Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo review: the royal touch

François Blanc, known as the Magician of Monte Carlo, first conjured up the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo in 1864. Under the auspices of Charles III of Monaco, the billionaire entrepreneur erected the palatial établissement next to the Casino de Monte-Carlo, founded by the monarch the previous year.

The hotel, designed by architect Gobineau de la Bretonnerie, has since been a home from home for a cast of luminaries including Cary Grant, Salvador Dali and the novelist Colette. When photographer Helmut Newton left Paris for Monaco in 1981, the principality became one of his favoured backdrops – a 1997 shot shows a bikini-clad model darting past the hotel’s many-tiered façade.

Not content to rely on past glories, the hotel has undergone an ambitious multi-phase renovation masterminded by architects Richard Martinet and Gabriel Viora and completed late last year. Today, the hotel’s 207 bronze- and gold-accented rooms are fitted with glittering Murano glass chandeliers and Calacatta marble; private balconies offer views of Port Hercule and the Rock of Monaco.

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Check in and seek out Princess Grace moments: the hotel prepared the royal couple’s 1956 wedding dinner and cake, and Prince Rainier III chose it as the venue for the 25th anniversary celebrations of his reign.

First unveiled in 2017, the light-flooded Princess Grace Suite includes a private infinity pool and granite jacuzzi; even more lavish is the Prince Rainier III Suite: at 525m2, it’s the hotel’s largest lodging. At Le Grill, the refurbished eighth-floor restaurant, towering pink raspberry and Grand Marnier-flavoured soufflés are served by liveried waiters; here, new features include an extended terrace and an updated rotisserie. Alternatively, book at Alain Ducasse’s three-Michelin-star restaurant, Le Louis XV, or the chef’s second site, ÔMER.

For a nightcap, retreat to the freshly updated, amber and burgundy silk-lined Bar Américain. In the lead-up to grand occasions, such as the famous Monaco Red Cross Ball, the hotel’s new lobby is peopled by modern-day princes and princesses, floating past dramatic floral displays and circumnavigating the new Le Patio courtyard in ballgowns and tails.

Felix was a guest of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, staying at the Hotel de Paris Monte-Carlo. Prices start from £416, based on two people sharing a double room; montecarlosbm.com/en