The Maybourne Riviera

Claridge's, The Connaught and The Berkeley are London landmarks. High above Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, the same hotel group has tried something that would look rather strange on a London street: a building of glass and pale stone set into a cliff, with the Mediterranean filling almost every line of sight. The Maybourne Riviera is what happens when a formidable tradition of hospitality takes its jacket off. The manners remain, even if the architecture has forgotten the tie.

Jean-Michel Wilmotte's building steps down the rock towards the sea. Its sixty-five suites and studios all have Mediterranean views and their own outdoor space, an exceptionally generous starting point before anyone has chosen an upgrade. Monaco rises across the water; on a clear day the coastline carries the eye towards Italy. The rooms are bright, contemporary and sometimes almost gallery-like, the opposite of the layered old-world decoration at the group's London houses. The view is not a prize reserved for a handful of named suites. It belongs to the whole hotel.

The sea is far below, so a day here has two levels. At the top there is an infinity pool, terraces and a choice of restaurants, including Jean-Georges Vongerichten's abc kitchens Riviera and the more Mediterranean Riviera Restaurant. Down at the shore, La Môme Riviera brings a different tempo to lunch, with sand, music and the easy noise of a beach club. A hotel shuttle connects the two. The journey down the hill is part of the geography, though never quite the same as stepping straight onto the beach.

The other destination is Surrenne Riviera. Across three floors, the wellbeing club offers serious treatment rooms, movement studios, a gym and contrast therapies that move between sauna, steam and cold water. Its programmes can be as structured as a guest wants them to be. For residents, access to the facilities is included, as are breakfast and regular transfers to Monaco and the beach, subject to the hotel's booking conditions. These details matter on a cliff.

The shuttle also makes an evening in Monaco surprisingly straightforward. A night among the principality's restaurants and bars can end with a return to a terrace high above them, without having to sleep in the middle of the spectacle. The Maybourne's great strength is not simply its outlook but the way a stay can move between serious wellness, ambitious cooking and the noisy waterfront, with the hotel taking care of much of the movement.

It is not an intimate Riviera villa. Weddings and events are part of the programme, and the modern building's long terraces give some areas a rather public feeling. The approach is steep, the private plunge pools attached to certain suites are for cooling off rather than swimming, and a hotel at this price must make its service consistently as impressive as its architecture. The design will feel exhilarating to some and a little cool to others. And for all the sea below, the beach still requires a ride.

A remarkable view can fill a room without making it a remarkable hotel. At The Maybourne Riviera, the generous space, the food, Surrenne and the easy connections down to the water do much of the rest. The group has taken off its jacket, but it has not forgotten how to look after a guest.