Amongst the cheap but commendable 2-star hotels in Cannes, le Mistral Hotel is worth checking. It is located on the Rue des Belges, about two blocks away from the Palais. This already means you can forget about taxis, shuttle buses or long walks. It’s easy to drop back to the hotel after a day in the Palais (or beach), freshen up and head to the restaurant.

Friendly service

Rooms at Le Mistral are smallish, but modern and perfectly usable. The service has been friendly from every account I have heard. The breakfast is fine (which is already an exception in Cannes), and you are right in the heart of Cannes anyway so you can always find one to your liking a street away at most. The only real downside of the hotel is the fact that there are no lifts, and you might find yourself lugging luggage to the top of the building. But that’s just one more reason to remember the golden rule of travel: travel light.

So you get a comfortable stay in a pleasant hotel at very competitive rates, which makes Le Mistral a Cannes or Bust type of hotel!

Le Mistral Hotel can be reached by foot from both the station and the bus terminus (which is a little further). Check now for availability.

If you have had any experience at Le Mistral, drop a message below.

• The Neotelia Pavilion Bel Air is located just above the railway station, about 15 minutes from the Croisette by foot. What’s interesting is the size of the accommodation. They have special rates from €256 for 2 nights, down from €320.
• The Hotel Beau Séjour is close to the old town and beach. The 3-star accommodation is complemented by a garden and pool. Special ate: €250, down from €360.
• The Hotel Martinez is a grand Art Deco hotel on the Croisette with its own private jetty. This is one of the absolute top hotels in Cannes. Their sea-view prestige room is available from €1424, down from €1962.

For a longer stay, check the Fauvettes studio. 10 minutes from the beach, 15 from the Palais.

If you have been trying to book a room for Cannes Lions 2011, it’s no news that the tow n is pretty full. Yet Cannes or Bust has a few accommodation deals.

First up: the Fauvettes studio for 2 people (double bed). Stay just 15 minutes walking distance from the Palais. This hyper-practical sunny 29m² studio with a large 10m² terrace offers a small view of the sea and a magnificent view of the 19th century Vallambrosa castle.

You are within 5 min walking distance of the beach and close to the restaurants of Le Suquet area. A lot of shops and facilities are around the building. Price EUR600 + stay an extra week for just EUR400 more (is it not time that your BF/GF/significant other discovered the region?). Check it here

The Oxford hotel has a few rooms from EUR650 for 5 nights (special offer). You might need a taxi to reach the Palais though Find it here

Villa Carnot has studios in the central Boulevard Carnot from EUR 1750 for up to 4 people. Find it here

Cannes Beach has small studios in a hotel complex in Cannes La Bocca on a major bus line to Cannes centre (about 15 minutes by day – 7 at night), from €532. Check it here.

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We’ll be announcing competitions at they come up, so expect regular updates here. Remember, this is a worldwide event, so some of the competitions might be restricted to specific countries. Read the rules and regulations before taking part. If you hear of any competitions in your country, please drop a note in the comments section. You could be giving someone the journey of a lifetime!

• First up is the Stella Artois competition based on the fictional character Jacques d’Azur (photo). They are running an online casting call for someone to play his role in  a short to be shown at the festival. Details here. Deadline March 31.
• French singer Jean Roch (“My Love is Over”) is organising a competition for a weekend in Cannes through his Facebook page (in French).
• Delhi Duty Free is running a competition with Chivas until March 31. If you buy a certain number of bottles, you are entered into a  draw for a 24-hour luxury VIP experience with red carpet treatment, a helicopter shuttle and a night at the Martinez. See Delhi Duty Free (not many details, though!)
• Young advertising creatives might be interested in The Guardian’s competition that will see one person attend the Cannes Lions event and mix with the great and creative of the advertising world See The Guardian.
• Another Cannes Lions competition, this one from YouTube. Details on Good Work. I can’t see a deadline.
• If you’re between 18 and 25 and live in France, you might want to try and become a member of the jury for  the Prix de la Jeunesse (Youth Prize). Details in French.
• Australian bloggers can try their luck with Blockbuster SuperBlogger‘s prize of  5 VIP days in Cannes reporting on the event.  The idea is that you create a film-related blog and get lots of people to read it. Hang on, that’s competition for me! Good luck anyway. Details here.
• German visitors might want to try and win two nights in a four-star hotel with flights, courtesy of women’s magazine Laviva. As far I can see, you just have to send a postcard! Try it here.
• Electrolux in the UK are running a competition with three nights of VIP treatment and a red carpet premiere (plus other goodies). Check here before April 12.
• Condé Nast has a weekend at the Marriott (formerly the Palais Stéphanie) for two people from the UK. Nice prize. Try your luck here.
• UK visitors can enter the Cinémoi/Air France/Hotel Martinez competition. All you have to do is spot the stars that were there last year. Easy? Then start here.
• Armenians might want to try their luck with Orange Armenia. Voice subscribers who will use the Orange Kino service until May 8, will get the chance to win a VIP guest package. Details here.
• Italian readers should head over to Vanity Fair Italia for a competition that finishes of May 3. Details here.

Find some tips about attending Cannes.

If that is you, cheer up! You can stay in Cannes for very reasonable rates if you follow the Cannes or Bust selection.

The bad news is that staying inside Cannes for this year’s festival is almost impossible without staying in the more expensive hotels. If this is your first time and you intend for there to be a second, remember to book by December. In many cases, you won’t be charged beforehand! It’s possible that hotels will be freed up later when people start cancelling (some people book generously for groups and then free them up at the last minute). So don’t despair.

If you’re looking for cheap accommodation, you will most likely end up in Juan-les-Pins,  Golfe Juan, Le Cannet or Cannes La Bocca. They are only 5 minutes by train (one every 20 minutes on average, last one around midnight). Add to that a few minutes to reach the station.

Examples in Juan-les-Pins:

• M Hôtel (roughly €80/night single)
  Best Western Astoria (roughly €75/night sharing)
  Les Strelitzia (photo – roughly €120/night sharing – comfortable and good value, just a little further from the station)
  Hotel Résidence (roughly €85/night sharing)

Example in Le Cannet:

• Hotel Thomas (roughly €125/night sharing. Note that it gets mixed reviews)

You get the picture: Cannes can be cheap when sharing! Prices are indicative, and subject to change. These hotels were available for the Cannes Festival at the time of going live. You can also save money by not taking a taxi from the airport (shuttle bus €17, train €5.20 instead of taxi €90).

I’ve never stayed in a camp site, but know some people that did. They shared a chalet and were laughing at the price. However, they had access to a car.

• Bungalow Camping in Mandelieu has chalets at €340 a week.
• Parc Bellevue is closer to Cannes, has weekend chalet deals for €100 and camping spots €9-13. The issue is always access. There are buses from Cannes La Bocca.
• Le Ranch is in Cannes Le Cannet, just above the town.

It’s advisable to double-check public transport. My gut feeling is still a cheap hotel in Juan-les-Pins!

If you’re still searching closer to the date, let me know. One last thing, Cannes or Bust has preferential rates for apartments in Cannes (10%). At this stage, they are €1500 upwards for the week. For that price, you’re right in the centre of town and it’s handy to be able to nip back for a shower or whatever. For details, join the newsletter.

Note, these include affiliate links. You might be able to get a better rate by finding the hotels directly (not through another booking engine). I’ve given up on this and go with booking.com every time. It’s fast and secure.

Juan-les-Pins, a small seaside resort between Nice and Cannes, is a popular holiday destination with the international jet-set, boasting beaches, boating and nightlife. The “pins” refer to the umbrella pine trees known for widely inhabiting the destination. The Hotel Ambassadeur is located in the heart of the town, near the famous La Pinede Gould, renowned for hosting the annual “Jazz A Juan” International Jazz Festival every July.

In 2009, the 221 guestrooms and suites of the Ambassadeur underwent a multi-million euro renovation.

Located in a lush and tranquil setting, the Renaissance Antibes Juan-les-Pins will boast both indoor and outdoor pools, a pool-side grill and is located a short 200 meter walk from Ambassadeur beach, the hotel’s private sandy beach. In addition, the hotel is located adjacent to Juan-le-Pin’s new state-of-the-art congress center.

Last year, Marriott announced its goal of doubling its portfolio in Europe by 2015. The 221-room Renaissance Antibes Juan-les-Pins Hotel and the 261-room JW Marriott Hotel Cannes join 23 additional hotels currently under development in Europe. In separate news, the Marriott group recently announced its intention to no longer offer porn films as in-room entertainment.

For bookings visit Hotel Ambassadeur.

In recent months, Radission Blu and JW Marriott have taken over hotels in Cannes.

The list of teachers and performers is impressive, with Cliford Jasmin of Salsabor, Super Mario from London, Falco & Virginia, Oasis Latina, Terry & Cécile and many more. Each night, DJs will keep the dancefloors spinning until the wee hours.

The full course of events and lessons (without the dinner on December 31) costs €189. The meal costs €160. If you just want to dance on the 31st, the party costs €80. For details, ring +33 698 95 66 67. Check our hotel bookings for available hotels in the right-hand column.

Incidentally, Salsa fans should check out the many French salsa websites for details, as there are often events in Nice and Monaco.

Cannes Salsa Congress

Salsabor

Online Salsa

Salsa festivals

The hotel was built on the former site of the Palais des Festivals of Cannes, the original site of the International Film Festival from its inception in 1946 to the mid 1980s. Recently renovated, the design reflects its glamorous film heritage, paying tribute to the film stars of the past including Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot, and Elizabeth Taylor.

On a practical level, the hotel’s location on the Croisette and its ample roof mean that it is often used by film and TV companies as their headquarters during the festival and market. The JW Marriott Hotel Cannes will offer an 820-seat theatre auditorium and 16 meeting rooms with 12,900 square-feet of flexible space. Its recent renovation (and re-naming) brought it a five-star rating. Marriott is currently in acquisition mode in Europe.

To book a sea-view or city-view room on the Croisette. UPDATE: December 2010. The Stéphanie is offering exceptional rates for the end of the year!

The Radisson Blu is the stylish hotel located at the tip of the old port, offering views across the bay and  port. Its rooftop (photo by Alice Taylor) is  a fantastic place for drinks far from the bustle of the Croisette.

The hotel was designed by Frenchmen Marc Hertrich and Nicolas Adnet. Besides 134 stylish and bright guest rooms it features 6 meeting rooms and 3 restaurants: “Le 360″ is situated on a roof terrace offering, as the name implies, 360 degree views of Cannes, the sea and the harbour. “Le Bio” is located within the spa, specializes in healthy dishes and offers a unique “Bento Box” concept. “30(°)Celsius” serves light meals on the ground floor.

A further highlight of the hotel is the Thalasso spa, Les Thermes Marins de Cannes, one of the finest in the region. The 2,700 square meters facility offers 46 treatment rooms, a fitness centre, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, hammam (Turkish bath), sauna, caldarium (Roman bath) and whirlpools.

Check availability of the 1835/Radisson Blu