There’s a hotel that may just be the most perfect place on earth and it just hosted Sofia Richie’s wedding. The art of making an entrance was redefined, as Sofia, daughter of Lionel Richie, walked down the Grand Allée, which is about two football fields long. It was a marriage of music royalty and, you guessed it, they partied All Night Long.
A Little History
Sofia Richie’s wedding to Elliot Grainge was one of music royalty. Obviously, Sofia is the youngest daughter of Lionel Richie, and now her husband is a music producer. Music runs in Grainge’s family too, as his father is Chairman of Universal Music Group. So where does music royalty tie the knot? At the one and only Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc (and in case you were curious, the bride wore not one, but three Chanel dresses).
The HdC, as it’s known by regulars, is an historic French mansion from 1869. In 1887, an Italian hotelier purchased the estate, and well, the rest is history. To call the Hotel du Cap merely a mansion though, is an understatement. Located in the town of Antibes in the South of France, it is one of the most exquisite buildings in the world. The rich, the famous, and the beautiful, from the Kennedys to the Kardashians, are all regulars at the hotel. A fun fact is that the Hotel du Cap didn’t accept credit cards until about 15 years ago. So yes, guests would show up with literally a suitcase full of cash, because that’s the type of coin it takes to stay there.
The Hotel du Cap is considered an institution; indisputably one of the top hotels in the world. Sofia Richie’s wedding at the HdC isn’t even a goal, because it’s so unattainable to essentially buy out the hotel. How much does it cost to have a wedding at the Hotel du Cap? Of course, it depends on many factors, but you’re easily deep into seven figures.
The Iconic Pool
About 400 yards away from the main home is the Eden Roc complex, whose center is the iconic pool built into the rocks. For Sofia Richie’s wedding, she and her guests had the run of the house. On a normal day though, this is where everyone jockeys each morning to get prime seats in the front row. The goal is to get a lounger with an unobstructed view of the Med. For a place whose bones are so formal, it’s nothing but fun at the pool and when you dip into the Med. Kudos if you’re brave enough to jump from the diving board. Double respect if you can manage the acrobatic rings and ladder.
For those who like to socialize, you meet lifelong friends at the pool. You often end up coordinating dates with your new HdC family to meet the following year. Many of the guests are actually repeat visitors who came to the hotel as kids and have their own children now to carry on the tradition.
The Dior Spa
This season, there’s a Dior pop-up spa at the Hotel du Cap. The hotel is not part of LVMH, but it’s actually part of the Oetker Collection. There’s something about the HdC and Dior though that’s just right together. The treatments are done within the spa, in an outdoor gazebo, and in dedicated cabanas. On the menu is everything from facials to massages, to body treatments. There are also 3-14 day “courses” that address everything from chilling out to hormone imbalances. For Sofia Richie’s wedding, you know that celebs like Cameron Diaz and Paris Hilton hit the spa hard.
The Restaurants
The main house serves breakfast in the morning and pre and post-dinner drinks at Bar Bellini in the evenings. The Grill is a casual restaurant on the same floor as the pool deck. You can get bites of sushi, salads, and beautiful lunches during the day. At night, it’s where you can go for an easy, albeit still elegant, a la carte meal. Louroc Restaurant is a more formal affair and includes a tasting menu option that earns every bit of its Michelin star. It also serves breakfast every morning with a direct view of the Med.
Sunset is a sublime affair at the Eden Roc Lounge, which is the rooftop bar directly overlooking the water and the yachts sailing by. It’s where you can catch the spectacular sunsets over cocktails and caviar. After all, that’s why you work so darned hard, to be able to have that moment at the Hotel du Cap. So while you may not have been at Sofia Richie’s wedding, or gotten married yourself at the Hotel du Cap, the hotel is one of those lifetime experiences to put on the list.
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