What is the new Martinez decor?

Michel Cottray: This year, we inaugurated 16 new Oasis suites set in a 2800 m2 garden featuring a variety of Mediterranean species, a swimming pool, a fitness area… We also opened our legendary bar, renamed Le Sud, in its original location at the entrance to the lobby. Decorated by Pierre-Yves Ronchon, it is an invitation to travel, with a world of wood panelling and blue leather enhanced by golden touches. We’ve also embellished the beach with a new lounge area.

More generally, the entire city of Cannes has undergone renovations to remain number one in luxury hospitality. We benefit from our proximity to Nice airport, which hosted three special flights chartered by Air France from Los Angeles during the Festival. We can’t offer the same infrastructure as in 2019, before the covid. Our guests now expect experiences and discoveries.

What characterizes a luxury hospitality experience in 2023?

M.C: Customers are more nonchalant and spontaneous than they used to be, but they want to experience something special.They’ll book three days instead of six, and they’ll want a sea view.They’re much more sensitive to detail: just a few years ago, they were mainly interested in what was on the plate, but now everything counts: the container, the tablecloth, the lighting… Nowadays, you can’t offer the same lighting in the morning as in the evening.

With social networks, international customers also want to share a sense of belonging with their friends connected all over the world: they want to try a famous chef’s favorite dish, taste a trendy cocktail, and not miss out on the best address of the moment.

What sets the Hôtel Martinez apart from other 5-star hotels on the Croisette in terms of hospitality?

M.C: We’re the hotel of Art Deco, of the Roaring Twenties, of joie de vivre and glamour.We perpetuate the spirit of the Roaring Twenties, when people dropped their false collars and corsets to enjoy life to the full.At the bar, waiters are instructed to be attentive without being too formal. With our signature colors, white and blue, we’re like an ocean liner taking you to the Mediterranean.

“The Côte d’Azur has been welcoming an international public for 150 years, first the European aristocracy, then industrial magnates and the world of cinema.”

How would you define the Côte d’Azur’s art of entertaining?

M.C: More than anywhere else in France, we’re used to welcoming international guests. We’re open to a mix of cultures and languages, and we know how to acclimatize to the arrival of new clienteles like the Brazilians. We are awaiting the return of the Chinese, which is still limited by the number of flights available. The Côte d’Azur has been welcoming an international public for 150 years, first the European aristocracy, then industrial tycoons and the world of cinema. This is a clientele looking for a homogeneous environment with the same level of welcome, from transport to the beach, from restaurants to bedrooms.

What qualities do you need to cultivate to welcome this clientele?

M.C: At least twice a day, we brief our teams and remind them to always remember our customers’ preferences. Luxury isn’t about the thickness of the carpet; it’s about attention, and that means talking to customers. I like to take the elevator with them to ask their impressions of the restaurant, the spa… Unfortunately, we only have seven floors! But in just a few seconds of discussion, I learn a lot more than from satisfaction surveys. People confide in us very willingly, and I have customers who have followed me from my previous positions. They appreciate being recognized and expected.

Interview by Pascale Caussat