Tiara Yaktsa
Near Cannes, Cote d'Azur, France
The hotel is a real retreat; a get-away-from-it-all, zoned-out paradise. Chic Moroccan interiors blend seamlessly with the Mediterranean views, and the 22 bedrooms are gorgeous, some of the nicest we've seen. We spent peaceful, lazy mornings by the pool and snoozing on one of the double Balinese daybeds in the garden before pootling off in the car to discover nearby seaside towns and gorgeous inland villages, returning for mouth-watering food at the Michelin-starred L’Or Bleu restaurant.
Highs
- The peaceful position is dreamy: you’re away from bustling Cannes but you can dip in and out as you wish
- Stylish rooms with double rain showers and extra comfy beds. Book a Junior Suite Sea View or Deluxe Room Sea View for, you guessed it, stunning sea views
- All the staff are friendly and helpful, and nothing is too much trouble
- The food is truly delicious. Breakfast is a feast and we were blown away by dinner at L’Or Bleu, the hotel’s excellent restaurant
- The outdoor pool with views
Lows
- You’ll need a car to get here and get around
- Apart from L’Or Bleu and the 2 restaurants at nearby sister hotel Tiara Miramar Beach, there’s nowhere else to eat within walking distance
- Pretty expensive
- No twin rooms or kids under 16 – this hotel is aimed at couples
- The fitness centre is tiny and only has one cross-trainer machine and a bike
Best time to go
Our top tips
- Boutique Hotel
- 22 rooms
- Restaurant (closed Sundays & Mondays)
- Over 16s only
- Open all year
- Outdoor Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car recommended
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Concierge Service
Rooms
Rooms and suites are spread over 4 floors, with the Rooftop Suite Sea View taking up the entire top floor. The 2 room categories are fairly similar, and divided according to their views: Superior Garden View Room and Deluxe Sea View Room. Suites are more numerous and spacious: Junior Garden View Suite, Junior Sea View Suite and the two Junior Rooftop Suites on the top floor, which can combine to make the show-stopping Rooftop Suite Sea View. All rooms and suites have balconies or terraces.
Décor-wise, each room has a similar style: Moroccan bedside cabinets and gorgeous silver lamps, African necklaces as art on the walls, tiled floors, and a silk organza canopy around your incredibly comfortable bed. We stayed in a Junior Sea View Suite and slept like a dream, eagerly pulling back the curtains in the morning to check the views were just as gorgeous as we remembered from the night before (they were).
Bathrooms all have round, wooden double sinks, robes and lotions, and a heavenly rain shower (the Rooftop Junior Suites also have a bath).
Make the most of the spectacular views by booking into a sea view room or suite, which look directly out across the swimming pool and gardens to the Mediterranean Sea. The suites are all a generous size (45-64 sq.m) and come with terraces big enough to sit out on. The Junior Rooftop Suites have a terrace apiece: each with sun decks with loungers.
Features include:
- Bathrobes
- Hairdryer
- In-room treatments available
- Iron
- Minibar
- Safe box
- WiFi
Eating
Breakfast can be eaten in L’Or Bleu (the hotel’s restaurant), outside in the Zen garden, or on the terrace. The food selection changes often but expect everything from cereal and fruit to plates of salmon and cheese, plus fresh loaves of rustic bread and mini, flaky croissants. Eggs are made to order, too. There's a room service menu for lunch; or lunch at the MoYa Beach at the Tiara Miramar hotel nearby.
In the evening, Michelin-starred L’Or Bleu is a foodie’s dream. Choose from either the 6-course L'Or bleu menu or the 8-course Signature menu; these change daily but whatever you pick will have the most beautiful presentation. As the sun goes down, the lights on the hillside twinkle and candles on the tables are lit. For guests staying longer who have perhaps exhausted the menu, the chef can whip up your favourite dish (with 24 hours' notice). Or you could stay in the Rooftop Suite, with its kitchenette, and whip up meals for yourself!
If you want to eat out, there are several good restaurants a 5-minute drive away in Théoule-sur-Mer: we loved Le Coup de Fourchette, run by a husband-and-wife team and tucked away on Avenue Charles Dahon. We had the most deliciously creamy king prawn risotto, and we'd bet the steak and chips is excellent. Ten minutes further along the coast, L’Oasis is in Mandelieu.
Features include:
- Bar
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Room service
- Vegetarian options
Activities
- Recline on a Balinese daybed in the garden or on a lounger beside the infinity pool and bask in the sun
- Head to St Raphaël, a 30-minute drive west along the coast, and spend the day on the gorgeous sandy beach
- Or go east to Cannes, where designer shops and private beach clubs line La Croisette. For more affordable fashion explore rue d’Antibes, and for old-school charm wander through the streets of the quieter old town (Le Suquet) and up to the castle museum
- Closer to home, pop into Théoule-sur-Mer. The tiny town only has a handful of streets but there's a lovely, laid-back feel, plus several eating spots and a strip of sand (the Marco Polo restaurant has its own section of beach)
- Reception can arrange a host of activities, including windsurfing, sailing, snorkelling and diving trips, even wine tasting
- If you fancy a change from the coast, explore inland instead. The fortified medieval village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence is a famous enclave for artists both past and present, and a wander around its narrow, cobbled streets, looking at art, is a delight
- There's great hiking in the coastal and inland areas, or you can explore on a mountain bike. Book a massage for your return in the hotel's treatment room
- Another must is the village of Grasse, which is renowned for its perfumes. A guided tour of the Fragonard perfume factory is a highlight
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Hiking
- Mountain biking
- Museums / galleries
- Nightlife
- Sailing
- Scuba diving
- Snorkelling
- Surfing
- Swimming
- Well being
- Windsurfing
- Wine tasting
Location
Tiara Yaktsa is 5 minutes' drive from the tiny town of Théoule-sur-Mer and 20 minutes from Cannes, on the Côte d’Azur in the south of France.
By Air:
Fly into Nice Côte d’Azur International Airport (45km). Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving this airport.
From the Airport
We'd definitely recommend hiring a car, but if you don't drive the hotel can arrange a transfer – see Rates – or you can take a taxi.
By Car:
See our car rental recommendations.
By Helicopter:
Another option is to transfer from Nice, Monaco or St Tropez by chopper; there's a helipad at the Port de la Figuierette, and the hotel has negotiated rates with HeliAir Monaco.
By Bus:
The express bus from Nice airport will take you to Cannes centre in 50 minutes. From here, you can take a taxi. However, this isn’t ideal as you’ll be relying on taxis during your stay (they're expensive and Théoule-sur-Mer only has 3 taxi drivers). Trains and buses from Théoule-sur-Mer are irregular.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on getting to France and getting around
Airports:
- Nice Côte d'Azur International 45.0 km NCE
Other:
- Beach 0.7 km
- Shops 5.0 km
- Restaurant 1.0 km