and cake. The pastries and desserts are made with sustainable French flour and taste incredible. (0.6 mile).

Nearby Shopping & Cool Shops

• Rue d’Antibes – Second only to La Croisette as a shopping destination, elegant Rue d’Antibes mingles designer boutiques with more accessible fashion. It’s also home to Ladurée, famous for its macarons, and l’Occitane, a cosmetics chain that was born in Provence. (0.1 mile).
• Boulevard de la Croisette – Iconic La Croisette is home to the most high-end designer fashion in Cannes, and plenty of it. You can stroll from end-to-end of the long beachfront boulevard, taking in famous names from Chanel to Valentino. Check out less familiar boutiques such as Paule Ka for dresses and Le Shop 17 for designer jeans. (0.2 mile).
• Déclic Dépôt – Every town needs a great thrift store. This one is very Cannes, specializing in designer clothes and accessories for women from recent seasons. You can now choose to pick up a Prada or Armani bargain via its online shop. (0.3 mile).
• JP Paci – Artisan chocolatier who turns his raw material into quirky and delightful forms – Camembert, sardines, handbags, you name it. It’s all delicious and makes for great presents. (0.5 mile).
• Fromagerie Ceneri – The master cheesemonger/ripener in Cannes. It’s on Rue Meynadier, which though touristy, is a great place for food shopping and is very much a favorite with locals. Try one of their excellent goats’ cheeses from Provence or ask the friendly staff to recommend something from their huge selection. (0.8 mile).

Nearby Attractions

• Boulevard de la Croisette – Glittering La Croisette is the heart of Cannes. A long promenade, lined by beaches on one side and fashion houses and grand palace hotels on the other, it is a must-see. Even if the boutiques and hotels are out of your price range, the people-watching is fab and strolling along it at night, when the palm trees sparkle with tiny lights, is pretty magical. (0.2 mile).
• Carlton Cannes – The epicenter of glamour in Cannes, this hotel is legendary. It has featured in acclaimed films like To Catch a Thief. If you’re a celebrity, you’re probably staying at the Carlton. Mere mortals should stop by to enjoy the grand Belle Époque architecture, private beach, and possibility of spotting a star. (0.3 mile).
• La Malmaison – Once part of the old Grand Hotel, this elegant and intimate venue on La Croisette is now a center of contemporary art. There are two exhibitions a year focusing on internationally known modern artists, including those like Picasso and Matisse who were inspired by the Côte d’Azur. (0.4 mile).
• Galerie Hurtebize – Cannes has lots of modern art galleries catering both to collectors and the curious. Galerie Hurtebize welcomes guests warmly and boasts big name artists including Chagall and Renoir, as well as more contemporary works of sculpture, painting, and graphic art. (0.6 mile).
• Palais des Festivals et des Congrès – A huge modern concrete and glass structure, the Palais des Festivals is in fact a venue for conferences which keep the town and its hotels busy for half the year. But each May, it becomes the center of the Cannes film festival. Visitors flock to take photos on the red-carpeted steps to the entrance and check out the handprints of film legends (find the start in front of the Tourist Office). The Tourist Office also organizes guided tours of the interior. (0.7 mile).
• Le Vieux Port – In the heart of Cannes, this is a lovely space to walk and admire the yachts of the super rich as well as views of the Palais des Festivals on one side and the hillside neighborhood of Le Suquet on the other. It also hosts regattas and part of the Cannes Yachting Festival in September. (0.9 mile).
• Le Suquet – Before the British and Russian visitors arrived in the 19th century, Cannes was really just the fishing village of Le Suquet. Now it remains a picturesque web of narrow streets winding uphill from Le Vieux Port, a world away from the rest of the town. Discover the great restaurants on Rue St Antoine or continue up to the castle at the top for great views over the town and the sea. In July, you can enjoy open air concerts up there as part of the Nuits Musicales du Suquet. (1 mile).
• Beaches – Golden sand stretches all along La Croisette, though most of it is divided into pricey hotel beaches. Villa Garbo has a partnership with one of these, which you can access for a fee (see Beach above). Alternatively, go for municipal Plage Macé (0.5 mile), where prices for lockers and sun loungers are kept low, and there’s a free area if you prefer to just lay down a towel. It also hosts the free Cinéma de la Plage during the Cannes Film Festival in May. Quiet Palm Beach on the Pointe Croisette and Plage du Midi west of the port are further away, but also excellent free options.

Nearby Markets or Grocery Stores

• Casino – Large branch of the popular French supermarket. Good selection of groceries and essentials. Open till midnight daily. (0.2 mile).
• Marché Gambetta – A great covered market, smaller than Forville, but with a nice variety of stalls. Drop in to grab fresh fruit, cheese, or ready-made food for a picnic or check out the clothes, records, and art on offer. Open every morning except Mondays. (0.4 mile).
• Marché Forville – A Cannes food institution, this is its biggest market and the place to go for all your gourmet needs since 1934 – browse local fresh vegetables, fish, local delicacies like socca (chickpea pancake), and stalls specializing in olives or mushrooms. On Mondays, the food is replaced by an all-day flea market. (1 mile).

Villa Garbo – The Hotel

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