Hôtel Métropole Monte-Carlo: our review of the Carré d’Or couture palace

Outside the SBM perimeter, the Hôtel Métropole Monte-Carlo has played a different score since its renovation by Jacques Garcia (2003-2012): that of a grand Parisian hotel transplanted to the heart of the Carré d’Or, steps from the Casino. The result is a more intimate, more hushed atmosphere where personalised service truly comes into its own.

The property belongs to the Lebanese group Métropole Hotels & Resorts and is part of The Leading Hotels of the World. The spa changed its signature partner in 2024: Guerlain succeeded Givenchy, with a fully revamped wellness programme. We tested it in June.

The Métropole embraces a maximalist visual grammar that contrasts with the spare aesthetic of its SBM neighbours. Jacques Garcia, to whom Jaime Rosenthal entrusted the renovation in 2003 and again in 2009, deployed his signature: garnet velvet, patinated woodwork, Murano chandeliers, hand-knotted Persian rugs, indoor palms. The effect is intentional: this is not a generic palace but a grand private mansion turned hotel.

The 126 rooms and suites are divided into several categories. Our garden-facing Junior Suite: 45 m², high ceilings, dark oak Hungarian-point parquet, oval marble bathtub, private terrace opening onto the outdoor pool. Garden-view (quieter) or Casino-view depending on the floor.

The Métropole houses two Michelin-starred restaurants, which remains rare in the Principality. Yoshi, opened in 2009, is the first starred Japanese restaurant on the Côte d’Azur: an intimate dining room, a sushi bar, a signature omakase menu, and a sake list that no other Monegasque address can match. Chef Takéo Yamazaki has led the kitchen since opening.

Les Ambassadeurs by Christophe Cussac, which regained its star in 2022, offers contemporary French cuisine: Mediterranean produce, market vegetables, locally caught fish. The atmosphere is more classical, with a dining room open to the garden. For lovers of formal dining, this is the finest address outside SBM in the Principality.

The Spa Métropole by Guerlain, located on the first floor with garden views, features a heated indoor marble-lined pool, a hammam, a sauna, a fitness room and eight treatment cabins. Guerlain succeeded Givenchy as the signature partner in 2024: the rituals have been renewed (Orchidée Impériale, Abeille Royale) and the cosmetic amenity set completely redesigned.

For those seeking a Parisian spa of real stature transplanted to the heart of the Principality, without the noise or the scale of the SBM Thermes Marins, the Métropole remains the obvious answer.

Independent review: rating established by the La Revue des Hôtels editorial team based on a visit, on-site observations and internal comparisons within the Monegasque palace segment. Images are editorial illustrations.