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.
Location: Hotel Hermitage Monte Carlo
Hotel Hermitage Monte Carlo is a 40 minute taxi ride from Nice airport (around €100 EUR in a taxi). Its location in within Monte Carlo couldn’t be better. It sits behind Hotel De Paris, steps from Casino Square, and offers extensive views across the entire harbor of Monte Carlo.
Style & Character
From the moment you arrive at the Hotel Hermitage, you can’t fail to fall in love with this Grande Dame. The historic facade is prettier than a wedding cake, with intricate designs etched out of the creamy stonework. The competent concierge always parks a selection of the latest supercars outside on the cobbled driveway for passers-by to look at in awe. Around Christmas, a mini Narnia style forest is set up in the gardens in front of the hotel, complete with a festive merry-go-round and Santa Claus. The Hermitage is a magical hotel, whatever time of year you visit.
Enter through the rotating glass doors, and you are whisked into a historic foyer dripping with glamour and sophistication. In the summer, when the Cote D’Azur can be stiflingly hot, the air-conditioning effortlessly and discreetly kept the interior at a pleasant 23’C. in the winter, the foyer is decorated like a scene from a fairytale with beautiful trees and sparkling lights. The ambiance is so delightful, and the hotel so extensive that some of the Monte Carlo locals chose to walk their miniature dogs between the two magnificent foyers on a circular route. This is certainly the chicest, marble-encrusted dog-walking route I have ever seen!
The main foyer is an ornate room with high ceilings. The decoration comprises cream pillars, chandeliers, works of art, beautiful flower arrangements, and comfy sofas resting on a detailed mosaic floor. Behind this sits the tea area which is designed like an orangerie with palms and a twisting marble staircase. You can sip a light beverage here whilst enjoying sumptuous cakes layered with chocolate and drizzled with lemon. This remains the best place to take tea and cakes in Monaco. Behind the tea area is the Grand Hall which houses magnificent events such as Christmas and New Years Eve celebratory meals as well as diamond exhibitions and so forth. If you take a stroll down the endless marble corridors, each more impressive than the last, you will eventually reach the second hotel foyer. This hall is a grand red-carpeted affair with another reception and concierge desk, sweeping stairwells, and layers of ornate balconies all under an enormous stained-glass roof.
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.
Rooms
We recommend the Exclusive Rooms at Hermitage Monte Carlo. These offer the most magnificent and lively vista across the entire Monaco harbor. You get to see all the superyachts coming and going, cruise ships dock up and on the quayside, you can watch events come and go, like the Grand Prix, the fair that takes place every October and the Christmas market which sparkles in December.
The rooms themselves are of varying size and style but offer deeply comfortable beds, a writing desk and sitting area, cupboard space, and a generous bathroom with a separate shower and tub. They are all well soundproofed. I like to sit on the bed and do a bit of writing while enjoying the harbor views. My little boy likes to each chocolate outside on the window step of the Romeo and Juliette balcony and to watch the world go by. It’s worth noting that the balconies in this room type are Romeo and Juliette so you can stand out and watch the daily goings on of this magical city, but to sit out you need to book an Exclusive Room, Sea View With Terrace.
If your budget is unlimited, you may want to try the rather glorious One Bedroom Suite, which has a courtyard view, decked terrace, and Jacuzzi, or even the Diamond Suite with Jacuzzi, which also has a fabulous view across the bay.
Service & Facilities
Other facilities at the hotel include a new indoor swimming pool and an extensive spa and fitness facility located in the Thermes Marins Monte Carlo spa and Health Centre. This means the although this large pool isn’t exclusive to hotel guests, it is probably the largest indoor pool in Monaco and also has a sun deck if you want to catch some rays. The gym facility is also one of the largest and best I’ve seen in Monaco.
Food & Drink
Breakfast is delivered on the balcony of the upper level of the second foyer, underneath the enormous stained-glass ceiling. Pick a table next to the decorative wrought-iron balcony railings, and you can look down at people milling about in the foyer while enjoying your coffee. There is also alfresco seating on the rooftop outside, which tends to be open for most of the year.
The breakfast offering is plentiful and buffet in style, with drinks and eggs delivered to your table. I particularly like the fresh mint tea they offer, and their coffees are excellent. The buffet is extensive, with a big bowl of whole fruit, dried fruit, yogurts, fruit salad, and bircher muesli. On the savory side, there is an array of salad, cheese, and cold cuts along with a hot buffet comprising waffles, scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, fried tomatoes, and potatoes, and also an Asian selection of delights that I don’t know the names of. Look out for the particularly good guacamole that tends to be snaffled quite quickly. There is also a massive array of delicious French sweet breads and pastries, all of the highest quality, along with cakes that are difficult to turn down.
Top 10 Best Hotels In Monaco
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. 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.
The service at breakfast is excellent (unless you visit in the very peak season in which case it can take longer). The tables are cleared quickly and efficiently and empty plates are whisked away without hassle. I also particularly like that the buffet officially finishes at 10:30 am but seems to be left open until 10:40 am and once closed, the pastry section of the buffet remains available so you can pick up some more pastries or cake if you have underestimated your hunger on arrival.
I have not dined in the main restaurant, Pavyllon Monte Carlo, a restaurant by Yannick Alléno, but it has a beautiful terrace on warmer nights offering vistas across the city. I have eaten in the beautiful Salle Belle Epoque on a number of occasions. Listed as a historical site, the glamor and sumptuous décor of this ballroom, including its enormous chandeliers and pink marble columns, combined with live music, make this the perfect venue for a celebration. If you book their New Year’s Eve meal you will usually be able to access the exclusive Hermitage terrace and can snag one of the best views of the spectacular midnight fireworks in Monaco.
Conclusion
And so to the question of whether I would return, and the answer is, but of course! With its central location, immaculate rooms, and elegant communal areas, this hotel is simply enchanting. To add to the excitement, the main ballroom at the hotel hosts a calendar of events throughout the year. On one stay, there was stunning diamond jewelry and a luxury watch showcase. Whist, my husband, was predictably drawn to an assortment of Richard Mille watches, I spotted Dame Shirley Bassey browsing the concessions with friends, one of whom was gazing longingly at a large diamond. I overheard her say, “Daaarling, you had better take a picture of that – as a picture is the only thing you’ll be taking home!”.
Although you may need a gold finger to afford some of the diamonds showcased at the Hotel Hermitage Monte Carlo, the rooms start around €500 EUR out of season. The Diamonds started at around €100,000 EUR, but I hear they last forever…
If you book any luxury hotel in Monte Carlo, including the Hôtel Hermitage, Hôtel De Paris, Monte Carlo Bay or even the Fairmont or Meridien, using our luxury travel concierge, you will get two free breakfasts along with other fantastic benefits such as a delicious welcome gift, a prioritized room upgrade (subject to availability) and $100 resort credit.
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