The tiny principality of Monaco is one of our favorite destinations. Monte Carlo is glamorous, lively, and bathed in the sunshine of the French Riviera. There are several top luxury hotels in Monte-Carlo, and this is my list of the top 10 best places to stay.
1. Hotel de Paris Monte Carlo
Hotel de Paris Monte Carlo is the best and most expensive hotel in Monte Carlo. Located in the heart of Monaco, right on the internationally renowned Casino Square, the new Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo reflects its owner’s vision of creating “a hotel that excels everything that has been created until today.” Four years after the initiation of its wide-scale revamping, Hôtel de Paris Monte Carlo offers 209 newly renovated luxurious accommodations that are larger, brighter, and more stylish. All are decorated in a modern or classic style.
Le Grill restaurant welcomes you to experience a delicious reinterpretation of Mediterranean gourmet cuisine on the hotel’s top floor with a panoramic sea view while the 3-Michelin-starred Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse à l’Hôtel de Paris offers you a unique culinary experience with a wide range of southern aromas and flavors. From Turkey, Lebanon, and Greece to Tunisia and Morocco, the Chef Alain Ducasse’s latest concept – ÔMER restaurant, gives pride of place to the Mediterranean culture of sharing and mixed flavors will take your taste buds on a journey.
The guests of the hotel have direct access to the 6,600 m² wellbeing and preventive health center, Thermes Marins Monte Carlo (same as guests at Hotel Hermitage), and can relax in the heated seawater pool or work hard in the panoramic cardio training room overlooking the sea.
Hotel de Paris Monte-Carlo Vs. Hôtel Hermitage Vs. Metropole Vs. Bay
Hotel de Paris Monte-Carlo Vs. Hôtel Hermitage Vs. Metropole Vs. Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort, which is best? This review explains why you should go to Monaco and the best hotel to stay in. The tiny principality of Monaco is one of our favorite destinations. Monte Carlo is glamorous, lively, and bathed in the sunshine of the French Riviera. We have already reviewed the best luxury hotels in Monte-Carlo. Now we compare Hotel de Paris Monte-Carlo Vs. Hôtel Hermitage Vs. Metropole Vs. Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort to enable you to choose your hotel wisely.
2. Hotel Hermitage Monte Carlo
Overlooking the main harbor in Monaco, just a street away from Casino Square, Hotel Hermitage Monte-Carlo, is a palatial building built at the turn of the century and is a beautiful example of Belle- Époque style and décor.
While this hotel is not quite as luxurious as Hotel de Paris Monte Carlo, we feel you get more bang for your buck here. This hotel is ultra luxurious but a lot cheaper than Hotel de Paris.
This is my favorite hotel in Monte Carlo for old-world style, with not one but two incredibly impressive marble-clad foyers and what feels like miles of beautiful corridors leading to a myriad of historic rooms. There are 325 rooms and suites, and it is worth paying for a room with a breathtaking panorama of the harbor.
An underground tunnel connects the hotel to the “Thermes Marins Monte Carlo” Spa and Pool. This facility incorporates an indoor pool and an extensive gym facility. In the summer, a complimentary shuttle also gives guests free access to the Monte Carlo Beach Club, where you can sunbathe next to the lapping Mediterranean Sea. It is worth noting that “Beach Club” is a slightly inaccurate description of this club, which has an Olympic pool and cabanas strategically placed on concrete jetties protruding into the sea, but the beach itself is virtually non-existent.
Review: Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo
Hotel Hermitage Monte Carlo, pronounced Hermitaaaaage by the French, is a Belle Époque dream built in the early 1900s and is one of the two best luxury hotels in Monte Carlo. It lies across the road from its only competition in Monaco, the Hotel De Paris, which recently underwent a huge refurbishment and rebuild. Both are fabulous hotels. For me, the Hotel Hermitage Monte Carlo an easy choice. It's a more sophisticated and less glitzy choice in Monte Carlo. Hotel Hermitage Monte Carlo is a 40 minute taxi ride from Nice airport (around €100 EUR in a taxi).
3. Monte Carlo Bay Hotel and Resort
This impressive Vegas-style luxury hotel has an immense cathedral-like foyer and sits on a peninsula jutting out into the Mediterranean Sea. The Monte Carlo Bay Hotel and Resort is a brilliant hotel for families as it boasts Europe’s only sandy-bottomed lagoon, which is surrounded by palms and tropical foliage and has loungers which dip their feet in the water.
This is truly the most impressive and largest pool I have experienced. Nothing beats cooling down in these waters, digging your feet into the sand at the bottom, or swimming through one of the many waterfalls. The lagoon pool is sadly only open in the summer (May – September), but there is also a large indoor-outdoor pool that remains open throughout the year.
All 334 rooms are modern, with tiled floors and thick rugs, rainforest showers, a separate bath, and large balconies overlooking the sea and pool. Base rooms offer north-facing views of the mountains that back onto Monaco, so it is worth upgrading to be able to enjoy a sunny balcony with better views. Family rooms offer 2 double beds and have sunset views over the pool or sunrise views out to sea. I prefer the sunset West facing rooms as the sun streams in all afternoon and evening. The spa here is by Cinques Mondes, plus there is a small gym and four restaurants. Marcel Ravin at The Blue Bay is one of my favorite restaurants for gourmet food in the world, with a wonderful sunset ambiance in the summer and truly extraordinary food. There is also a private dock and helipad.
Review: Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort
I watched the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel and Resort being built and first stayed at this wonderful hotel soon after it opened, each time I return, it manages to impress me a little bit more. The hotel remains as pristine as the day it was built. The decadent marble and finishings remain in perfect condition, and the expensive rugs are as fresh and luxurious underfoot as when they were new. The whole hotel is immaculate. Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort sits on its own reclaimed peninsula on the Eastern border of Monaco with four hectares of lush gardens.
4. Hotel Metropole Monte Carlo
The Hotel Metropole Monte Carlo overlooks the gardens bordering Casino Square and sits directly on top of the high-end indoor Metropole Shopping Centre, which is full of designer boutiques. Stroll down a driveway adorned with tropical plants and expensive sports cars, and you will reach the impressive and always beautifully decorated foyer.
Every few weeks, like a theatre show, the flowers and decor are changed according to the season. Purples, pinks, and heart-shaped arrangements are set up for Valentines. At Christmas, there is always an enormous and beautifully decorated tree. Jacques Garcia has transformed the room itself into a stylish lounge with thick fabrics and draping curtains combined with Caribbean, Egyptian, and Renaissance influences and imagery.
146 Bedrooms have Romeo and Juliette balconies with disappointing views. Signature suites are on the top floor, with terraces, loungers, and expansive views over the city. This is one of the smaller hotels in Monaco, but an extensive spa attracts guests and locals with dark woods and an Asian Zen feel.
The Karl Lagerfeld pool is alfresco in the summer, surrounded by the Odyssey bar and restaurant area. In the winter, an ingenious marquee-style building is put together, turning this outdoor pool into an indoor pool. I love this pool as it is immaculate and warm. Even in mid-winter, you can laze by the pool on super soft loungers under complimentary lights and while the day away. It is probably the best winter pool in Monaco because it is so warm.
Metropole Monte Carlo Review
The Metropole Monte Carlo is my favorite hotel in Monte Carlo out of season. It offers an exceptional Leading Hotels of the World boutique experience with excellent staff, exceptional food including breakfast and room service, and is right in the center and above the Metropole shopping center which has great designer stores and a supermarket. Crucially, if the weather is bad, you have the best bar in Monaco in the foyer, so you dont need to lug coats umbrellas or ruin your suede boots on the way out. Cafe de Paris and Casino are also just across the road.
5. Monte Carlo Beach
Built in the 1920s, this hotel sits on the Roquebrune-Cap-Martin peninsula, just outside Monaco’s tax-free perimeter and just beyond the Monte Carlo Bay hotel. Painted red and a pleasantly rounded shape, this hotel has an art deco feel and oozes Riviera glamour. Rooms look out over the sea and towards the Monte Carlo Bay hotel, and the hotel’s grounds house the impressive Monte Carlo Beach Club with luxurious cabanas surrounding an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
Inside, the hotel bar is a sophisticated mix of white sofas, dark wood floors, and Mediterranean views. Elsa, the main restaurant, named after American socialite Elsa Maxwell, who oversaw the hotel’s launch in 1929, serves up creative dishes with both French and Italian influences. Le Deck is an informal poolside café open for lunch each day. Ground floor rooms here are like your very own beach house with floor-to-ceiling windows that open to give direct access, down a couple of steps, out to the small beach, and along to the pool. Room 34 is recommended. This Junior Suite is situated at the far end of the row, so it feels the most private. A complimentary shuttle takes guests to Casino Square for Café De Paris and all the surrounding restaurants and shops.
6. Fairmont Monte Carlo
The Fairmont Monte Carlo is the best four-star hotel in Monaco and hosts the famous Niki Beach in the summer which turns the pool of this hotel into a stylish cocktail arena where you can enjoy a drink on your lounger to the thumping sounds of a live DJ. From this rooftop pool, you can see from one end of Monaco to the other. In the winter, the pool converts back into a quiet area where you can swim laps in peace as the winter sunshine beats down and warms your back.
The beauty of this pool and the hotel itself is the position, right on the waterfront and on the sea-side of Casino Square. The “Riviera” rooms all offer the same impressive views (pictured above) with balconies hanging over the water in such a way that you feel more like you are on a ship than in a landlocked hotel. You can actually feel the sea spray as you sun yourself on the balcony!
Breakfast tends to be served in their roof-top restaurant, and has some of the best views of any breakfast room in Monaco, with sweeping views out to sea and across the bay.
Review: Fairmont Monte Carlo
The Fairmont Monte Carlo is located in a 1970's block built on the edge of the main peninsula of Monte Carlo, just behind (or in front of depending on your perspective) Casino Square. It is incredibly convenient for exploring Monaco. The Fairmont Monte Carlo is located perfectly, slap bang in the center of Monte Carlo, right next to the Casino. The sea-view rooms & suites are literally built out into the bay so your balcony is sitting on top of the water.
7. Columbus Hotel Monaco
Columbus Monaco is a more affordable option in Monaco, which is a great option, especially in the summer months when the most luxurious hotels can be eye-wateringly expensive.
The Columbus Hotel in Monaco sits in the center of Fontvieille, which is to the west of the main harbor in Monte Carlo. The Fontvielle peninsula was reclaimed from the sea in the 1970s and is the location of Monaco’s Stadium – home of AS Monaco.
Otherwise, the area is largely residential, made up of a number of matching pink-hued apartment blocks overlooking one of two marinas. You will also find the main heliport for Monaco here, as well as the Princess Grace Rose Garden, numerous waterfront bistros, restaurants, and a small shopping mall containing the largest supermarket (Carrefour) in Monaco. Fontvieille also boasts one of Monaco’s premium apartment blocks, home to a number of famous residents drawn by the large sea view properties and relative seclusion of the area.
It takes a 20-minute trek, largely uphill, to reach Casino Square, which can be draining in the summer heat. If you choose to stay at the Columbus, you really need to take a taxi to reach the main attractions in Monaco. Conversely, Fontvielle’s local amenities are just a stone’s throw away, and there are certainly plenty of restaurants and attractions along the marina waterfront. Fontvielle is beautifully kept and feels very safe, but for me, the area seems to lack the heart and the joie de vivre that you find around Casino Square.
The Columbus hotel itself is located in one of the pinky Fontvielle blocks. It welcomes you with an arched glass entrance that leads to an impressive staircase that sweeps you around to the reception. The foyer area offers chic nautical interiors, mood lighting, and muted house tunes.
The pool here is also shared by the surrounding apartment blocks, located across the gardens, and accessed using your room key. The pool itself isn’t large, when we were there, it was busy, and I found it difficult to find a sunbed, but it is significantly larger than the pool at the Riviera Marriott up the road, large enough to do lengths in without bashing into others. All things considered, it is a nice facility, and being adjacent to the heliport offers the fun (if noisy) distraction of watching helicopters land and take off as you exercise.
Breakfast is served downstairs. Cream walls and dark wood tables offer internal dining, and an umbrella-covered outdoor area offers alfresco breakfast seating with a view to the gardens. Breakfast itself is never too busy and feels intimate due to the size of the hotel. The spread includes a selection of buffet items: boiled or scrambled eggs, baked beans, pancakes, cold meats, cheeses, muesli, fruit, and juice. They also offer gluten-free, soya milk, etc.
Review: Columbus Monte-Carlo
Hidden in the southernmost ward in the Principality of Monaco, you will find the Columbus Monaco. This patch of Monaco, named Fontvieille, has two Marinas and a commercial complex containing a supermarket, clothes shops, McDonald's, and coffee shops. Fontvieille is separated from the rest of Monaco by a huge headland of rock that juts out from the surrounding mountains. This headland has an "old town" on the top and houses the Prince's Palace and the Oceanographic Museum.
8. Port Palace Hotel
Hotel Port Palace is a luxurious 4-star property set in a prime location in the center of Monte Carlo. Many rooms look right over the main marina, and the location is slap-bang in the center of town. Guests of the hotel will have easy access to Monaco Harbour, F1 Circuit, and Place du Casino. Casino de Monte Carlo, Salle Garnier, and Musee Oceanographique are also not far away.
Hotel Port Palace boasts 50 fully equipped, air-conditioned bedrooms with a separate sitting area, minibar, and desk in the rooms. Bathroom amenities include designer toiletries, bathrobes, and a hairdryer.
Food options at Hotel Port Palace include a restaurant where you can have breakfast or order room service. Leisure amenities include a sauna, steam room, on-site spa services, full-service health spa, and spa tub.
9. Novotel Monte Carlo
Conveniently located within a short walk of the station and the main Casino Square, Novotel Monte Carlo Hotel immerses you in a French Riviera vibe. There are 12 meeting rooms and a co-working space, but this hotel in Monte Carlo also cares about your well-being.
Azzurra Bar & More serves detox juices by day and cocktails in the evening, indoors, and on the terrace. Azzurra Kitchen and Azzurra Corner satisfy your hunger with Mediterranean dishes. There is also a swimming pool, sauna, hammam, and fitness room.
The casino, opera house, marine thermal baths, Monte Carlo Metropole shopping center, and the Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit are in the immediate vicinity. A little further afield, the Palais Princier, Oceanographic Museum, Exotic Gardens, Grimaldi Forum, and Larvotto Beach are all easily accessible by bus. Last but not least, this hotel is 2 km from the heliport and 25 km from the Nice-Côte d’Azur airport.
10. Riviera Marriott Hotel La Porte de Monaco
Riviera Marriott Hotel La Porte de Monaco is situated on the Mediterranean Sea in Cap d’Ail, just around the corner from the Columbus above. While this is a lovely Marriott, it has all the location disadvantages of the Columbus above.
Newly renovated rooms and suites feature plush bedding, a flat-screen TV, a mini-bar, and high-speed Internet access. Many hotel rooms showcase private balconies with beautiful Cap d’Ail Marina views. Stay fit in their 24/7 modern fitness center or dip in their sparkling outdoor pool.
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