12 May Hotel Hermitage Monte-Carlo

The Lowdown

Situated in the tony Carré d’Or district, this hotel has the yacht-dotted harbor on one side and Beaumarchais Square on the other. The fact that it’s linked via an underground walkway to one of Europe’s top spas (Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo) and offers easy on-foot access to both upscale shops and the city’s famed casino, makes the location ideal for hedonists of all stripes. When it’s time for sun and sand, free transportation (plus free entry) to the Monte-Carlo Beach Club is provided in season.

The Rooms

Bedrooms features Louis XV-style chairs and colourful wallpaper panels. Marbled bathrooms contain monogrammed towels and generous-sized bathroom products by the legendary Parisian perfume maker Francis Kurkdjian.Superior Queen rooms are bijou or squeezed – depending upon your perspective. Superior King Rooms have more space, and Deluxe Garden View with Terrace Rooms are more than double the size, so it’s worth an upgrade if budget allows. The best-value rooms in the hotel are the Deluxe Sea View Rooms, which have gorgeous views, but you’ll have to book well in advance.

Food and Drink

The hotel’s executive chef Benoit Witz worked for French culinary legends Paul Bocuse and Alain Ducasse and now heads up Michelin-starred restaurant Le Vistamar. It’s a delightfully unfussy food experience, from the pale, pared-down decor to the deceptively simple, mostly seafood menu.You’ll seldom enjoy a better piece of fish nor (from the terrace) a more glamorous view. Adjacent Crystal Bar offers light snacks and grand cru wines by the glass. Le Limun is the spot for afternoon tea and single-plate meals.

Services and Facilities

Service is courteous and competent. Down a secret underground passage, the thermal spa impresses with treatments that are so state-of-the-art that you might not have heard of them – if in doubt just lie on the sundeck admiring the harbour views. A free shuttle will also whisk you to a private beach club with watersports. Guests get a card to charge any Monte-Carlo SBM resort facilities straight to the hotel bill, as well as 50 per cent off Monte-Carlo golf and tennis club fees.

Essential info

Square Beaumarchais, Monte Carlo, Monaco. Rooms from $535 a night. Phone +377 9806 4000, see hotelhermitagemontecarlo.com