Monaco isn’t big, but it packs a lot of punch. Its hotels feature some of Europe’s most lavish suites.
There are more Michelin starred restaurants than McDonald’s by a six-to-one margin. Good friends don’t just have private jets, they have superyachts, and of course there is a casino as well.
There are also interesting museums, lovely gardens, and well, the subject of this week’s feature, the top suites of the principality.
1. Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo
2. Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo
3. Fairmont Monte Carlo
4. Hotel Metropole, Monte-Carlo
5. The Monte-Carlo Beach
6. Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort
7. Le Méridien Beach Plaza
1. Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo
Rated five stars by Forbes Travel Guide, its inspectors’ report, “The 150-plus-year-old Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo has quite the pedigree. It’s hosted everyone from the Rockefellers to Rothschilds — as well as Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace’s wedding dinner. In 2014, the palace (which billionaire François Blanc initially envisioned in 1864 as “a hotel that surpasses everything that has been created until now”) embarked on a €600 million, four-year renovation led by French architect Richard Martinet (also behind The Peninsula Paris). The modernized hotel emerged with an open-air, tree-lined courtyard of haute joailleries (like Graff and Harry Winston), two royal-themed rooftop villas (Jacuzzi tubs included), a second Alain Ducasse eatery and a star-stylist-branded salon that offers private yacht service — a first for the Principality.”
The Telegraph continues, “Everything about this landmark palace screams over-the-top decadence, from its three-Michelin-starred restaurant to the world’s largest wine cellar. Hôtel de Paris is a magnet for the silver screen: not one, but two Bond movies have been filmed here. The latest facelift takes it to an unprecedented level of luxury.”
Diamond Suite – Prince Rainier III
The Prince Rainier III Suite pays tribute to the “Builder Prince” of Monaco. The 8,935-sq.ft. includes paintings from Prince Rainier III’s personal collection. Outside, the two-level 3,850-sq.ft. terrace offers a breathtaking view of the vibrant heart of Place du Casino extending to the Mediterranean Sea.
More suites at Hotel de Paris.
2. Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo
Forbes Travel Guide says, “A beautiful edifice facing the Mediterranean Sea and situated on the prestigious Place du Casino, Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo has hosted guests in Monaco for well over 100 years. A perfectly preserved example of Belle Époque architecture, the hotel is a piece of history. (Its winter garden with its colorful dome was designed by Gustave Eiffel, after all.) The artwork is original. The cuisine is world-class.”
The Telegraph adds, “Everywhere you turn, you’ll spot Belle Époque details from the stained-glass rotunda to decorative urns and ornate mantle clocks. Somehow this hotel pulls off the opulence of a 19th-century palace with the friendly convenience of a resort hotel. Myriad corridors and private terraces link this curving hotel, while a secret underground passage leads to the futuristic glass-fronted spa.”
Diamond Suite – Princely
This 3,000-sq.ft. suite offers spacious luxury with panoramic views over the Mediterranean Sea, including three terraces measuring over 165-sq.ft.
More suites at Hotel Hermitage.
3. Fairmont Monte Carlo
Conde Nast Traveler writes, “The next best thing to being a Monégasque? Surely a stay at the Fairmont Monte Carlo. Brand standards ensure spectacular services and top-notch amenities and comfort. Iconic views of both sea and Grand Prix road below the cantilevered hills ensure that guests slide into the prestigious fantasy of the place with nary a hitch.”
The Telegraph adds, “It’s hard to categorize this five-star hotel that is at once unapologetically modern yet graceful, and chic yet family-friendly. You cannot help but marvel at the architectural feat of its six-sided, ship-shaped structure, built in the 1970s over Monte Carlo’s former railway station. Despite its colossal 60,000-square meters surface area, this hotel manages to retain the illusion of intimacy, in part through cleverly concealing its depths behind a cozy front entrance.”
Commodore Suites
At 990-sq.ft. the three Commodore Suites are the largest in the hotel, and also have the most open floor plan design. With light woods, carpet, and furnishings, they approximate Summer in the Med, and each offers spectacular multi-angle views both to land and out to the sea. All suites feature minibars, free WiFi, a safe deposit box, and hair dryers. Of course, the reason to stay is first the views and secondly a stylish, modern take on luxury in the Principality.
More suites at Fairmont Monte Carlo.
4. Hotel Metropole, Monte-Carlo
U.S. News writes of its #1 ranked hotel in the Principality, “Built in 1886 and modernized in 2004, the Hotel Metropole Monte-Carlo offers 125 light-filled rooms and suites adorned in luxe materials and rich colors. Carrara marble bathrooms feature tubs or showers (or both), and some larger guest rooms provide separate living and sleeping quarters. Recent guests were very impressed with the on-site Spa Metropole by Givenchy, which has 10 treatment rooms, a private hammam, and a unique multisensory heat experience package involving a sauna and ice fountain. When hunger strikes, visitors can choose between the Mediterranean-inspired Joël Robuchon Restaurant, sushi at Yoshi, casual Mediterranean fare at the poolside Odyssey restaurant (designed by Karl Lagerfeld and reserved exclusively for hotel guests during lunch hours), or the lobby bar for laid-back drinks and meals.”
The Telegraph adds, “Everything about this independently owned luxury hotel has been designed with care from the jasmine-strewn landscaped gardens to the discreetly luxurious lobby. The ground-floor public areas feature seasonal flower compositions that feel more like dramatic art installations than flower displays. The hotel even has its own dedicated sound designer to soothe and excite your eardrums according to the time of day. Floral fabrics and tapestries give the feel of a country house in the heart of the city.”
Suite Carre d’Or
The 915-sq. Ft. suite is located on the top floor and offers panoramic degree views of Monte-Carlo, the Golden Square, Casino Gardens and the Mediterranean Sea. A master bedroom opens out to a dressing room with a vanity cupboard and a bathroom, featuring a tub and massage jet shower. The large living room has a real library with more than 100 books and extends onto an 1,150-sq.ft. terrace imagined by the landscape designer Jacques Messin, composed of a large variety of plants and trees.
More suites at Hotel Metropole.
5. The Monte-Carlo Beach
The Telegraph writes, “Open from March to October, the Monte-Carlo Beach blends French chic with Californian villa style and the extensive facilities of a resort hotel. Designed in the 1920s by the legendary architect Roger Seassal, this terracotta-colored hotel has interiors by the Parisian designer India Mahdavi. With its obliquely located reception desk, the lobby area feels more like a private club than a hotel.”
Forbes Travel Guide says, “The recent refurbishment of this sprawling landmark hotel recalls the glory days of Monte Carlo when the pool area was full of glitterati and high-society notables, including Elsa Maxwell, the American gossip columnist and larger-than-life party hostess who helped launch the property in 1929. The unmitigated glamour lingers on, beginning with the sheer beauty of the natural landscape — it’s all about dreamy sea views on a private wooded mini-peninsula, far from the buzzy Casino Square (inveterate shoppers and high rollers needn’t worry; the free shuttle bus gets you back and forth to the boutiques and the casino in 10 minutes).”
Diamond Suite – Sunshine
This 2,315-sq.ft. two-bedroom suite comes with its own cabana at the beach. You may never get there with your own beautiful private 1,150-sq.ft. rooftop terrace with a jacuzzi.
More suites at Monte-Carlo Beach.
6. Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort
The Telegraph says, “This lavish resort punches above its four-star weight within the pantheon of exclusive Monaco hotels. The French Riviera meets Vegas at the Monte-Carlo Bay, where well-heeled guests arrive by helicopter or yacht. Guests and locals alike relish the spa, the Michelin-starred restaurant, and the sandy-bottom lagoon.”
Diamond Suite Eleven
Take a private escalator to this contemporary suite. You’ll find a large living and dining room and two bedrooms. Featuring eucalyptus wood, natural stone, marble and mosaics, the suite combines natural materials with a sophisticated design creating a warm and intimate atmosphere. Out on the terrace, discover a 180° view across the Mediterranean.
More suites at Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort.
7. Le Méridien Beach Plaza
The Telegraph writes, “Le Méridien Beach Plaza is the place to parasail by day and party by night. The Principality’s best-value seaside hotel has a new summertime beach club. Locals and guests alike love Twiga’s VIP tents, Italian-Japanese cuisine, and live DJ. The other big draw here is the private beach – the only one within Monaco.”
Presidential Suite
The 1,184-sq.ft. Presidential Suite offers panoramic views from private balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows.
More suites at Le Meridien Beach Plaza.
