Our three nights were spent in the South of France at Four Seasons Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, a 74-room hotel. This property is amazing. It's a blast of the past with all the modern amenities, flawless service and impeccable customer service that you would expect from Four Seasons.
How to book the Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat
Full disclosure: While we generally pay the standard rate for most of our hotel stays (which is a lot), Ford had won a prize through Four Seasons for a week-long stay in any Four Seasons property. After spending four nights at Four Seasons Paris George V, which I have already reviewed, we decided to stay three more nights at Four Seasons Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat. All opinions are mine.
The rates for booking Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat vary from one year to the next. The Four Seasons, like most hotels in South France, is only open during the summer. However, it can be open all year. Rates start at 400 EUR per night during off-peak times, but can go up to 2,000 EUR per person during peak periods.
A Four Seasons travel advisor who is a member of the Four Seasons preferred partner program is the best way to book any Four Seasons property. The rate you pay will be the same as what you would find on Four Seasons' website. However, you will receive additional perks such as room upgrades, breakfast free, and a credit to your hotel account.
Preferred Partner bookings at Four Seasons properties are better than booking through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts. Upgrades are given priority to Preferred Partner guests and Preferred Partner perks can be combined with any Four Seasons rate.
These perks are only available to eligible travel advisors. Ford is more than happy and able to assist anyone who books Four Seasons properties through Preferred Partner. He can be reached at: [email protected] Four Seasons properties are free of booking fees.
Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat history
This is a Four Seasons historic property, as you might have guessed from the name. This hotel was previously known simply as Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat until Four Seasons purchased it in 2015. The Four Seasons branding was then incorporated into its name.
This property's history dates back over 100 years. King Leopold II, the Belgian King, purchased the land in late 19th century. The land was eventually sold and the hotel was opened in 1908. The hotel was turned into a hospital in 1914, but that didn't last very long. The hotel was eventually remodeled into a hotel. This was the 1930s, when it became a popular tourist attraction.
This hotel was closed in summer, making it a unique winter escape. It is a popular place to escape the cold winters in South France, as it has lots of sunshine. This is quite the contrast to today, when the hotel is more popular in summer and is closed during winter.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Location
Nice Cote-d'Azur Airport is approximately 45 minutes away from Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat. Although it's not far, traffic can be quite bad in summer. Cap-Ferrat, when coming from the airport is basically in the same direction that Monaco, which is the reverse direction of Saint Tropez.
Saint Tropez can be a good choice if you are just going to be traveling to the South of France. The traffic can be terrible. You only have one road and an accident can make it difficult to get around in the rush hour traffic of Sao Paulo.
Four Seasons Capferrat lobby & public areas
The Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat is situated on a 17-acre parcel. The gate allowed you to enter the "compound" and it was only a short drive from the main building where reception and our room were located.
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat exterior
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat entrance
The arrivals process was smooth. The security guard seemed to phone reception when guests arrive so that you are warmly greeted each time you pull up. We were helped with our bags by the bellmen, and checked in quickly by the front desk staff.
The lobby was stunning and perfectly balanced between old-world charm (given the hotel’s history) as well as being modern and elegant.
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat lobby
You could find the reception desk just inside the entry. To the left was the concierge desk.
Reception at Four Seasons Cap Ferrat
There was also more seating in the lobby, right beside the classic elevator and staircase.
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat lobby
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat elevator & staircase
The lobby had the largest sitting area, which overlooked the garden and the distant sea.
Lobby seating at Four Seasons Cap Ferrat
Lobby seating at Four Seasons Cap Ferrat
Lobby seating at Four Seasons Cap Ferrat
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Sea-View Suite
The room we were given was number nine. It was a Sea-View Suite. We were lucky to be given this suite as the hotel is full. It was accessible by climbing a flight of stairs from the reception. Our room was at the end on the left side of the hall.
Hallway of Four Seasons Cap Ferrat
Suites with sea views are advertised as having 600 square feet. The suites are not large, but they were well used. The entryway was located inside the room's entrance. The closet and bathroom were to the left, while the living room and bedroom were to the right.
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Sea-View Suite Entryway
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Sea-View Suite Entryway
The living room was large and had a couch, a chair and a table for two. It could also be used as a work desk or a dining table when you order room service.
Living area in Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Sea-View Suite
Living area in Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Sea-View Suite
Living area in Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Sea-View Suite
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Sea-View Suite dining area
A bottle of champagne and a tart were waiting on the table at the living room table as a welcome treat.
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Sea-View Suite Welcome Gift
A minibar was located along one wall. It offered complimentary tea and coffee as well as a selection of snacks.
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Sea-View Suite minibar
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Sea-View Suite tea and coffee
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Sea-View Suite tea and coffee
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Sea-View Suite minibar
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Sea-View Suite minibar
Sliding double doors separated the bedroom from the living area.
Living area in Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Sea-View Suite
The bedroom was comfortable and had the Four Seasons signature bed. I find this to be one of the best hotel beds. A wall-mounted TV was also installed in the bedroom.
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Sea-View Suite bedroom
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Sea-View Suite bedroom
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Sea-View Suite bedroom
The views from all rooms were of the hotel's gardens and the ocean in the background. Given the ideal summer climate, it would have been nice to have some outside space. However, that wasn't something that was possible 100+ years ago.
View from Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Sea-View Suite
A large, walk-in closet was located back in the direction that the entrance is. To get to the bathroom, you would have to go through the closet. The bathroom had double sinks, a walk in shower, a soaking bathtub, and a separate toilet.
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Sea-View Suite closet
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Sea-View Suite bathroom
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Sea-View Suite bathroom
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Sea-View Suite bathtub
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Sea-View Suite Shower
Four Seasons Cap Ferrrat Sea-View Suite Toilet
Toiletries were made by Hermes, which is a cool brand.
Four Seasons Cap Ferrrat Sea-View Suite Toiletries
The Wi-Fi was free and fast in the room, making it easy to connect. It was a beautiful suite with stunning views. Four Seasons is a master at maximising space through room design, especially when properties are located in older buildings like this one.
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Club Dauphin
Club Dauphin, the Four Seasons' daytime club with a pool & restaurant, is home to the Four Seasons. Cap-Ferrat, a peninsula with many cliffs, doesn't have an actual beach. Instead, it has pools and docks from which you can jump in the sea. Four Seasons guests have free access to Club Dauphin. It is accessible by walking out of the hotel's back door and down the stairs.
Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat exterior
The entrance to the club is located across the street from the Four Seasons' gate. All you have to do is give your room number, and you will be admitted. This area is managed entirely by Four Seasons. You can charge all your charges to your room.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin
You can start at the entrance and walk down the path to the club. It's a lovely walk with breathtaking views.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin walkway
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin walkway
You can also take a funicular down. This is also fun.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin funicular
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin funicular
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin funicular
Club Dauphin's centerpiece is a large infinity pool with seawater that overlooks the ocean.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin pool
There are plenty of chairs around the pool so it shouldn't be a problem finding one.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin Seating
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin Seating
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin Seating
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin Seating
The hotel has a main pool and a children's pool.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin children pool
The Club Dauphin restaurant is also located next to the pool. It is open every day for lunch. When I discuss dining, I will review it a little further down.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin
If you're looking for a place to take a dip in the ocean, there's an area at Club Dauphin that allows you to access the sea. However, don't expect too much.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin sea access
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin sea access
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat spa and gym
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat offers a fantastic spa and gym. It is located in a separate building to the main one. You can access it by going out of the front door, climbing a set stairs and following the signs to the spa and gym.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat spa access
Alternativly, you can take the underground walkway from the main building. The walkway contains a variety of photos of famous guests who have stayed on the property over the years. It's quite cool.
Spa hallway at Four Seasons Cap Ferrat
Spa hallway at Four Seasons Cap Ferrat
Although we did not receive any treatments, the spa was impressive and had five treatment rooms as well as two outdoor pavilions that could be used for spa treatments. The spa also featured an indoor pool with a counter current system, a sauna and a steam room. It also had water therapy showers. The Four Seasons spa treatment menu can be found here.
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat spa
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat spa
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat spa outdoor treatment rooms
Indoor pool at Four Seasons Cap Ferrat spa
Indoor pool at Four Seasons Cap Ferrat spa
Indoor whirlpool at Four Seasons Cap Ferrat spa
Four Seasons Spa also offered a gym that guests could access 24/7. Although the facilities were not as well-equipped as those at other Four Seasons properties' gyms, they did offer a wide range of modern equipment.
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat gym
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat gym
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat gym
The gym even had an outdoor area -- it was amazing to see that Four Seasons has at least a portion of their gym outside.
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat outdoor gym
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat dining
There are many dining options at the Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat. All dining options can be found outdoors in summer weather permitting. Restaurants have no indoor space, so they aren't used.
These are the dining options available at Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat:
La Veranda, the hotel's all day dining restaurant, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The restaurant is described by the owners as having a "menu reminiscent of a chic French Riviera bistrot" and its chefs combining influences from Italy with the Mediterranean Sea.
Club Dauphin, the hotel's poolside restaurant is open for lunch.
Le Bar, the main bar of the hotel, is open in the evenings. It serves wine, cocktails and light bites.
Le Cap, the hotel's fine dining restaurant, is Yoric Tieche's Michelin-starred restaurant
There's also in-room dining that offers food from many restaurants and more
We were unable to visit all the restaurants in the hotel, except Le Cap. This is because we didn't have enough time and it wasn't open every day.
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat La Veranda (breakfast).
La Veranda serves breakfast every day from 7:30AM to 11AM. The restaurant is right behind the hotel and is basically the top terrace of the hotel (since there are more terraces further down).
Four Seasons La Veranda Cap-Ferrat location
There were many tables and natural shade provided by the large trees around the restaurant.
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat La Veranda seating
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat La Veranda seating
Here's the breakfast menu:
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat La Veranda breakfast menu
You can book through Four Seasons Preferred Partner to receive a complimentary breakfast. Smart people should not be paying extra for breakfast. Standard breakfast includes hot drinks, fresh juices, fruit salad, pastries, access the buffet, and then a hot dish from the menu.
The coffee was always hot and delicious. I drank filtered coffee most of the time, which I loved.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat breakfast -- Coffee
You could also choose from a range of fresh juices, which were served alongside the fresh fruit salad or pastry basket.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Breakfast -- Pastry basket, fruit salad, juices
There was also a cold buffet that is meant to complement the hot food. The best thing about the buffet is that everything (with the exception of whole fruit) is homemade. There was everything: muffins, cereals, cold cuts, cheese, yogurt, muesli, yogurt, tarts, and sandwiches. It was all delicious.
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat breakfast buffet
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat breakfast buffet
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat breakfast buffet
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat breakfast buffet
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat breakfast buffet
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat breakfast buffet
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat breakfast buffet
There were also excellent hot options that included both staple items and rotating daily specials. Here are some of our favorite dishes.
Breakfast at Four Seasons Cap Ferrat
Breakfast at Four Seasons Cap Ferrat
Breakfast at Four Seasons Cap Ferrat
Breakfast at Four Seasons Cap Ferrat
Breakfast at Four Seasons Cap Ferrat
Four Seasons properties always offer complimentary coffee and tea, as I have mentioned in my Four Seasons reviews. There were sweets as well. This is a very small thing, which I really appreciate. I go to the gym before breakfast every morning when I travel. But I don't know how I could do it without a cup of good coffee (or three).
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat complimentary coffee and tea
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin
Club Dauphin is where most guests spend their days, so we had lunch twice. You can make reservations but it is not necessary to eat at the restaurant.
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat Club Dauphin
Here's the lunch menu:
Lunch menu at Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin
Lunch menu at Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin
We were given crackers with a tzatziki spread and some bread to start.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin lunch
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin lunch
The cocktails at the restaurant were delicious.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin lunch
We shared some appetizers, including falafel, pink Hummus, and red pepper-feta spread, one day.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin lunch
Both of us had a nicoise-style salad. In retrospect, we should have shared it because it was huge (and delicious).
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin lunch
I had the eggplant with local goat cheese fusilli the other day, while Ford had roasted chicken, local zucchini, candied lemon, and zaatar.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin lunch
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Club Dauphin lunch
Everything we tried was a success.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Le Bar (cocktails)
Le Bar is just below La Veranda and is a great spot to grab a drink before dinner. The setting was beautiful with a wonderful garden and a stunning view of the sea.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Le Bar
The cocktails and presentation were also amazing.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Le Bar cocktails
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Le Bar snacks
Even better, there's a surprising selection of sushi.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Le Bar sushi
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat La Veranda (dinner).
One evening, we had dinner at La Veranda (the hotel's all-day dining restaurant). Here's the dinner menu:
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat La Veranda dinner menu
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat La Veranda dessert menu
An amuse bouche, which consisted of a spread and bread, began the meal.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat La Veranda dinner
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat La Veranda dinner
We ordered our mains immediately, and didn't order starters. Ford ordered the artisanal pasta with octopus bolognaise and chianti, while I chose the bouillabaisse. Both dishes were delicious, both in taste and presentation.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat La Veranda dinner
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat La Veranda dinner
We chose to serve two fruity desserts: the raspberry harissa with sweet chip bell peppers and the coconut milk rice with exotic fruits.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat La Veranda dinner
The whole meal was exceptional.
Other Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat dining options
Le Cap, as mentioned above is the Four Seasons' best restaurant. Although we didn't have the opportunity to eat there, it is a very similar restaurant to La Veranda. Le Cap is located just across the street from Le Bar and below La Veranda.
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat Le Cap Restaurant
There is also an indoor dining area at the Four Seasons that can be used as either restaurant or cafe, but it was not being used due to perfect weather.
Indoor dining area at Four Seasons Cap Ferrat
A separate indoor bar was located in the lobby. However, it wasn’t used at this time of the year.
Indoor bar Four Seasons Cap Ferrat
Indoor bar Four Seasons Cap Ferrat
Four Seasons Cap Ferrat service
Four Seasons is a leader in customer service. Four Seasons seems to hire for their personality and then train them really well. Nearly all the employees we had contact with were friendly and charming. They also seemed genuinely interested in helping others. This was true for front office workers, restaurant workers, housekeepers and pool attendants.
Scene & Area Four Seasons Cap Ferrat
The Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat scene is certainly impressive, and the people who watch it are simply amazing. However, Cap-Ferrat isn't nearly as popular as Saint Tropez. There are many restaurants, hotels, and beach clubs in Saint Tropez.
Cap-Ferrat is a predominantly residential area, with the Four Seasons being the only hotel in the region. The area feels almost like it's a residential neighborhood. The Four Seasons is a great place to stay if you love hiking, walking, stepping or any other activity. We walked it every morning. There is a path that runs along the coast for miles.
Amazing walks at the Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat
Amazing walks at the Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat
I was astonished to see a Virgin Voyages vessel parked off the coast of Cap-Ferrat. I used to be in Miami and could see it from there, but now it is in Cap-Ferrat. Hah.
Virgin Voyages ships in Cap-Ferrat
Cap-Ferrat may be quiet but don't let that stop you from having fun. You can visit a few beaches close to the hotel during the day.
Beach club near Cap-Ferrat
Beach club near Cap-Ferrat
Cap-Ferrat is only 20-30 minutes away from Monaco and Nice. You can also visit both places during your stay with all the shopping and restaurants that are available.
Bottom line
Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat is a combination of the best of historic hotels in South France and the usual Four Seasons amenities. It boasts beautifully decorated rooms, fantastic restaurants, a pool bar, and a unique setting.
The hotel is expensive, but it is to be expected. In July and August, the hotel appears to have close to 100% occupancy. Many guests return year after year.
Cap-Ferrat, a quieter option (or complement, if you stay for longer), is an excellent choice for luxury hotels in South France.
What was your experience at Four Seasons Cap-Ferrat?
