California - Cannes, France 

I found The Hotel California charming. The owner makes your stay quite special and the staff in general was helpful and friendly. My first floor room was large and clean though the walls needed new paint. I was given an upgrade to a large room without any request which was great. The hotel's lobby is lovely and the pool area and garden patio add to the experience of the unique hotel. The location is ok but is a little far removed from the heart of Cannes. It is a nice walk down the Croisette, but for a solo traveler the location is not ideal. Cannes is safe but there is little to no foot traffic by the hotel during the evening. The breakfast each morning is served in a nice dining area. I believe this hotel is a good value for Cannes.

I must confess that I'm still puzzled by all the glowing reviews of this place, as they position this hotel as the third highest rated hotel in Cannes - but its never a 4* hotel. The room was about 9-10sqm in size, scarcely decorated and directly facing the railway with trains running literally in front of the window in about 20 meters distance. There is a small reception area with a bar, no real lounge area as such. I've booked a room for 3 nights, but due to unforseen change in personal circumstances had to leave on the night of the arrival, checked out with the receptionist and was told to pay just for the first night, which sounded fair. After returning home I've discovered that my credit card has been charged for two extra nights in addition to the first payment. I believed in a technical mistake first so have asked the credit card company to investigate, but to my surprise this hotel apparently always charges for the full stay - no matter when the guest actually leaves. So beware: should you choose to leave earlier you will be liable for the full price. I guess the management will reply in this forum telling I've got it all wrong.. The position is good in terms of its proximity to the Croisette. In summary - you could enjoy this if you went expecting a two star hotel in a convenient location.