Monaco has always had a talent for turning wealth into theatre: Grace Kelly descending the steps of the Hôtel de Paris; Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond arriving at the Casino de Monte-Carlo in an Aston Martin; Aristotle Onassis’s Christina moored in the harbour, Maria Callas and Winston Churchill on deck.
At the Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo, that instinct for spectacle gives way to something more pleasantly subtle with its Belle Époque architecture and elegant interiors. As someone said to me, in a distinctly French accent – which, naturally, means it must be true: ‘If the Hôtel de Paris is Monaco’s main stage, then the Hermitage is the private box.’ It’s a striking description for a hotel whose guests are wealthy enough to be noticed, but too accustomed to wealth to need the attention.
[See also: Beyond the French Riviera: Inside Monte-Carlo’s ambitious global plans]
Hôtel Hermitage began life in 1864 as a small inn: ‘le petit Hermitage’. Over the following decades, it became something of a palace, later crowned by the Jardin d’Hiver’s glass dome from Gustave Eiffel’s workshops. In 1928, leading luxury group Société des Bains de Mer bought the property – partly to stop it becoming too serious a rival to the Hôtel de Paris. By 2004, the hotel needed room to grow and architect Pierre-Yves Rochon was brought in to add two new floors.
Related
Now, more than 20 years later, Rochon has returned to create a collection of Diamond suites, bringing a contemporary interpretation to the hotel’s Belle Époque heritage.
The most impressive of these is the Diamond Princière Suite. Dressed in cool grays and soft blues, it has the fantastical quality one might expect of a princess’s apartment, but without tipping into anything saccharine. The circular living room is the centrepiece, its curved windows looking directly over the water and onto the section of the Grand Prix circuit that runs past the hotel – making it an enviable vantage point when Monaco’s most famous race comes to town.
Beyond it sits a separate dining room and study, followed by two bedrooms, a sauna, walk-in wardrobe and spacious en-suite bathrooms. The details are equally considered: Acqua di Parma amenities in the bathroom, Lalique crystal on display and cosy reading nooks tucked in the corner of each bedroom.
I’m told that one particularly high-profile Formula 1 figure had booked into another hotel during a recent Monaco stay, only to be underwhelmed by it. Then they saw the Diamond Princière Suite at Hôtel Hermitage. His wife, apparently, needed little further persuasion: after seeing the master bathroom, she booked the suite on the spot.
Content from our partners
But even the most inviting suite requires leaving and fortunately, there is plenty waiting downstairs. Pavyllon by Yannick Alléno sits at the heart of the hotel’s dining scene. The Michelin-starred chef needs little introduction, with his restaurants stretching from Sushi L’Abysse Osaka in Japan to Pavyllon London at the Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane.
At the Hermitage, Alléno brings his Pavyllon signatures to the Riviera, with local produce woven throughout the menu. Highlights include the langoustine pie – pillowy lobster chunks encased in golden, buttery pastry – and the beef mille-feuille, which layers tender beef with pastry and mushrooms.
[See also: Revealed: This is Dubai’s best restaurant]
Then there is Gustave, the new bar unveiled as part of the hotel’s recent renovation. Designed by French-Iranian architect Shirine Zirak, it sits beneath the Jardin d’Hiver’s famous glass dome, where coloured, mosaic-like panes and an abundance of greenery give the space the feel of an indoor garden.
And when you venture further, the Hermitage’s sisters are never far away. A complimentary shuttle links the Société des Bains de Mer’s hotels, a small family of properties that each occupies a different corner of Monte Carlo’s social life. The Hôtel de Paris is the grandest of the group, Monte-Carlo Bay is its more relaxed, family-oriented counterpart, while Monte-Carlo Beach brings a younger, more fashion-conscious energy.
The Hermitage, meanwhile, remains the quieter one, content to let her sisters take the spotlight. There is something rather appealing about that: understated in manner but grand in soul. It may be a palace now, but more than 150 years after it began life as a modest inn, it has kept something of that spirit – a place to retreat to, in the principality built for being seen.
More information
Starting rate for Diamond Princière suite: €35,000 per night depending on season. Updated pricing is available from the hotel on request.
Nearest airport: 30-minute drive from Nice Airport
Address: Square Beaumarchais, 98000 Monaco
Email for reservations: resort@montecarlosbm.com
Website: Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo
