Everyone knows Cannes isn’t short on luxury, but during the festival those hotels feel like stages in their own right. The Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, Carlton Cannes, and Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic weren’t just packed they became part of the spectacle. Stars pulled up on yachts, walked straight into suites with views worth millions, and suddenly the hotels themselves were as photographed as the premieres.

Dinner during Cannes was never just dinner. La Petite Maison, Zuma, and Mamo Michelangelo turned into unofficial after-parties where actors and athletes squeezed in between locals and industry folks. Imagine plates of Mediterranean seafood, a glass of rosé, and at the next table two directors hashing out future projects. Half the fun was eating, the other half was watching the room.

Cannes after sundown is its own show. Nikki Beach and Lucia Cannes thumped with music while crowds spilled out onto the sand. Inside the Carlton lobby, you could practically sit for hours star-spotting. And for the quieter crowd, Bar Bellini gave off that velvet-rope intimacy. Every night felt different, and honestly, nobody seemed in a rush to sleep.

Yes, it’s about cinema, but Cannes has always been about lifestyle too. Guests hopped over to the Lérins Islands on boats, stretched out on private beaches, and dressed up for the amfAR Gala that mixed art, fashion, and charity in one place. Even the old Palm Beach Casino got its moment with a new twenties-inspired glow-up. The extras around the festival sometimes felt just as memorable as the films themselves.

When the curtains dropped and the last yacht sailed out, what lingered were the snapshots sequined gowns under flashbulbs, cocktails by the shore, and stories traded long past midnight. Cannes 2025 reminded everyone that it’s more than a film festival. It’s a mood, a lifestyle, and maybe the most glamorous excuse to fall in love with the Riviera all over again.