The Maybourne Riviera: the palace perched above Monaco, Maybourne’s first European outpost outside London

After Claridge’s, The Connaught, The Berkeley in London and The Maybourne Beverly Hills, the Maybourne Hotel Group chose a rocky promontory at Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, overlooking Monaco Bay, for its first European establishment outside the United Kingdom. Opened in summer 2022 following a complete renovation of a former modernist building, The Maybourne Riviera offers 65 panoramic suites and studios, all facing the Mediterranean.

It is one of the rare five-star properties on the coast where every room opens fully onto the horizon: the Italian coastline to the east, the Principality of Monaco directly below, and on clear days, Corsica at the horizon. The architectural approach fully embraces this singularity: clean 1960s lines reinterpreted in a palette of ivory, stone screens, promenade terraces and frameless floor-to-ceiling windows, designed by London studio André Fu.

The Maybourne Riviera’s promise is a rare one on the French Riviera: no room faces a street or a pine grove. All 65 suites and studios are aligned toward the Mediterranean. Sizes range from 48 m² for panoramic studios to nearly 290 m² for the Penthouse Suite on the top floor, opening onto a private terrace with pool.

Designer André Fu composed a restrained palette: ivory, sand, beige and bronze, punctuated by linen fabrics, patinated leather and dark wood. All floors are in travertine, all bathrooms in cream marble, and individual terraces are equipped with sun loungers, screens and removable cushions. The floor-to-ceiling glass doors slide across the full width of the room, eliminating the boundary between inside and outside. On fine days, sleeping almost outdoors becomes a reality.

On the top floor, New York chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten opened abc kitchens riviera in 2023, a Mediterranean take on his multi-starred New York restaurant. The menu blends produce from Ventimiglia market, local coastal catch, Asian references and New York touches. 180° views over Monaco and the sea, an open cocktail counter, and a terrace for balmy evenings.

One floor below, the Restaurant Riviera, the hotel’s main dining room, serves breakfasts and a French-inspired lunch and dinner in a large room open onto the pool and horizon. The menu leans toward clean Mediterranean cuisine: fresh pasta, whole fish, grilled vegetables, honey desserts.

In summer, the hotel reopens La Môme Riviera, its beach club at Cap-Martin: toes in the water, driftwood décor, white sunbeds and a light menu by the La Môme group’s teams. A private shuttle connects the Maybourne to the beach club in minutes.

Three restaurants, three atmospheres, three seasons: Jean-Georges for a dressed dinner, the Restaurant Riviera for long lunches, La Môme with your feet in the water. Nobody leaves the Maybourne to dine elsewhere.

The Maybourne Riviera is home to the second Surrenne establishment, the group’s young wellness brand (the first opened in Mayfair). The philosophy: a performance and longevity approach rather than a traditional spa. On offer: Pilates reformer, a fitness studio, strength and mobility programmes, treatment rooms with sea views, and personalised coaching over three or five days.

Full access to Surrenne is included in the suite rate: a rare detail on this coast, where most hotels charge separately for use of the fitness room. The outdoor infinity pool faces the sea and remains open throughout the day.

The Riviera venture is also a real-world test: can the old-school service standard of Claridge’s and The Connaught be exported to the French Riviera without being diluted by the summer pace? The group recruited part of its team from London, complemented by local profiles who know the coast well. The staff-to-room ratio exceeds regional standards, and each suite is assigned a personal butler.

The clientele is largely international: the United Kingdom, the Middle East, the United States, with an Asian presence now growing to replace the historically Russian contingent. Stays are long (4 to 7 nights on average), often combined with a Monegasque stop or excursions to Saint-Paul-de-Vence and the Nice hinterland. With only 65 suites and a strict occupancy policy, the Maybourne Riviera has positioned itself in just a few seasons as one of the most exclusive addresses on the Mediterranean.

Sources: Maybourne Hotel Group · maybourne.com · Vogue · The World’s 50 Best Hotels (Discovery).