The best luxury family hotels in the Côte d'Azur

With its sought-after location on the beachfront, Hotel Barriere Le Majestic is buzzing with lively holiday vibes, especially during the warmer months when the private beach fills up with sun-seeking families.

Spend your days making memories down on the sands, soaking up the summer rays and Cannes’ thriving atmosphere. When the little ones get restless building sandcastles and frolicking in the sea, send them off to Le Studio by Petit VIP: the hotel’s on-site kids club offering a huge variety of creative and innovative activities. 

The week’s itinerary is run by experienced club leaders and includes lots of arty things like painting, drawing, sculpting, and cooking. After the first day nerves, no doubt they’ll be begging you to take them back.

However you spend your time, just make sure you come together in the evening with a special meal at Le Fouquet’s Cannes where you’ll tuck into big-hearted Mediterranean fare like pasta, risotto, and freshly-caught grilled fish. Bon appétit!

Despite its lavish grandeur, Hôtel Cap Estel is also at the top of our family luxury holiday Côte d’Azur-style list. Whilst the grown-ups enjoy the wonders of its world-class hospitality and ocean views of Èze’s coastline, kiddos will be welcomed with open arms and given the five-star treatment too.

Staff here go out of their way to make their experience as joyous as possible – providing sweets, individual robes embroidered with their name, and a greeting from the hotel’s cuddly bear-mascot, Tiuni.

There are also plenty of board games and DVDs to borrow when all you fancy is a relaxing morning lounging in bed with room service on the way. 

And don’t worry, the fun and games isn’t just for the kids. You adults are catered for too, with access to the hotel’s heavenly Sothys Spa boasting a Jacuzzi, sauna, and plenty of rejuvenating treatments to choose from. 

Next on our list of the best family-friendly hotels Côte d’Azur offers is Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo.

With its award-winning restaurants and glamorous selection of suites, a stay here is brimming with luxury and excitement. Guests here are treated like kings and queens - even your kids are nicknamed ‘V.I.Ks’ (Very Important Kids). 

With the hotel's wide selection of children-oriented services, this is a great place for experiencing that dream luxury family holiday to Côte d’Azur.

Whilst the little ones are kept entertained by movie screenings and the toys and games found in the designated kids’ room, you parents can truly relax and unwind knowing they’re having the time of their lives. There’ll be no need to stress trying to find something to settle the boredom. 

And when you do spare a few hours away from the little ones, make sure you book a spot of R&R at the nearby Country Club where you get discounted access to its leisure and sports facilities. Remember, this is your chance for a relaxing holiday too.

Despite the hotel’s upscale feel and classic elegant interiors, you’d be forgiven for thinking Grand-Hotel Du Cap-Ferrat is an adults-only type of place. In fact, little ones are treated like absolute royalty – perhaps even more so than the grown-ups!

Whilst you work off last night’s hearty dinner in the fitness centre or dabble with a little TLC at Le Spa, the kids will be off having a grand old time at the hotel’s designated kids club. Here they can play video games, take a supervised paddle in the pool, ride around the grounds in a convertible toy car, and even put on their chef’s hats in a masterclass with the resident award-winning pastry chef, Florent Margaillan.

There’s plenty to do together as a united family too, like splashing about in the hotel’s luxury pool or taking a stroll down to Passable beach from which you have direct access to from the hotel’s back gardens. 

Last on our list is perhaps the most special: Terre Blanche, a villa resort situated amongst Cannes’ spectacular rural countryside. It’s the perfect choice for a quieter type of family holiday. 

With over 300 acres to play with, holiday-goers of all ages are catered for here. Grown-ups can play a round at one of the two championship golf courses, book a massage slot at the serene spa, or simply lounge around the pool soaking up the hotels’ peaceful vibes.

Kiddos on the other hand can join in the fun at The Royaume des Enfants: the hotel’s kids club offering up all sorts of experiences like Ninja training, donkey meets, or a trip to the local bowling alley.

On top of the plethora of things to see and do, families will also settle in nicely at their own private villa. Most luxurious is the 3,229ft2 Prestige Villa boasting its own private swimming pool and outdoor terraces overlooking the resort’s stunning grounds. 

Whilst the Côte d’Azur is known for its high-glamour and upmarket vibes, that doesn’t mean it’s a destination not suitable for the little ones, too. The key is to find a resort that offers plenty to keep youngsters entertained.

All the options on this list are great for families looking for a summer trip away together, so just remember a family holiday is what you make it. 

When you fancy some time away from the pool or the beach, Côte d’Azur is home to a great selection of exciting attractions you can visit for a fun family day out.

Our top choices include Parc Phoenix, Nice’s unique zoo-come-botanical gardens or Pitchoun Fores, a treetop aerial adventure playground (similar to GoApe). You also can’t go wrong with a day at the local water park – one of the best in the Côte d’Azur is Aquasplash, located just outside Antibes.