A Weekend at Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort
As the perfect beginning of our trip to the South of France, I decided to book a room in Monte-Carlo. Having had mixed feelings about staying in the principality during my last trip to the Cote d’Azur ten years ago, this time felt like another destination. Overall, I very much enjoyed staying in Monte-Carlo and we had an amazing time this summer. This was because we very much felt like being part of the Monaco Upperclass - thanks to our My Monte-Carlo membership by Societe des Bains de Mer (short SBM). SBM owns four of Monte Carlo’s finest hotels, 23 restaurants (the best of the principality), the Monte Carlo Beach Club and of course the famous Casino de Monte-Carlo. As a hotel guest of Hotel de Paris, Hotel Hermitage, Monte-Carlo Beach or Monte-Carlo Bay, you have access to the best Monaco has to offer. From free access to Casino de Monte-Carlo and Hotel de Paris (normally only hotel guests are allowed to enter) to complimentary shuttle service and priority access to restaurants and clubs (including world-famous Jimmyz). Now, if you sum this up, you should bed your head nowhere else when staying in Monte-Carlo but at a property of Societe des Bains de Mer.
Upon arrival at the massive and spectacular entrance, there was a lot of hassle and traffic going on. Take a 334-room property, put it on a four-hectare man-made peninsula with a waterpark and stunning views of the Monte-Carlo skyline and you get an occupancy rate of 70 per cent year-round. Obviously, this place was busy so we were patiently waiting in line for check-in. It is to say that we wanted a busy place for this weekend's stay in Monte-Carlo so the welcome was exactly as expected. I mean you go to Monte-Carlo for people-watching, the car show and the dazzling dining venues. If you are up for a secret hideaway and a relaxing stay, this is the time you should probably stop reading further. On the other hand, I was surprised when we were in our room within 10 minutes of our actual arrival - pretty quick considering there were four couples ahead of us at check-in. Our room was situated on the seventh floor and full-sea-facing plus views of Lavorotto Beach and Monte-Carlo. I actually like the Mediterranean design and spacious layout of the room, though was informed the rooms will be renovated in 2024 - so we will see what the transformation will look like once completed.
We stayed in an Exclusive Room Sea View, that came with a king bed and a spacious loggia with an armchair and lounge area. The outdoor area was a real blast and generally made the room even more spacious. Next to the working desk and TV, there was an armchair with a coffee table where the staff placed two complimentary water bottles, sweets and a chocolate bar along with fruits. I had a great rest and found the bed to be very comfortable with no noise from outside. The bathroom was also spacious and looked very sleek with black and white tiles. There was a walk-in shower, separate toilet, bathtub and single vanity desk that came with Cinq Mondes toiletries in refillable bottles. Housekeeping did a good job in maintaining the room and replenishing towels twice a day. Considering the hotel is officially rated with four stars, everything was perfect and definitely on par with what five-star hotels offer these days. Generally, I think the four-star rating is only to gain more group bookings (some companies, especially Pharma, are not allowed to stay in hotels with more than four stars) rather than not being able to achieve a five-star rating.
If I had to name one downside at Monte-Carlo Bay Resort, I would say that the breakfast is not what one expects for the price. While the venue is brand new and looks great in maritime blue tones, there are simply too many guests and not enough staff to cater for the demand. We always had to wait for tables to be cleaned and we could not order any egg dishes as the staff was just too busy cleaning tables. We could even observe fights between guests who patiently waited for the table while others just sat down before the table was ready. So in case you are booked with a room-only rate, I would recommend strolling along the promenade and going for a typical French breakfast. Lucky you if you overslept breakfast and directly head to lunch at the pool. Speaking of which, there is the main indoor- and outdoor pool in addition to the famous lagoon. While the first one is frequented by families, the sand-bottomed lagoon is a stunning place to lounge and enjoy the Mediterranean sun. Another great facility is the direct sea access into the Mediterranean Sea with a protection net - making sure you can swim even when there are sights of jellyfish normally.
I have to say that it was beyond perfect to just lie by the lagoon, sunbathe and enjoy the incredible service of the attentive poolside staff. This way we could order a bottle of rosé with much-needed poolside burgers in order to make it through the afternoon until the second dinner service at 10 pm at Coya just across the Monte-Carlo Bay Resort. As the night was still young around midnight, we decided to fully enjoy access to SBM’s outlets which led us to drinks at Jimmyz. If you are in for the same treat, you will be happy to hear that you just have to walk along the hotel’s garden until you reach your bed from the famous nightclub. On the other evening, we went slowly and made use of priority access to the well-known Bar American at the Hotel de Paris. Before dining at La Môme on Port Hercule overlooking the old town of Monaco, we enjoyed the above-par live music in what is often referred to as the best hotel bar in the world. I can gladly say that I have never seen a hotel setting where guests blend in so well as at Hotel de Paris. One can observe a very elegant and posh atmosphere without any signs of show-off besides natural beauties in Loro Piana, Armani and Tom Ford.
Overall I can recommend the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort for everyone seeking a lively Monte-Carlo weekend getaway. Considering all the competing properties around in the four-star-segment of Monte Carlo, this one has got the best value for money. Think of the spacious rooms, huge lagoon with plenty of seating, direct sea access and various F&B outlets thanks to the membership of Monte-Carlo Pass. Obviously, you shouldn’t expect a top-notch luxury hotel, but for this occasion, I would recommend staying at Hotel de Paris or the Monte-Carlo Beach Hotel if you are up for an intimate boutique hotel on the seaside. For my travel purposes, the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel was absolutely perfect and much better than I would have expected the stay to be.
Disclaimer: We were guests of the hotel for editorial purposes. However the above written has not been influenced and represents the author’s own opinion.
