— The hotel
Le Splendide by Connexion
Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much when I first walked up to Le Splendide by Connexion – you know how these 3-star places can be hit or miss in Cannes. But this little gem on Avenue de Grasse actually surprised me in the best way. The location is sort of perfect if you ask me, tucked away just enough that you’re not dealing with the chaos of La Croisette but still close enough to walk everywhere that matters. I mean, you’re literally five minutes from the Palais des Festivals, and the train station is right there too, which is clutch if you’re doing day trips to Nice or Monaco.
What really got me was how the staff just… gets it, you know? They’re not trying too hard to be fancy, but they clearly care about the details. The rooms aren’t huge – this is Cannes, after all – but they’re thoughtfully designed with these crisp white linens and surprisingly good blackout curtains (trust me, you’ll appreciate this during festival season when the streets don’t quiet down until 3 AM). The bathrooms are actually modern, which isn’t always a given in older Cannes hotels, and the water pressure is solid. One thing though – if you’re on the street side, you might catch some traffic noise in the morning, but honestly, it’s part of the charm of being in the heart of it all.
The breakfast situation deserves a mention because they do this continental spread that’s way better than it needs to be for a 3-star spot. Fresh croissants from what I’m pretty sure is the boulangerie down the street, decent coffee, and they’ve got these local jams that are actually worth trying. What I love is that you can grab your coffee and sit outside when the weather’s nice – which, let’s be real, is most of the time in Cannes. The whole vibe just feels authentic rather than tourist-trappy. You’ll see a mix of business travelers, festival-goers during May, and regular tourists who’ve figured out that you don’t need to drop €500 a night to have a great stay in Cannes. The 8.5 rating makes total sense to me – it’s not trying to be the Carlton, but for what it is, it absolutely delivers. If you want to experience Cannes without the pretense but still feel like you’re staying somewhere that cares about hospitality, this is your spot.
