South of France

Cocktails in Monaco /  by Aanarav Sareen

Monaco might be one of the most elusive, small, yet most prominent city-states in the world. Not only does it host the Monaco Grand Prix, but it is also home to the legendary Monte-Carlo casino.

From Cannes, we took an Uber to Monaco and had an amazing (yet surprisingly—very quick) dinner at Buddha Bar.

After a quick stroll through Monaco, we arrived at the Monte-Carlo casino. Although everyone was dressed to the nines, the number of luxury cars in front of the casino was nothing short of aspirational.

As amateur gamblers, my wife and I always agree to a low number where we’d be willing to cut our losses at the casino. Unfortunately for us, that happened fairly quickly at the blackjack table. However, it was all in good fun, and we didn’t mind a bit. We sipped on some espresso martinis and then strolled around the perimeter of the casino – admiring some of the cars and grabbing a fresh ice cream from a nearby creamery.

Since Uber is not permitted in Monaco, we hiked to the neighboring town of Beausoleil in France and took a car back to our hotel in Cannes.

Overall, a very luxurious evening in Monaco left us wanting much more.

Hôtel Martinez: A Quick Review /  by Aanarav Sareen

As an avid Hyatt loyalist, I always seek out their properties wherever I travel. So, when I arrived in the South of France, it was no surprise that I found myself at a Hyatt hotel in an enviable location – directly across from the dazzling beaches of Cannes.

Thanks to my elite Globalist status, I was delighted to discover that I had been upgraded to a massive suite. The room had a spacious outdoor terrace with breathtaking views and a large bedroom for ultimate comfort.

One of the highlights for me was having full control over the air-conditioning – a blessing for someone like myself who easily overheats. With no restrictions, I could cool the room to my heart's content.

To our pleasant surprise, the hotel was also hosting a lavish July 4th celebration on their penthouse rooftop. While not specifically for the American holiday, the event coincided with a dazzling fireworks competition that takes place every few weeks during the summer season.

However, our only negative experience at this property was with reserving beach loungers. It proved to be a frustrating and overpriced endeavor, with cabanas costing nearly $1000 per day. Despite this setback, we couldn't resist indulging in the splurge and would do so gladly, even if it did leave a sting in our wallets.