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When you find yourself in a new city, there truly is nothing more valuable than a great recommendation. Better yet, is when said endorsement references a destination spa along the French Riviera.
In 2021, a new spa premiered in Cannes, the French city famed for its annual Film Festival. Situated inside the iconic Hôtel Martinez—through the revolving doors and up the undulating cobalt blue-carpeted staircase to level one—Spa By Carita is a tranquil reprieve from the bustling, tourist-clad boulevard along la Croisette.
This season, the spa commissioned Daniele Beniamini, masseur for the star dancers of the Paris Opera, to develop a body massage customised to the muscular state of each client. Ballet Metamorphic readjusts the body’s balance and mobility through and infinite series of movements and technique used for dancers—“a dance of the hands—and thus restores energy and lightness. It’s this unique approach and considerations for the tiny muscles of the body that sets the spa apart from the other plush spa offerings in Cannes. (If you’re flying long-haul from Australia, this massage is for you.)
In May, I was in town covering the Cannes Film Festival, a fun, yet gruelling schedule which sees journalists attend premieres at 11pm in the evening, and file copy in the wee hours of the morning. I was invited to Spa by Carita to experience a treatment, and opted for one of their signature facials to restore some dewiness to my tired, dull skin. The hour-long session was other-worldly. Seven treatment rooms overlook the hotel’s garden tropique. The minimal, monochrome décor—clean lines, plush cream bedding with black accents—feels more modern than the hotel itself, and I nearly fell asleep to the rhythm of my facialist’s hands. As I wrapped up, a guest book was available to write a thank you message. The last entry was from Academy Award-winning Hollywood actress Julianne Moore who was in town to promote her superb new film May December. “Thank you for the wonderful massage,” it read. “A perfect way to start my trip in Cannes.” (Dua Lipa and Irina Shayk were also staying in the hotel at the time.)
So if you won’t take my word for it, take Ms. Moore’s. (There’s also a hair and scalp experience originally created by the Carita sisters in 1956 on offer that I have heard is exceptional. It’s called Carita’s Soin Rénovateur Cheveux.)
While we’re speaking about recommendations, here are a couple more in you find yourself in Cannes, along the Cotê d’Azur.
For celebrity watching: Poolside at Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic. During the Cannes Film Festival, you are bound to see a celebrity eating in the restaurant or, after 4pm, exiting via the poolside entrance to attend a premiere. I caught Coco Rocha at this very spot.
For dinner: Bobo Bistro. Delicious, well-priced Italian food. Pre-book or line up at 7pm (on the dot, or just before) to visit as a walk-in.
Lunch by the sea: Carlton Beach Club. Expensive but iconic. I had the Nicoise salad. This dish and a gym visit, no matter how tired you are, has been my jetlag cure for years.
Exploring: Le Suquet. This is Cannes’ oldest neighbourhood. Meander along the steep and winding cobble-stoned alleyways for a beautiful view over the Bay of Cannes.
