There’s a rhythmic serenity around the Olympic-sized swimming pool at the Monte Carlo Beach Hotel. Here, you won’t find thumping DJ beats, magnums of spirits encased in sparklers or energetic guests dancing on tables. Instead, three generations of a French family who’ve frequented the hotel for decades can be spotted splashing in the shallows. A Monegasque gentleman swims lengths with intention. A couple bob nonchalantly in the shimmering waters on pool floats plucked from the pier. Here, a holiday moves with the same languid speed as it has for the last nearly 100 years.

Since 1929, The Monte Carlo Beach Hotel has been a magnet for sun-seekers and glamorous socialites, envisioned as a crown jewel in Monaco’s statement-making tourism push at the end of the Roaring Twenties. In the decades that have followed, it’s welcomed a who’s who of Hollywood A-listers, royalty and high society — everyone from Sir Winston Churchill to Charlie Chaplin and Elizabeth Taylor. But if they come to Monaco for the opulence and energy, they retreat to the Monte Carlo Beach Hotel for its effortless serenity.

A boutique collection of 40 rooms and suites creates an air of refined exclusivity, adorned in oceanic-inspired hues and all facing the sea. A porthole from the bathroom is a thoughtful touch that ensures even a morning shower comes with views of the shimmering water, and a balcony that gazes towards Monaco’s iconic cityscape, a picture-perfect backdrop for a morning coffee.

Despite its petite size, four restaurants cater to gourmands. Elsa serves as a breezy spot for alfresco breakfast by the water, where eggs cooked to order are available alongside fluffy French toasts and indulgent pastries baked in-house. By night, it transforms into the Michelin-starred restaurant of Marcel Ravin, serving as an intimate tribute to a childhood spent by the sea. Here make sure to sample flavour-packed lobster beignets, delicately grilled squid and XO-aged tuna in a delightful miso beurre blanc.

Back at the pool, Le Deck is where guests drift for lunch, a crowd wearing billowing kaftans and tailored two-pieces as welcome as those in glamorous daywear who make lunch at Le Deck the main occasion. Set under a white and beige striped awning in a building painted in Monte Carlo Beach Hotel’s iconic terracotta, Mediterranean flavours take centre stage in a space that was reimagined last year by architect Dorothée Delaye, breathing new life into a space that’s warm and visually striking, yet still befitting of its breezy poolside setting.

New this year, the acclaimed chef Simone Zanoni debuts La Vigie Zanoni Monte-Carlo, bringing a taste of La Dolce Vita to a peninsula a short stroll from the rest of the hotel. Here, the chef of Four Seasons Paris fame celebrates the good life through signature dishes and generous recipes meant to be shared.

Beyond its culinary credentials, the hotel playfully marries sport and style: a Jacquemus takeover brings branded loungers to its famed pier, while a pop-up poolside boutique features an edit of holiday staples. From the shoreline, watersports are a popular pursuit for those looking to get a closer look at the yachts that dock nearby, while back on dry land, Mat Pilates and Hatha yoga classes provide an energising start to the morning from a sun-kissed pontoon that overlooks the Mediterranean. The hotel’s duo of Lamborghini-branded padel courts is an in-demand destination for both hotel guests and beach club members.

When you’re ready to dip back into the electric pulse of Monaco, take advantage of the hotel’s shuttle service or, better yet, the complimentary boat that places you in the yacht-filled Port Hercules in under 15 minutes.

From here, Monaco’s wealth of world-class shopping, dining and leisure delights are at your fingertips. For people watching in the heart of the action, a coffee at Café de Paris in Casino Square is the perfect start to the day, before some retail therapy at Metropole Shopping Monte Carlo, or the array of designer boutiques that line the fringes of One Monte-Carlo, where 40 of the biggest names in fashion sit in a leafy enclave.

Monaco’s unadulterated glamour is perhaps best experienced after sunset, when the bright lights of this enigmatic city draw you to gastronomic gems. On the rooftop of the Hôtel Hermitage sits Pavyllon, the Michelin-starred restaurantby Yannick Alléno that gazes out over the glittering Marina and across to Monaco’s famous old town, Le Rocher. Here, hospitality unfolds as theatre: the team move like an expertly choreographed ballet between tables that pepper the terrace, delivering course after course of delicately plated Mediterranean cuisine that pays homage to local flavours, from a tender beef to an ornate lobster tail.

For post-dinner drinks, follow the cinematic sounds of a live pianist at Bar Américain, an alluring drinking den at Hôtel de Paris that’s as much about music as it is master mixology. Here, well-heeled guests sip libations like Condamine, a sophisticated serve of Champagne and Monaco orange liqueur and the signature dry martini to live renditions of everything from John Lennon’s Imagine to L’Americano by Renato Carosone.

Monaco’s appeal extends beyond shopping and dining, with cultural treasures at every turn. The Princess Grace Rose Garden, with its 450 varieties of fragrant blooms, is an awe-inspiring botanical showcase; as is Monaco’s Japanese Garden, a seafront gem where Japanese minimalism and Mediterranean flair come together in total harmony. For racing enthusiasts, the Collection of Cars of H.S.H. the Prince of Monaco is a masterclass in automotive excellence, proudly displaying almost 100 legendary vehicles just steps from the famous Monaco Grand Prix street circuit.
And when its high-octane social calendar, culinary delights and cultural crown jewels have been thoroughly savoured, the Monte Carlo Beach Hotel is where you come to catch your breath and find, perhaps, the best version of the principality yet.

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