W elcome to one of the French Riviera’s most iconic palaces. The history of Hôtel Martinez starts in 1834 with Lord Brougham who, on his way from England to Italy, fell in love with Cannes. Many British aristocrats followed in his footsteps, having private villas built along the seashore. La Coquette was purchased, extended, and renamed Villa Marie-Thérèse by King Francis II. A hotspot for social events during the French Third Republic, the property started declining in the 1920s, until hospitality tycoon Emmanuel Martinez bought it in 1927 and after a fourteen-month revamp conducted by architect Charles Palmero, transformed it into the namesake hotel that would become the crowning jewel of La Croisette.
Hôtel Martinez has had a long-standing relationship with the movie industry, ever since legendary Italian studio La Cinecitta's star Gina Lollobrigida was photographed riding a camel in front of the building. But despite years of glamourous cinema stars and industry types frequenting the hotel, it was not until the 1990s that the hotel became formally associated with the Cannes Film Festival. For the past thirty years, Hôtel Martinez has been hosting the jury dinner, traditionally scheduled the day before the Festival’s opening ceremony. Chopard takes up residence on the penthouse level of the building, alongside other partners, such as L’Oréal, Air France and BMW.
In 2018, Hôtel Martinez entered a new era, under the umbrella of the 'Unbound Collection by Hyatt' initiative, an ambitious renovation project intended to 'return to the roots'. Pierre-Yves Rochon, who designed the hotel’s restaurant La Palme d’Or back in 1985, was entrusted with the delicate task of refurbishing Cannes’s architectural emblem of luxury hospitality. His plan revived Art Déco elements, such as the forgotten “HM” monogram that was only visible in one spot by the stairs wrought-iron banister rail, and enhancing the 1920s maroon, copper and black palette with Mediterranean tones, mostly blues and whites. “We are even considering a more nautical style for our Rémi Tessier-designed restaurant - La Plage by chef Jean Imbert - with fishing nets, portholes and natural wood.” says general manager Michel Cottray.
The results of this ambitious revamp include the Oasis Suites, built around and named after L’Oasis du Martinez. This wellness centre, inaugurated in Spring 2022, was designed as a peaceful botanical garden, filled with local plants such as lavender, sage and gardenias. The new 452 sq ft apartments (592 sq ft for those with a terrace) included soft colours, fine materials such as parquet flooring, crystal handles, hand-crafted rugs, custom-made terracotta pieces and much more, all instrumental in conveying a natural and quiet vibe. Pierre-Yves Rochon clearly did not do anything by halves.
When Rochon's team had the walls stripped down, they discovered wallpapers from the 1970s, with vivid orange flower patterns and safari green colours. Meanwhile mirrored headboards have been hung over the beds to accentuate the spaciousness of each room while ceiling windows give a feeling of freedom, creating the magical sensation of sleeping under the stars.
'Hôtel Martinez is the most environmentally responsible palace on the French Riviera'
And as well as aesthetic concerns, today's guests can enjoy the fact that Hôtel Martinez is the most environmentally responsible palace on the French Riviera. It's the first French hotel to have received Green Globe certification in 2010, and has since been upgraded to Platinum status, crowning ten years of sustainable procedures, from recycling to working closely with eco-friendly associations.
As in decades gone by, the hotel's famous lobby is its portal to the world. And currently, it's home to an installation, “Interactions: Damien Hirst at the Martinez”. An exhibition of twenty works by the artist, it includes paintings from his Colour Space series, with spot motifs breaking free from classical patterns, and sculptures from Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable, a decade-in-the-making project which was first shown in 2017 in Venice.
“We don’t see our hosts as just consumers. People now expect more from hotels than just an eat and sleep experience”, says Cottray, referring to a display of vintage cars as another tempting inducement for guests from around the world and local passers-by alike to step inside the illustrious Hôtel Martinez and rediscover one of the most welcoming and elegant landmarks on the French Riviera.
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