Think of Monte-Carlo and you think of excess. It’s a city purpose-built for pleasure, with everything a visitor needs to indulge his or her every whim. There are plenty of establishments prepared to help the affluent visitor part with (or indeed accrue) their wealth in the most spectacular way, from fine hotels and boutiques to the famous gaming house that made it all possible. In Monaco, only the best will do.
If you are going to live life to its fullest here, you need a suitable abode, and as I walk into the Diamond Suite Penthouse at Hôtel Hermitage, which belongs to Monaco’s Société des Bains de Mer, it seems that I have found it. High up on the top floor of the legendary hotel, the three-bedroom, 361 sq m suite is fit for a prince.
The door opens into a large living room decorated in black, beige and gold, furnished with animal print cushions and modern ornaments, creating a contemporary safari aesthetic. The theme continues into another lounge area, with ethnic sculptures, a three-legged fruit bowl and more animal print adorning the furniture. But there is nothing rustic about the décor — it is elegant and respectable, with two high-backed armchairs at either end of a sleek black and gold table that cries out for a pack of cards. Rich plum and gold hues in the master bedroom give it a regal twist, and the embroidered fabric on the walls, a leather armchair and writing desk set it apart as the dwelling of the king of the castle.
Doors lead out from both the bedroom and the main living room onto a private terrace equipped with a parasol, two sun loungers and views towards the sparkling Mediterranean. The main living area can be closed off with sliding doors, creating a private enclave for the master bedroom, long bathroom with Bulgari amenities and a huge walk-in wardrobe.
The second half of the suite is more family focused, with two additional bedrooms, an even bigger living area and another spacious terrace looking down on Port Hercule and across the harbour to the Rock of Monaco and the Old Town. The living area has a different feel to the first half of the suite, with parquet flooring, brass ornaments and bright, fuchsia furnishings that bring the airy, loft-like space to life. The two smaller bedrooms (one double and one single) are decorated similarly to the family living area, and are almost as sumptuous as
the master. Almost.
Since the suite is equipped to provide a splendid setting for any kind of activity, leaving seems like a terribly bad idea, but the rest of the iconic hotel is not to be overlooked. There are few better examples of the Hermitage’s old-meets-new style than the Winter Garden, where a stained-glass dome built by Gustave Eiffel towers over Pierre-Yves Rochon’s contemporary sofas and chairs below. Pre-prandial drinks are taken in the Crystal Bar, another recent addition to the hotel, and dinner by chef Joël Garault in Michelin-starred Le Vistamar is an unforgettable journey of culinary excellence. If you do anything in Monaco, make sure you try his truffle risotto.
And that’s all you need to know. There is no need to do anything rash like venture outside, since you have absolutely everything you could need within the walls of the incredible suite and hotel (including private access to the famed Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo, a vast spa and wellness complex). Say what you like about Monaco, there is no rivalling it when it comes to unadulterated luxury.
What: Diamond Suite Penthouse
Where: Hôtel Hermitage, Monte-Carlo
Price: from EUR 7,500 (US $10,300) per night
Tel: +377 9806 2525
Book: resort@sbm.mc
www.hotelhermitagemontecarlo.com