Hotels often have the biggest pools, and sometimes an indoor pool in the spa as well. On the French Riviera, heated pools are mostly found in seafront palace hotels, on rooftops and in hotel spas. Here are the 22 hotels I've selected on the French Riviera, all rated at least 8/10; I particularly recommend Canopy by Hilton Cannes, Cristal Hôtel & Spa and Croisette Beach Cannes – MGallery.
Each city has its own selection, with a page for each type of accommodation.
Places are ranked from highest to lowest rated. The yellow bubble shows the advertised water temperature, when it's known.
22 places shown
The pool. Rooftop pool, indoor and outdoor, advertised as heated by Staycation. Hotels.com also lists a hot tub.
The hot tub. Hot tub listed by Hotels.com.
I haven't yet found guest reviews that mention the water temperature.
Guide's tip. The pool is also sold as a day pass: ask whether it's reserved for hotel guests at weekends.
The pool. Heated "indoor-outdoor" pool up high according to Staycation; Hotels.com mentions an indoor section and an outdoor section open from May to September, plus a hot tub.
The hot tub. Hot tub listed by Hotels.com.
I haven't yet found guest reviews that mention the water temperature.
Guide's tip. Outside May to September, only the indoor section is mentioned: check it's open on your dates.
The pool. Heated outdoor pool in the garden (Staycation), with a hot tub according to Hotels.com.
The hot tub. Hot tub listed by Hotels.com.
I haven't yet found guest reviews that mention the water temperature.
Guide's tip. Get the heating period confirmed before you book.
The pool. 400 m² rooftop pool, heated year-round according to Staycation. Accor also mentions heated private pools in the junior suites.
I haven't yet found guest reviews that mention the water temperature. Staycation shows 9.4/10 from 225 reviews.
Guide's tip. The junior suites' private pools are heated: an option worth considering for a getaway for two.
The pool. Heated indoor pool and heated outdoor pool, according to the hotel's easyJet listing. Neither the temperature nor the period is specified.
I haven't yet found guest reviews that mention the water temperature. The easyJet listing also shows 4.5/5 from 4,867 reviews.
Guide's tip. With a covered pool on top of the outdoor one, it's a safe bet for swimming in spring and autumn. Get the outdoor pool's opening hours confirmed.
The pool. Heated outdoor pool set against the cliff, with views over the Baie des Anges (Overseas Attractions). Kayak says it's seasonal and mentions a jacuzzi.
The hot tub. Jacuzzi mentioned by Kayak.
Guests like the setting of the pool against the rock, but several find the sun loungers uncomfortable and the area dated (Kayak).
Guide's tip. Seasonal pool: ask for its opening dates before booking in spring or autumn.
The pool. Rooftop infinity pool, heated year-round according to Staycation.
I haven't yet found guest reviews that mention the water temperature.
Guide's tip. The rooftop is small: to enjoy it in peace, aim for the morning.
The pool. Heated pool advertised on the French Riviera tourist office listing. Neither the temperature nor the period is specified.
I haven't yet found guest reviews that mention the water temperature.
Guide's tip. The hotel is open year-round: call to find out whether the pool is too.
The pool. Indoor pool according to Hotels.com, in a hotel with a spa. Heating isn't specified.
I haven't yet found guest reviews that mention the water temperature.
Guide's tip. Ask whether pool access is included or has to be booked through the spa.
The pool. Pool described as heated year-round on Kayak's Saint-Tropez hotels page.
I haven't yet found guest reviews that mention the water temperature.
Guide's tip. Get the water temperature confirmed before an off-season stay.
The pool. Heated outdoor pool and jacuzzi in the spa; the hotel is open from mid-April to early October (See Saint-Tropez).
The hot tub. Jacuzzi in the spa.
I haven't yet found guest reviews that mention the water temperature.
Guide's tip. Outside the hotel's opening period, there's no swimming at all: check the dates.
The pool. Indoor pool open year-round and listed as heated in the facilities list (MyBoutiqueHotel). Kayak also classes it as an indoor pool.
I haven't yet found guest reviews that mention the water temperature.
Guide's tip. The hotel's description doesn't give details of the pool: ask about its size and opening hours if swimming matters to you.
The pool. Solar-heated outdoor pool, according to the Frommer's guide.
The Frommer's guide mentions the solar-heated pool; I haven't found any guest reviews about the temperature.
Guide's tip. Solar heating depends on the sunshine: ask about the water temperature if you're coming in early spring.
The pool. Heated indoor pool in the spa, described as an immersive pool with waterfalls and a hot tub, plus a rooftop pool in season.
The hot tub. Hot tub in the spa.
On Kayak, the pool scores 9/10 and the rooftop pool is often cited as a highlight; none of the reviews I read mention the temperature.
Guide's tip. The spa pool is the only one open year-round: check whether you need to book a slot.
The pool. Heated indoor pool in the hotel's Oria spa, according to Staycation.
I haven't yet found guest reviews that mention the water temperature.
Guide's tip. The spa is also open to non-residents: ask at reception when the quiet times are.
The pool. Outdoor pool heated to 28 °C, open year-round from 10 am to 7 pm, according to the hotel's website.
I haven't yet found guest reviews that mention the water temperature.
Guide's tip. It's one of the few pools on the Croisette advertised as open and heated year-round: a good choice for the shoulder season.
The pool. Large heated outdoor pool at the heart of the hotel, lined with palm trees, heated year-round according to Staycation.
I haven't yet found guest reviews that mention the water temperature.
Guide's tip. One of the few places in Saint-Tropez advertised as heated year-round: useful for a stay in spring or autumn.
The pool. Indoor pool in the spa and outdoor pool in summer, according to Hotels.com. Heating isn't specified.
I haven't yet found guest reviews that mention the water temperature.
Guide's tip. The covered pool is the one you'll use outside summer: ask about its opening hours.
The pool. Heated pool in a garden of century-old palm trees, according to the Saint-Tropez tourist office. The hotel is open from 1 June to 31 October.
Guests describe a lovely pool (8.5/10 for the pool on Kayak), without mentioning the temperature.
Guide's tip. The hotel closes at the end of October: aim for June or September for heated water without the summer crowds.
The pool. Rooftop pool facing the Baie des Anges, described as heated by Staycation and Overseas Attractions. Jacuzzi and sauna on site according to Kayak.
The hot tub. Jacuzzi on site.
Opinions on the pool are mixed: Kayak notes repeated complaints about a small, poorly maintained pool, and the pool rating is very low.
Guide's tip. The pool is small and fills up fast: get it confirmed that it's open and heated on your dates.
The pool. Heated infinity pool, kept at 30 °C according to the tourist office listing.
I haven't yet found guest reviews that mention the water temperature. The rating is still based on only a few reviews.
Guide's tip. Seasonal property: get its opening dates confirmed before planning a stay.
The pool. Indoor pool according to Hotels.com. Heating isn't specified.
I haven't yet found guest reviews that mention the water temperature.
Guide's tip. The rating is right on the threshold: read recent reviews before you book.
These places don't have a confirmed heated pool, but they do have a hot tub: the water is hot all year round. A good way to relax in the warm.
The hot tub. Rooftop with a balneotherapy pool and jacuzzi, open in the summer season according to Staycation. Whether the pool is heated isn't specified.
I haven't yet found guest reviews that mention the water temperature.
Guide's tip. The rooftop is only advertised for the warmer months: outside summer, ask what stays open at the spa.
The hot tub. No pool advertised: a rooftop-terrace spa with a heated open-air jacuzzi, sea views, hammam and solarium (regional tourist office).
I haven't yet found guest reviews that mention the water temperature.
Guide's tip. Here you bathe in a jacuzzi, not a pool: book your slot at the spa.
These places were suggested to us directly by their owners. The heated pool is declared by them; they don't yet have enough guest reviews to join the selection.
In my selection, the top-rated is Canopy by Hilton Cannes (Hotel), with 8.8/10 (293 reviews · Hotels.com). Next come Cristal Hôtel & Spa (8.8/10) and Croisette Beach Cannes – MGallery (8.8/10).
Yes at The 1932 Hotel & Spa Cap d'Antibes – MGallery, Five Seas by Inwood Hotels, Hôtel de Paris Saint-Tropez and Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic Cannes: the pool is advertised as heated all year round. At Hôtel La Pérouse Nice Baie des Anges, Sezz Saint-Tropez and Pastis Hôtel Saint-Tropez, heating is seasonal (seasonal). Canopy by Hilton Cannes, Cristal Hôtel & Spa and Hôtel Palais de la Méditerranée (Hyatt) have an indoor pool, sheltered from the wind. Either way, ask for the heating dates before you book.
Advertised temperatures: 28 °C at Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic Cannes and 30 °C at Cheval Blanc St-Tropez. For the other places the temperature isn't published: ask the property.
Yes: Canopy by Hilton Cannes, Cristal Hôtel & Spa and Croisette Beach Cannes – MGallery also have a hot tub in addition to the heated pool. No confirmed heated pool, but a hot tub: Hôtel La Bastide de l'Oliveraie & Spa and Hôtel Riva Art & Spa.
The word "heated" on a booking page isn't enough. Every place must have a rating of at least 8/10 (or 4/5) and carries one of these four levels.
Guests mention the heated water in their reviews, with the season when they say so.
A journalist or guide who stayed there describes the heated pool.
The hotel or the platform says so, but I haven't yet found a review that confirms it.
Heating isn't specified, but the water is sheltered from the wind and cold air. Ask for the temperature before you book.
I left these out because guests report water colder than advertised, or because no heating or indoor pool is mentioned.
| Place | What the sources say | Rating | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hôtel Nice Riviera · Nice | Heated indoor pool with sauna, advertised by the Nice tourist office | 7,9/10 | Rating too low (Kayak) |
| Novotel Suites Nice Airport · Nice | Outdoor pool shared with the neighbouring Ibis Styles | 8,4/10 | Pool not heated, according to Accor |
| Garden Beach Hotel · Antibes | Indoor pool; one traveller found it closed | 7,4/10 | Rating too low (Travelocity) |
| Villa Genesis · Menton | One traveller mentions an unheated pool and a broken jacuzzi | 4,6/5 | Water not heated, according to one traveller |
Sources: Kayak, Explore Nice Côte d'Azur, Accor, Travelocity, easyJet.
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