Inside an Icon: How the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat Survived and Thrived Throughout the Pandemic

The General Manager of The Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, one of the most iconic hotels on the French Riviera, discusses its history, life during COVID-19 and his predictions for the future of the luxury sector.

The General Manager of The Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, one of the most iconic hotels on the French Riviera, discusses its history, life during COVID-19 and his predictions for the future of the luxury sector.

Over the past two years, hotels around the world have been forced to adapt to a ‘new normal.’ Despite quick and dynamic action, few could prepare for just how many variations of ‘normality’ would arise. Following closures, lockdowns, re-openings and more closures, it seems the only certainty for the industry is a perpetual state of uncertainty. However, within the chaos, some hotels have emerged stronger than ever. For François-Régis Simon, the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel is one of them.

Located in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat on the glamorous French Riviera, the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat is a cultural and historical landmark. Built in the early 20th century, it’s the crown jewel in a region famous for being a cosmopolitan retreat for the affluent. With 74 rooms and suites, a private villa, a Michelin Star restaurant and a swimming pool, the Cap-Ferrat sets the standard for quintessential luxury offerings. Acquired by Four Seasons group in 2005, it now continues on its long history at the heights of high-end hospitality.

Like all members of the travel industry, COVID-19 forced the team behind the Cap-Ferrat to reflect, reevaluate and adapt. From the frontline of its operations, Simon has watched as the impacts of the pandemic set in over his hotel. ‘If you take a close look at what’s happened over the past two years at Cap-Ferrat,’ he recalls via Zoom call, ‘it’s determined by our style of operations.’

Opened from March to November, the Cap-Ferrat is a seasonal hotel specialising in the luxury leisure market. ‘In 2020, when the first outbreak spread across the world in early March, we’d only just opened for the season. We had to close after two weeks,’ says Simon. The usual stream of guests from the US, the UK and Brazil were now locked at home, with the all-important summer season depleted of numbers. 

Instead of creating major disruptions, however, the seasonality of Cap-Ferrat would prove invaluable in its ability to navigate the pandemic. ‘‘As a seasonal hotel, we have a group of permanent staff,’ says Ferrat. ‘Those numbers are tripled over the summer.’ While other hotels dealt with mass lay-offs and restructuring, Cap-Ferrat was able to reduce its workforce very quickly. ‘We were able to put everything on standby and rely on our permanent team. This dramatically limited the number of people we’d hire for the season, which, financially speaking, enabled us to keep our head above water.’

Notably, this style of periodical opening is firmly rooted in the hotel’s history. In the 19th century, the French Riviera was a famous winter destination for the elite. As travel became more accessible and transportation more efficient, the Cap-Ferrat became an idyllic seaside retreat. As a new style of seasonal tourism developed, as did the reputation of the Grand-Hôtel, a witness to the ever-changing travel industry.

The pandemic isn’t the first time a global event has ground the Cap-Ferrat to a halt, nor is it its first lockdown. After the onset of WWII, the hotel closed for six years, the area becoming the frontline for allied battle. Upon reopening, it continued on a trajectory towards prestige and luxury, becoming home to the likes of Winston Churchill, Elizabeth Taylor, Charlie Chaplin and Aristotle Onassis. In 2011, Cap-Ferra was recognised as a ‘Palace de France’ by the French government, cementing its place atop the country’s hospitality hierarchy.

Now, with the summer season of 2021 completed, Simon reflects on the successes of his team and a market enjoying the return of tourism. ‘For the second wave of the pandemic, we knew better and were more prepared,’ he says. ‘When we opened in May, vaccination numbers were growing and the signal from guests was clear: “We’re fully vaccinated, and we want to get back to travel.”’ With confidence regained, the market made a comeback and the Cap-Ferrat recorded the same figures as July and August 2019.

However, with the pandemic still ongoing, by no means is it ‘business as usual’ for Simon. The drive towards diversification, innovation and adaption continues in the face of new travel trends and norms. ‘People have been locked down for two years. They want to benefit from being outside, enjoying nature and playing sport.’ Making use of the property’s 17-18 acres of land, the hotel now strengthens its focus on the leisure segment, catering to what Simon aptly describes as a ‘travel revenge,’ an intense willingness to escape into the outdoors.

This marks another advantage the Cap-Ferrat enjoyed over its competitors: its positioning as a holiday destination. ‘As a General Manager, I feel more positive to be involved in leisure as opposed to a corporate destination. Business travel has been very badly affected by the pandemic, and there’s still a lot of uncertainty about the future.’ 

While a V-shaped recovery has been recorded in different regions throughout Europe, corporate and MICE travel remains unstable. ‘People will need to connect face-to-face at some time,’ says Simon. ‘But to meet with someone across the Atlantic for a two-hour meeting, I don’t see that returning to pre-pandemic levels for some time.’ 

The private luxury market, however, has recorded strong levels of recovery, partially due to its key offering: seclusion. ‘People don’t want to be in contact with too many other people,

notes Simon. ‘They don’t want to stay in large hotels so as to protect their families.’ Consequently, staycations and the demand for private villas have expanded rapidly. 

In response, the Cap-Ferrat offers the Villa Rose Pierre, an elegant manor nestled in a one-acre private garden complete with a pool, tennis court and gardens. ‘For the next five years, private villas will be the new revenue stream,’ predicts Simon, as the pandemic firmly cements the demand for space and solitude. 

In a market determined by the movement of people and the changing of the seasons, a two-year period of inaction can be seismic in its implications. For the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, however, the foundations remain strong and sturdy. Grounded by a century of history, reinforced by the level-headed management of François-Régis Simon, the Cap-Ferrat looks to the future, to a post-pandemic world, with quiet confidence.