If you've stayed at one of the lodges on the Californian coast you'll be familiar with this style of hotel.Set in gardens, you can look up to the mountains to the north and turn around and see the sea to the south .
The hotel is single storey with a series of rooms leading off from the central reception area and restaurant. Rooms are a good size and many come with a small terrace and tables where you can have a glass of wine in the evening or they will bring you breakfast in the morning.
The pool looks beautiful but beware it's not heated and doesn't get full sun until the afternoon. There is a smaller indoor pool and steam room (quieter and very nice).
The hotel attracts a variety of visitors. French families seem to spend much of the day around the pool and go out for dinner in the evening. British,American and others seen to go out in the day and have dinner at the hotel in the evening. It works ok either way. The restaurant food is simple but good quality and the restaurant has indoor and outside seating. very nice but a little overpriced compared to the many other good local restaurants.
If you don't know the area, Vence old town is lovely and nearby St Paul is even more picturesque. Vence isn't small though. We were told it had a population of around 16,000 so don't expect a village!. Trips out are easy in the car though and lots of nice places to see.
Overall, a real change from the busy coast and a relaxing , well run hotel in a good setting. We'd recommend it .

This was our second time staying at this hotel. The location is perfect--not too far away from Nice and all the other beautiful spots on the Riviera, including the hill towns. A ten minute walk to the old town of Vence-plenty of shops and restaurants. The beautiful hill town of St. Paul is only a 5 minute drive. The hotel is peaceful with a lovely pool and beautiful gardens. Free car park that is gated at night. Breakfasts were great (a little expensive for some people) but worth every penny for the calm, peaceful surroundings. We stayed in the duplex rooms which were great. We will definitely return here on our next visit to the French Riviera.

We spent two nights here, returning after a prior visit in 2002. Happily, we found that this quiet, secluded hotel had maintained its excellence.

The Cantemerle is on the outskirts of Vence, a short car ride (parking is tough in town) or about a 10-15 walk to the old town, which is filled with shops and terrific cafes and restaurants. It is also an easy ride to the glorious St. Paul de Vence and only about a half hour to Nice. So, much to do nearby, but the Cantemerle will tempt you to stay put and decompress if you've been busily knocking off must-see's on your vacation.

It is a beautifully landscaped property with a large outdoor pool and a smaller indoor one that is part of a spa area. An outdoor terrace restaurant overlooks the pool and is a lovely spot for breakfast or dinner.

This time, we stayed in a suite which had a comfortable loft bedroom, a large sitting room, an attractive bathroom (separate toilet) and a beautiful, secluded patio above the lawn and pool. We opted for breakfast in our room...delicious croissants and French (well, obviously!) bread, fresh-squeezed orange juice, tea...all nicely served.

The staff was courteous and helpful in every way. Parking is in a safe lot behind a gate which is locked at night.

This is a delightful establishment. We heartily recommend it.

Lovely hotel. Helpful, relaxed, polite & friendly staff. Though we were only there a short time our stay was very enjoyable. Expensive, but that seems the only way in the area.