"Monte Carlo Beach Hotel A landmark since the 1920s, this glamorous resort at Monaco ’s easternmost border with France still evokes the glory days of Monte Carlo, when high-society scenesters were frequent guests. The rooms, airy and bright after a makeover by designer India Mahdavi, have an elevated Deco-meets-nautical vibe with porthole windows, Mediterranean stripes—in turquoise, white, brick red, and beige—tailored furnishings, and artsy line drawings on the walls that recall Matisse and Cocteau. The superb, all-organic restaurant Elsa (named after Elsa Maxwell, the American columnist and hostess who was instrumental in attracting the beau monde to the hotel) is another throwback, while the Olympic-size heated seawater pool—open to guests and Beach Club members who swan around on weekends with their children in tow—remains a draw now as it was then."

"Set back in a leafy area behind Casino Square and facing the sea, the sprawling, elegant Hotel Hermitage is a slightly less ornate alternative to the glittery fussiness of Hôtel de Paris , though it's equally steeped in neoclassic grandeur. Many of the rooms and suites feel more contemporary than the hotel’s hand-painted Belle Epoque frescoes and stained-glass winter garden lobby dome designed by Gustave Eiffel. Accommodations range from rooms with clean lines, soft colors, and walnut furnishings to the most sought-after suites, with private terraces and lovely sea views. Because of the hotel’s spaciousness, it's particularly well suited to families who want a touch of nostalgic glamour along with high-tech plasma screens and other modern amenities. The hotel’s V.I.K. (very important kid) program offers everything from a game room with activities to access to the private beach and pool for children."

"This modern 11-story hotel, built on the end of the beachside Larvotto strip, is a chic but unpretentious family-friendly resort that attracts travelers for its prime location and the amicable Mediterranean-style village atmosphere. Guests come for the three restaurants, spa, and two pools (one with an artificial sand-bottom lagoon), plus the Bay Casino, jammed with the latest high-tech slot machines. If guests want to relax, chances are they head to the lounge chairs surrounded by the botanical gardens or head down the road to the Monte-Carlo Beach for water sports. The comfortable, sleek, contemporary-style rooms have dark or blond wood furnishings, duvet-covered beds, plasma-screens TVs, and spacious white bathrooms. Another highlight is the sea-view terraces, with a dreamy vista of the illuminated pool, gardens, and the Sporting d’Eté complex. The highly affordable off-season prices are a deal, considering the Principality’s mild climate is reliably sunny, even during the winter."

"Set back behind the gardens of the humming Casino Square, this 1900s Italianate-style palace is one of the few luxury hotels in Monte Carlo that is independent from the Grimaldi-owned SBM properties. It offers an attractive mix of style, superb cuisine, a top-notch spa, and an outdoor pool amid urban Monte Carlo. Redesigned by Jacques Garcia, the vast lobby was transformed into an atmospheric bar and lounge with the decorator’s trademark mix of opulent styles: Renaissance colors, 15th-century tapestries, and armchairs upholstered in striped Pierre Frey fabrics. The deeply comfortable rooms don’t all come with a view, but each offers a modern medley of warm beiges with orange taffeta curtains and chocolate-brown bathrooms with checkerboard floors. For the perfect post-shopping-spree tonic, have a drink in the hotel’s Karl Lagerfeld–designed poolside lounge area."

"Ideally located on Casino Square, this rococo-style landmark dates back to 1864 and is renowned for its extravagance. Multimillion-dollar renovations began in 2014, but the hotel is still open with a reduced number of rooms, and renovations are slated for completion in 2018. The historic property was once the haunt of crowned heads, statesmen, artists, and movie stars from Erroll Flynn to Winston Churchill. The current spruce-up will conserve the most important architecture but transform the much-needed dowdiness of some of the rooms, replacing tired relics with new furnishings and high-tech amenities. Old World elegance still prevails, though: The bath linens are embroidered with the hotel’s monogram. Breakfast is served on gold-trimmed Limoges porcelain. And the discreet personalized service is legendary."

"Perched above the seafront on a steep, curved road, the Fairmont Monte Carlo is not necessarily the most luxurious or stylish place in the principality, but it’s a solid four-star choice, particularly for groups, conventions, and business travelers. The 602 rooms and suites vary in size, but all have comfortable, classic decor, necessary amenities, and some level of sea view. The hotel lobby is always humming with activity, thanks to the clanging slot machines of the on-site Sun Casino, and the steady stream of both hotel and outside guests frequenting celebrated Japanese restaurant Nobu, the Horizon Deck restaurant and Champagne bar (which boasts 360-degree views), and the all-day Saphir24 Bistro (which also serves a popular Sunday Jazz brunch and transforms into a late-night spot on the weekends). Additional summer season fun can be found at the Nikki Beach at Fairmont Monte Carlo all-day pool party. Other highlights include the Willow Stream Spa, where you can snack on healthy bento boxes in the post-treatment rooms, or visit the in-house hairdresser and make-up artist to prepare for an evening on the town."

"This contemporary, harborside luxury boutique hotel is known for its plunging view of the moored megayachts and a terrific view of the Monaco Grand Prix. Compared with the Old World architecture of neighbors, the look is pure minimalism and streamlined Italian design. The rooms, dreamt up by Hermès designer Leïla Menchari, are almost identical—a blend of yellow and red Carrera marble, chrome-edged furnishings, leather-lined walls, silk fabrics, and shiny gold satin curtains. Expect limited space, though the lovely suites have large bay windows. Guests are served breakfast in the corner of the lobby since there is no restaurant. A far cry from the personalized service and varied resort attractions of other nearby establishments, this hotel’s appeal is strictly for those seeking a sophisticated urban vibe and relative proximity to the Rock and the Prince’s Palace."