With the 2022 Grand Prix Monaco and Festival de Cannes in the rear view mirror, that definitely doesn’t mean The Principality of Monaco, which boasts more than 300 days of sunshine each year, should not be in your upcoming travel plans this summer and fall.

One of my favorite properties in the royal enclave is the Fairmont Monte Carlo, a luxury hotel and resort located in the heart of Monaco, between the Mediterranean Sea and the legendary Casino de Monte Carlo.

One of the most prestigious properties of the Principality, the modern hotel boasts 596 guest rooms, residences and suites. As you stroll down the corridor to your suite, the hotel’s nautical design theme makes it seem as if you are walking to your stateroom. My suite was spectacular with a gorgeous sea view, a modern, minimalist design, and all the amenities one could imagine.

Overlooking the sea is the chic Horizon Rooftop lounge, one of the area’s best kept secrets, with a stunning panoramic view and farm to table cuisine with Mediterranean accents, featuring specialties like muhammara and rikakat, grilled eggplant and cauliflower, shish taouk (grilled cockerel), and if available, the fresh catch of the day. Inventive cocktails and an elaborate wine list cap off the menu options.

Enjoy the elaborate breakfast buffet each morning, featuring an omelet bar, and a cornucopia of fresh options. Don’t miss the Sunday Barbecue, when one can enjoy a selection of salads, meat and fish barbecue, paella, cheeses, and sweet treats.

All menus are created by chefs who are “passionate about their profession and committed to protecting the planet, favor local seasonal products and species recommended by the Mr. Goodfish program, in partnership with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.”

Also, on the property overlooking the never-ending azure sea, are the world famous Nobu Restaurant and the chic Lobby Bar, open daily, perfect for rendezvousing. The hotel is the home of the trendy Nikki Beach, the poolside rooftop restaurant that features a globally inspired menu, where you can dine and party all night long to the tunes of the top resident DJs.

Guests are invited to enjoy the private beach by the Larvotto Bay, as well as the fitness center, and a year-round heated swimming pool.

Earlier this year, the hotel partnered with and La Vallée Switzerland, a world leader in skincare and cosmeceuticals founded by beauty industry visionary Peter Yip. A relaxing wellness sanctuary, the hotel’s La Vallée Cosmos Spa features eight treatment rooms offering incredible bespoke skincare treatments for the face and body.

For the business set, the hotel is perfect place for your next conference, private event, or annual meeting, with 18 meeting rooms, boasting the largest one in South Europe.

Also, within the walls of the Fairmont Monte Carlo are a barber shop, beauty salon, several luxury fashion and jewelry boutiques, perfumery, and la pièce de resistance, the Bel-Air Fine Art Gallery Monte Carlo.

There really is no need to leave the hotel once you arrive, but of course, that’s always an option, being only steps away from the famous casino, Monaco Yacht Club and the shops of the Allées Lumières, an ultra-upscale shopping mall that carries some of the world’s most iconic fashion brands… and it’s just a short ride away from the Prince’s Palace of Monaco. Fairmont Monte Carlo exemplifies pure luxury at its finest. As the famous Gershwin song asks, “Who could ask for anything more?”

Photos Courtesy of Fairmont Monte Carlo.