Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel

At the very tip of the Cap-Ferrat peninsula, screened by umbrella pines and manicured gardens, the Grand-Hôtel has been the discreet counterpoint to Riviera flash since 1908. The white Belle Époque main building sits back from the sea in seven hectares of grounds, and the whole composition — palace, gardens, coastline — feels closer to a private estate than a hotel. Under Four Seasons management it runs with a precision the setting deserves.

The property's emblem is Club Dauphin, the seawater infinity pool carved into the rocks at the water's edge, reached by a funicular that glides down through the pines. Generations of screen and society names have taken its sun loungers; it remains one of the most beautiful places to swim in Europe. Above, rooms and suites split between classically dressed quarters in the historic building and a lighter contemporary wing, with villas for those wanting full seclusion.

Dining moves between the pine-shaded terrace of the gastronomic restaurant and easier poolside grills, while the spa occupies its own garden pavilion. Beaulieu, Villefranche and the Rothschild villa are minutes away, yet the estate's deep quiet is the real luxury. This is the Riviera at its most polished and least hurried.