Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity: Hotels & Where to Stay
21 June – 25 June 2027 Palais des Festivals et des Congrès 15,000+ attendees
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Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity 2027 returns to the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès on 21-25 June, taking over the entire Cannes waterfront for the advertising and marketing world's biggest week. More than 15,000 delegates attend, from agency creatives and CMOs to the tech platforms that now dominate the Croisette, where Google, Meta, Spotify and Amazon convert beach clubs into branded venues for the week. Unlike a conventional trade show, the festival spills far beyond the Palais into hotel terraces, yachts in the Vieux Port and rosé-fuelled rooftop meetings, which is why rooms along La Croisette and in the compact city centre are claimed up to a year out and rates climb to among the highest of any business event in Europe. This page pulls live, bookable hotel rates near the Palais so you can compare what is actually available for festival week.
Popular areas for attendees: La Croisette · Cannes City Centre · Le Suquet.
- Hotels curated by walking distance to the Palais des Festivals and La Croisette, where the whole festival happens
- Live 4-5 star rates for festival week, including Le Suquet and city-centre options that agency travel desks overlook
- Free-cancellation rates prioritised, useful when Lions attendance depends on client budgets confirmed late
- Instant tax invoice at booking for straightforward agency expense claims
Event at a glance
- Dates
- 21 June – 25 June 2027
- Venue
- Palais des Festivals et des Congrès
- City
- Cannes, France
- Airport
- NCE
- Attendance
- 15,000+
Recommended Hotels for Business Travellers
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Stay close to the venue
Hotels ranked by walking distance.
Flexible bookings
Pay Weekly available on free cancellation rooms.
Rates shown for the event window, Sun, Jun 20 → Sat, Jun 26 (arrive the day before, leave the day after) — or choose your own dates above.
Hotel rates near major event venues rise as the dates approach and the closest hotels sell out first. Booking a free-cancellation rate early locks the price with no downside.
On the map
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Where to eat during Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity
Everything in Cannes orbits the Palais des Festivals: the Croisette's grand hotel dining rooms are minutes east, and the old town of Le Suquet - packed with bistros - rises directly behind the old port to the west. During festivals and congresses, reserve every meal in advance.
La Palme d'Or
French haute cuisine
Hôtel Martinez, La Croisette - 10 min walk from the Palais des Festivals
The Croisette's legendary gastronomic address, relaunched under chef Jean Imbert with cinematic flair - the table for the biggest client occasions during MIPIM, Lions or the Film Festival.
Tip: It hosts the Film Festival jury dinner; book far ahead in May.
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Le Maschou
Provençal grill
Rue Saint-Antoine, Le Suquet - 10 min walk from the Palais
Candlelit stone-walled institution in the old town with a famously simple formula: giant crudité basket, then meats and fish grilled over the open fire.
Tip: There's essentially one set formula - just say yes.
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Astoux et Brun
Seafood / oysters
Rue Félix Faure, opposite the old port - 5 min from the Palais
Cannes' famous seafood brasserie, shucking oysters on the terrace since 1953 - grand plateaux de fruits de mer a few steps from the Palais.
Tip: No reservations - go early or expect a wait during congresses.
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Auberge Provençale (Da Bouttau)
Provençal
Le Suquet
Said to be the oldest restaurant in Cannes (1860) - bouillabaisse, daube and Provençal classics in a rustic old-town dining room.
Tip: Order the bouillabaisse when it's available; it needs an appetite.
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Philcat
Snack / pan bagnat
La Pantiero, on the old port - 3 min walk from the Palais
A humble kiosk beside the Palais serving the best pan bagnat (Niçois tuna sandwich) on the coast - the working lunch of choice for festival and congress delegates.
Tip: Grab one and eat on the port wall; done in 15 minutes.
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Caffè Roma
Cafe / Italian brasserie
Square Mérimée, directly opposite the Palais des Festivals
The big terrace facing the Palais - espresso, pizza and people-watching at the epicenter of every Cannes congress. More meeting point than gastronomic destination.
Tip: It's the default 'meet me opposite the Palais' rendezvous - arrive early for a terrace table.
Open in Google MapsAfter the halls close: Cannes
Client dinner, team night out or a free day after Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity — bookable experiences in Cannes, same account, same checkout.
While you're in Cannes
Cannes' own marquee weeks revolve around the Palais des Festivals - the Film Festival in May and Cannes Lions in June - with the Monaco Grand Prix an hour along the coast the same month as the festival.
Cannes Film Festival
The world's most famous film festival takes over the Palais des Festivals and the entire Croisette - hotel rates go stratospheric and restaurants book out weeks ahead.
Find ticketsCannes Lions International Festival of Creativity
The global advertising and creative industry's annual gathering at the Palais - the town becomes one big networking event for a week.
Find ticketsMonaco Grand Prix (nearby)
F1's most glamorous race runs about an hour east of Cannes, often overlapping with Film Festival dates - the Riviera's peak week for hotels and helicopters alike.
Find ticketsFestival d'Art Pyrotechnique
Cannes' international fireworks competition lights up the Bay several evenings across the summer - watch free from the Croisette after dinner.
Find ticketsFixtures recur each season; exact dates for your fair week are confirmed at ticket search.
Getting there
From Nice Côte d'Azur (NCE)
- NCE is the gateway airport, about 27 km east of Cannes along the coast
- The Zou Express bus 81 runs from Terminal 2 direct to Cannes via the motorway in about 45-50 minutes, around EUR 19-22 one way
- Alternatively take the free airport tram link to Nice Saint-Augustin station, then a TER train to Cannes in roughly 30-40 minutes for under EUR 10
- Taxis and pre-booked transfers charge broadly EUR 85-100 to Cannes; expect queues and premium pricing during Lions week
By rail from along the Riviera
- Cannes station is on the main coastal TER line, about a 10-minute walk from the Palais des Festivals
- Frequent trains connect Antibes (10-15 minutes), Juan-les-Pins and Nice (30-40 minutes), which is how many delegates priced out of Cannes commute in daily
- TGV services link Cannes with Marseille and Paris (roughly 5 hours from Paris) if you prefer rail over flying
- Evening trains back along the coast get crowded after the awards shows, so check the last departure for your town
Getting around during Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity
Getting to the Palais des Festivals daily
- There is no metro in Cannes; the Palais sits on the waterfront by the Vieux Port and virtually every festival hotel is within a 5-20 minute walk
- If you commute by TER from Antibes or Nice, it is a flat 10-minute walk downhill from Cannes station to the Palais
- Ride-hail and taxis exist but the Croisette is partly closed or congested during the festival, so walking is genuinely faster for short hops
- Badge checks create queues at the Palais entrances at opening time, so build in a buffer before your first session
Around Cannes
- The local Palm Bus network covers the town and suburbs, but most delegates never need it since the festival footprint is compact
- Taxis are scarce at peak evening hours during Lions; agree or check fares before boarding
- Traffic on the Croisette and around the port is heavy all week, so avoid planning car journeys between beachfront meetings
- Cycling and walking along the seafront are the most reliable ways to move between the Palais, beach activations and hotel meetings
Visa & entry
Visa-free / visa on arrival
- EU, EEA and Swiss citizens enter France freely with a passport or national ID card
- Nationals of around 59 visa-exempt countries, including the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea and the UAE, get 90 days visa-free in the Schengen area for business visits
- The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) now records biometrics for non-EU visitors at the border, so allow extra time on first entry
eVisa / visa required
- Nationals of India, China, South Africa, Nigeria and most other countries need a Schengen short-stay (Type C) visa from a French consulate or visa centre before travel
- Apply up to six months ahead; June is peak season on the Riviera and appointment slots tighten well before the festival
- ETIAS, the EU travel authorisation for visa-exempt nationals, is scheduled to start in late 2026 with a transitional grace period, so check whether it applies by June 2027
Documents to carry
- Your Cannes Lions pass confirmation or an invitation letter from the festival or your employer supports the business purpose of the trip
- Carry proof of accommodation and a return or onward ticket, which border officers can request
- Schengen visa applicants need travel medical insurance with at least EUR 30,000 coverage
Entry rules change frequently, so verify current requirements with the French embassy or an official government source before booking.
First time at Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity?
- Collect your badge at the Palais accreditation desks the afternoon before your first day; Monday morning queues are the longest of the week
- Arrive on the Saturday or Sunday before the festival, as informal networking starts on the beaches and terraces well before the official programme
- Study the difference between the Palais programme and the unofficial beach and yacht circuit, since much of the real business happens outside the venue
- Pack for two dress codes in one day: light clothing for 28-degree afternoons on the Croisette and something sharper for evening awards shows
- Restaurant tables along the Croisette book out weeks ahead for festival week, so reserve dinners before you fly
Insider tips from repeat attendees
- Friday, the final day, is noticeably quieter after the big awards nights, and it is the easiest day to get time with people who were triple-booked earlier in the week
- The beach activations run invite lists, but many open registration a few weeks out; sign up early rather than trying to talk your way in on the day
- Skip the overpriced Croisette lunch spots and walk 10 minutes into Le Suquet or the Marché Forville area, where locals actually eat
- If Cannes rates are absurd, staying in Antibes or Juan-les-Pins with a 10-15 minute TER commute is the established veteran move, not a compromise
Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity travel FAQs
Where should I stay for Cannes Lions?
La Croisette and the Cannes city centre put you within walking distance of the Palais des Festivals and the beach activations, which is where the entire festival happens. Le Suquet, the old town, is a characterful and slightly cheaper walkable alternative. Many repeat attendees stay in Antibes or Juan-les-Pins and commute 10-15 minutes by train.
How much do hotels cost during Cannes Lions?
Cannes Lions week produces some of the highest hotel rates of any European business event, with Croisette properties often charging several times their normal June prices and enforcing minimum-stay requirements. Booking early or staying one train stop along the coast are the two realistic ways to control costs.
How early should I book hotels for Cannes Lions?
Agencies and platforms block-book Cannes up to a year in advance, and the best-located rooms are gone six to nine months out. Book as soon as your attendance is likely, ideally on a free-cancellation rate so you can adjust later.
Which airport do I fly into for Cannes Lions?
Nice Côte d'Azur (NCE), about 27 km from Cannes, is the only practical gateway and has direct flights from most European hubs plus long-haul routes from North America and the Gulf. From the airport, the express bus 81 or a train from Nice Saint-Augustin gets you to Cannes in 30-50 minutes.
Do I need a festival pass to make Cannes Lions worthwhile?
A Palais pass unlocks the awards, talks and official networking, but a large share of delegates work the week off-badge around the beach activations, hotel terraces and side events. First-timers usually get more value with a pass; veterans often decide based on whether their meetings are inside or outside the Palais.
EventEscapes is an independent travel platform and is not affiliated with Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity or its organizers. Dates and venues can change — verify with the official event site before booking travel.