Where to Stay in Monaco in 2023 | Best Areas

Considering visiting Monaco in 2023? Great choice! This small city-state basically offers two options: you can either stay in the posh Monte Carlo or in the cultured and deeply historical Monaco-Ville (Monaco City).

But don’t panic! There are also other cities on the French Riviera, like Menton, which are quite close by.

No matter the area or the district you choose, make sure you visit the unforgettable casinos, the lavish hotels, and the erudite museums, but also go for a swim in the crystal-clear Mediterranean Sea.

The 3 Best Parts of Monaco

It’s no secret that Monaco is very small, with practically four areas or districts: Monte Carlo, Monaco-Ville, Fontvieille, and La Condamine.

But that’s only nominally the case because only the first two are your real options, with most of the accommodations located in either Monte Carlo or Monaco City (the center).

That’s why we added one more city very close to Monaco to further enrich your experience, as well as to give you real and reliable budget options that you can’t find in the city-state.

1. Monte Carlo: The most upscale, posh, and luxurious part of the city; the place where you’ll find the unforgettable Monte Carlo Casino, Café de Paris, and Hôtel de Paris.
2. Monaco-Ville (Monaco City): The absolute center of the city, located on a huge monolith above the sea, it’s where you’ll find most of the cultural and historical landmarks of the city.
3. Menton: Located less than 7 miles from Monaco, Menton is the small but quintessential French Riviera town and the only real budget option in the area.

Where to Stay in Monaco: Best Areas & Hotels

Again, it’s no big secret that Monaco is one of the most luxurious and upscale places in both Europe and the world. That being said, the accommodation options and variety have to be taken in the context of the reputation of the French Riviera, which is as high as you get.

Monte Carlo and Monaco-Ville (Monaco City) are where you’ll find most of (if not all) the accommodation options in the city. There are some hotels and apartments in Fontvieille, too, but not too many.

Most of them are very expensive, but there are some decently priced three-star hotels and even some rare two-star accommodations.

As we said, your only real budget options are to be found outside Monaco, in the nearby less populous cities. That’s why we chose Menton — a small coastal town around half an hour from Monaco — as an alternative, budget-friendly option.

1. Monte Carlo

You don’t get any fancier and classier than Monte Carlo, the administrative center of Monaco. Located on the so-called escarpment (a long cliff) at the bottom of the French Alps and the French Riviera, it’s a piece of natural beauty and incomparable cultural and financial luxury.

As the things you have to do and see in Monte Carlo can’t be overstated, consider this segment as a rough sketch and not a complete picture. The central building of the whole area is the Monte Carlo Casino.

Whatever you plan to do in Monte Carlo, the first thing to see is this fantastic place. Built in the 19th century, it’s been the backdrop of many famous movies, namely, a couple of James Bonds and Ocean’s Twelve.

The structure also includes — aside from the Casino — the Opéra de Monte-Carlo and the company of Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo. Next to it is the equally famous Café de Paris and the extra luxurious Hôtel de Paris, both of which opened in faraway 1864.

They also provided the setting for many famous movies and cultural events and are as famous as the Monte Carlo Casino. The Hôtel de Paris, for instance, boasts no less than four restaurants that you can visit at any time — two of them Michelin-starred.

Other things you have to see are:

• The striking Japanese Gardens;
• The educational Oceanographic Museum of Monaco;
• The lavish The Private Collection of Antique Cars of H.S.H. Prince Rainier III;
• The unreally beautiful Monte Carlo Harbor;
• and the equally stunning Larvotto Beach.

As Monte Carlo is pretty small, you’ll probably have time to look at each of them individually.

In terms of accommodation options, you already know what we are about to tell you: Monte Carlo is one of the most elite and expensive places in the world, full of scandalously expensive and luxurious hotels.

But, believe it or not, there are some mid-range options close to the border, more specifically, in the area called Beausoleil.

Things to Do

• As Monte Carlo is small, strolling is your best option. Make sure you at least take a look at all the important landmarks in the area, even if that means not entering them. After the Monte Carlo Casino, Café de Paris, and Hôtel de Paris, we recommend a relaxing and inspiring walk along the Monte Carlo Harbor, where you can size up the luxury yachts of the elite, as well as bask in the Mediterranean sun.  
• Monte Carlo also offers a chance for a “classical” vacation because the area is still located on the banks of the Mediterranean Sea, part of the famous French Riviera. Larvotto Beach is a public free beach located on the eastern part of the district: it’s pebbled and not sandy, so make sure you bring your slippers. There are also a couple of cafes on the beach and plenty of public showers. The water is clean and clear, as you’d expect, and very safe — no jellyfish.
• If you’re a fan of museums and you want to learn more about the place you’re visiting, Monte Carlo has:
  • The Private Collection of Antique Cars of H.S.H. Prince Rainier III — a must-see for every car lover.
  • The Oceanographic Museum of Monaco is an interesting crossroad between art and nature and the perfect place to find out more about the natural beauty of this part of France.
• It’s no secret that people mostly come to Monaco to spend a lot of money. The hotels and restaurants are fantastic, and the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix is another great place to do precisely that because the cost of tickets is sky-high. But there are plenty of shops too. The Metropole Shopping Monte-Carlo is a small but very fancy shopping center, which also boasts a beautiful terrace and a restaurant.

Where to Eat

• Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse à l’Hôtel de Paris is a three-star Michelin restaurant and one of the fanciest places you’ll ever dine in. Located in Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo and a 2022 Travelers’ Choice selection, it’s a French restaurant with a varied and upscale menu.
• Restaurant Yoshi is a one-star Michelin restaurant that also boasts a 2022 Travelers’ Choice selection. It works in the domain of general Japanese cuisine, with a strong emphasis on sushi. Aside from the sushi, it also has a fantastic wagyu beef and a wide assortment of wines.
• Il Fornaio is an Italian dessert restaurant, but it’s also a great place for lunch or dinner. Being one of the best dessert places in Monte Carlo, it’s mainly famous for its tiramisu, excellent coffee, generous portions, and very friendly staff.

Monte Carlo Budget Hotels

• Hôtel Villa Boeri is a relatively cheap (as cheap as you’ll find in Monte Carlo) two-star hotel located around 550 meters from the Monte Carlo Casino and 15 minutes away (on foot) from the beaches. It offers free Wi-Fi, family rooms, and a nice breakfast, as well as rooms with flat-screen satellite TVs. There’s also a great view of the sea from the balconies of the hotel.
• AZUR HOTEL is another generally cheap two-star hotel with a great location, less than a mile from Larvotto Beach. All the rooms in the hotel are equipped with a private bathroom, wardrobe, and flat-screen TV. There’s also free Wi-Fi throughout the premises, facilities for disabled guests, a bar, and a very tasty breakfast.

Monte Carlo Mid-Range Hotels

• Odalys City Beausoleil les Hauts de la Principauté is a decently priced three-star hotel located in Beausoleil, 15 minutes from the Mediterranean Sea. Particularly suitable for couples, every room offers a kitchenette, a balcony, and a dining area — some of them even offer fantastic views of the sea.
• Hotel Olympia is another three-star hotel that comes at a relatively reasonable price. Located on the border of Monaco, it’s practically a five-minute walk away from Monte Carlo. It offers free Wi-Fi, parking (quite rare in this area), a bar on the premises, facilities for disabled guests, and breakfast.

Monte Carlo Luxury Hotels

• Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo is a very luxurious and very expensive five-star hotel located very close to the Place de Casino. Set in a beautiful building from the middle of the 19th century, the hotel offers two swimming pools, two restaurants, a bar, a wine cellar, a spa and wellness center, and much, much more.
• Hotel Metropole Monte-Carlo located in the Carré d’Or and a stone’s throw away from Casino Square, it’s a five-star hotel and definitely one of the best accommodations in the city. It has an indoor swimming pool, 125 rooms decorated by Jacques Garcia, a restaurant, a bar, a spa and wellness center, a fitness center, and all the amenities you can think of.

See All Hotels in Monaco

2. Monaco-Ville (Monaco City)

Right next to Monte Carlo is the real center of the city, the so-called Monaco-Ville (or Monaco City). If Monte Carlo is the crème de la crème of Monaco and the place where most of the fancy casinos, hotels, and restaurants are located, Monaco-Ville is where you’ll find most of the cultural landmarks.

It’s also known as Rocher de Monaco (The Rock of Monaco) because it is located on a 200-foot monolith over the Mediterranean Sea and the famous Port Hercules.

If you choose to stay in Monaco City, you can definitely say that you’ve seen the whole place from above. The most important landmark in this part of town — much like the Monte Carlo Casino in the former — is the Prince’s Palace.

A current residence of the Prince of Monaco (and once of Grace Kelly), it was built in the 12th century as a Genoese fortress — a strong fortification to protect this small principality.

In the 20th century, when it lost its protective function, it became a personification of luxury and even decadence, mostly because of the lavish lifestyle of the family.

The other important administrative bodies of Monaco’s Principality are also located here, like the government, the town hall, the Municipal Council, the prison, the courts, and the National Council. Make sure you take a look at them, too, as they’re all situated in ornate structures.

If, on the other hand, you prefer the architecture of religious buildings, don’t forget the Cathedrale Notre-Dame-Immaculee, where the royal family’s remains are located.

Let’s not forget the shopping, dining, and accommodation options. Monaco-Ville is slightly less upscale and luxurious than Monte Carlo, but that doesn’t mean that it’s cheap or budget-friendly — on the contrary, you are still in Monaco and the French Riviera.

There are plenty of high-quality shops, famous restaurants, and numerous luxurious four-star hotels. Wherever you go in Monaco, you can’t escape the sense of extravagance.

Things to Do

• Lovers of nature and especially of super-sophisticated and beautiful urban gardens have a couple of jewels at their disposal in the center of Monaco.
  • Princess Grace Botanical Garden consists of a cave, garden, and botanical center, built as a memorial to the tragically passed Grace Kelly.
  • Les Jardins Saint Martin et Sainte Barbe, on the other hand, is a small but very charming park and a garden. At first, it was a typical Mediterranean garden with pine forests and holm oaks, but later on, it was enriched with a lot of exotic additions.
• One thing that we didn’t mention but definitely deserves your time and attention is the Fort Antoine Theater. Built in the 18th century as a defense and military structure, it was destroyed in 1944. Prince Rainier the Third rebuilt and renovated the place in 1953. From then, it became an open amphitheater with a lot of militaristic elements. Entry is free all the time, except when the amphitheater is booked for a show.
• Cathédrale de Notre-Dame-Immaculée is the main religious building of Monaco and the most beautiful, too. Chapelle de la Visitation, Monaco-Ville, on the other hand, is a significantly older and baroque Roman Catholic chapel, which also serves as an exciting art museum.
• Finally, one whole day of your visit to Monaco-Ville should be spent discovering every nook and corner of its central building, the Prince’s Palace of Monaco. The former 12th-century fortress today serves as a fully functioning administrative building and the seat of Albert the Second, but it’s also an attractive museum. During the summer, it’s open to tourists from all around the world and even boasts some open-air concerts in the courtyard.

Where to Eat

• La Montgolfiere Henri Geraci is a generally Mediterranean and French restaurant located in the utmost heart of Monaco’s center. It always has a great atmosphere, attentive service, and an upscale environment — and menu — that will surely leave you stunned.
• Le Petit Bar is a French restaurant that specializes in healthy food and boasts numerous vegan and vegetarian options. Yet another 2022 Travelers’ Choice selection located in the middle of the old town, it offers a versatile menu, mainly consisting of meat, fish, and numerous homemade recipes.
• BRASSERIE DE MONACO is a classical American pub and brewery in the absolute center of the French Riviera. It’s one of the most suitable places if you’re looking for a budget lunch or a refreshing drink. It has reasonable prices, a relaxed atmosphere, and fast and friendly service.  

Monaco-Ville (Monaco City) Budget Hotels

• Boutique Hotel Miramar is a multilingual (English, French, Spanish), reasonably priced hotel with a fabulous view of the sea. Particularly suitable for people who want to travel alone, it boasts a desk in every room, free Wi-Fi, private bathrooms, air conditioning, and flat-screen TVs. The breakfast in the hotel is very good.  
• Hôtel de France is a relatively cheap two-star hotel, with a great location, right in the heart of Monaco, merely ten minutes away from the Prince’s Palace of Monaco. It doesn’t offer much aside from the parking, the free Wi-Fi, the bar on the premises, and the delicious breakfast. The hotel is particularly suitable for solo travelers.

Monaco-Ville (Monaco City) Mid-Range Hotels

• Plein coeur de Monaco is an entire 110-square-meter apartment located in the very center of the city and offers a beautiful view. It has three bedrooms and two bathrooms, a nice terrace, free Wi-Fi, as well as parking and airport shuttle services.
• Hotel Restaurant Forum is a three-star hotel that’s also very close (less than a mile away) to the famous Place du Casino. Again, a particularly suitable place for solo travelers, it offers free Wi-Fi, a restaurant and bar on the premises, and professional room service. Chef Pino prepares great Italian and Mediterranean dishes for every guest.

Monaco-Ville (Monaco City) Luxury Hotels

• Port Palace is a marvelous, very luxurious four-star boutique hotel located very close to Port Hercule. It offers — among other things — private parking, free Wi-Fi throughout the premises, a bar and restaurant, and air-conditioned family rooms with minibars and TVs. The hotel also has great breakfast in the morning and very professional room service.
• Riviera Marriott Hotel La Porte De Monaco is an opulent pet-friendly hotel that boasts a perfect view of the Mediterranean Sea. The hotel has plenty to offer: an outdoor swimming pool, an on-site bar and restaurant, a fitness center, and delicious breakfast in the morning. Unlike the other accommodation options on our list, this one is particularly suitable for couples.

See All Hotels in Monaco

3. Menton

As you can see, you practically can’t find any budget options in Monaco in the true sense of the word. But that’s why we offer you an alternative that — taking everything into account — is more than viable.

Menton, located less than 7 miles from Monaco to the east (right on the border with Italy), is a beautiful town on the French Riviera but significantly more down-to-earth than Monaco.

If you’re tight on cash, we recommend you drop your anchor here and visit Monte Carlo and Monaco any time you want.

Because of its mild climate, beautiful clear water, and plenty of sunny days (more than 310 a year), Menton has been a tourist attraction since the 19th century and a favorite place of leisure for many artists, intellectuals, and famous people.

The famous Irish poet W.B. Yeats spent his last days here, for instance. You should start your exploration of this hidden pearl of the French Riviera by strolling through its charming old town.

Menton is all about pastel colors that will rest your eyes and soul. The central building of the town — as is usually the case with small cities — is the yellow-orange Basilica de Michael Archangel, a sky-high building dedicated to the patron saint of the city.

The Cemetery of the Old Chateau, on the other hand, located on a hill, offers both the best views in the city and plenty of well-known names on the numerous gravestones.

Other important landmarks are the museums and the gardens. Menton was once the favorite place of Jean Cocteau, a famous artist, and the city thanked him for establishing a beautiful museum.

When it comes to botanical gardens, there are many of them — we’ll suggest some in a bit. Last but not least, Menton offers plenty of sandy beaches and the Mediterranean Sea at its best.

Things to Do

• Obviously, the best thing you could do in Menton is to hit the beach. The Old Town is charming, but the Mediterranean Sea and the beaches are better. Some of them are pebbled — as the ones in Monaco — but others are sandy. The most popular one is the Plage des Sablettes, very near the Old Town. It offers all the amenities, like parking, toilets, showers, and changing rooms, and the water is shallow, clear, and calm — in short, very safe for swimming.
• Surprisingly enough, Menton has some fascinating museums that’ll be a pretty exciting experience for lovers of art. The painter, director, and writer (amongst other things), Jean Cocteau, loved Menton, and Menton has always loved him back, dedicating to him not one but two museums. The first one is the Museum Jean Cocteau-The Bastion, which is older and boasts an ever-expanding collection; the second and relatively new museum is called Jean Cocteau Museum Collection Severin Wunderman.
• Menton is a very charming small city, full of beautiful old buildings — all clad in pastel colors. Strolling and discovering its every nook and secret is the best thing you could do. Start with the Basilica St. Michel, the most important religious building in the city; then, make sure to visit the Cemetery of the Old Chateau, which has an unforgettable gothic atmosphere; finally, visit the Cemetery of the Old Chateau.
• Menton is full of greenery, and, as we promised, here are the two gardens you just have to visit.
  • The Serre de la Madone Garden — designed by Lawrence Johnstone in the 1920s — is truly a work of art in the way it’s arranged, but it also provides some much-needed tranquility to every explorer that graces its paths.
  • Speaking of tranquility, the Val-Rahmeh Menton Botanical Garden, whose name literally means “tranquility” in Arabic, boasts an almost unheard variety of plants because of the mild and welcoming climate of Menton.

Where to Eat

• JR Bistronomie is a Michelin-star bistrot that works mainly in the domain of general European and French cuisines with a particular accent on healthy dishes. It’s very close to both the Jean Cocteau Museum and the sea, and it’s an obvious choice for an upscale lunch or dinner, given the great menu.
• La Crepe a l’Envers is a healthy fast food that was selected as the 2022 Travelers’ Choice. The restaurant is relatively cheap and affordable if you take into account that you’re still on the French Riviera. The crêpes are the thing that most people come for, but the relaxed and homey atmosphere is just as inviting.
• Restaurant Le Galion is a relatively upscale Italian and French restaurant that’s mainly famous for its generous and versatile seafood options. Yet one more 2022 Travelers’ Choice selection, we recommend the seabass in salt, the lobster, the monkfish, and, of course, the port wine and the champagne.

Menton Budget Hotels

• Hotel Parisien is a cheap two-star hotel with a great location at 300 meters away from the beach and 500 meters from the center of Menton. All the rooms are decorated in a contemporary fashion and have private bathrooms. Particularly suitable for couples, it also offers free Wi-Fi and a very nice breakfast.
• Hôtel Claridge’s is another relatively cheap two-star hotel located in the utmost center of the city. You can be at the beaches as well as the casinos in less than five minutes. The free Wi-Fi and private parking are another draw, especially the latter. Finally, Claridge’s has a terrace, bar, great breakfast in the morning, and fantastic professional room service.

Menton Mid-Range Hotels

• Hôtel Miléade L’Orangeraie – Menton is a striking three-star hotel located in a 19th-century building just a few minutes away from the city’s train station. The hotel boasts free Wi-Fi and private parking (a really important thing in the French Riviera), a restaurant and bar on the premises, a terrace, and delicious breakfast in the morning.
• Hotel Chambord is a reasonably priced three-star hotel with a great location, just 100 meters from the beach. Particularly suitable for couples, it offers free Wi-Fi and private parking, facilities for disabled people (and a lift on the premises), a 24-hour front desk, a terrace, and rooms with balconies.

Menton Luxury Hotels

• Hotel Napoléon is a beautiful and luxurious four-star hotel located on the beachfront of Menton with direct access to the Mediterranean Sea. Another couples-friendly hotel, it also offers an outdoor swimming pool, rooms decorated in Jean Cocteau’s style, a bar, and truly superb breakfast every morning.
• Villa Genesis is another fabulous four-star hotel located near the beach that also has a beautiful outdoor swimming pool. It offers free Wi-Fi throughout the premises, private parking, a nice terrace, and a bar. There are facilities for disabled people and an airport shuttle available as well.

See All Hotels in Monaco

Over to You — Book Your Trip Today!

Monaco may be small, but it offers much more than a country ten times its size. As you saw yourself, the headings were so full, they were on the brink of overflowing with places to see, things to do, and restaurants to lunch or dine in.

Now, before we wrap things up, let’s do a quick recap of the three areas that we’ve covered in our guide.

🥂 Most Luxurious Area	Monte Carlo
🏰 Most Historic Area	Monaco-Ville
💲 Least Expensive Area	Menton

Monte Carlo is definitely the most popular, most visited, and most posh of all the areas in the state of Monaco, and is located in the eastern part of the city-state.

This area offers all the luxury in the world, and many exceptional and well-known places, like the Monte Carlo Casino, Café de Paris, and Hôtel de Paris, but also plenty of museums and gardens. But, it’s also the most expensive area not only in our guide but also in the world.

If Monte Carlo is the poshest part of Monaco, Monaco-Ville (or Monaco City) is the most cultured and the most historically important.

The utmost center of the city, it’s the perfect choice for history lovers, as here you’ll find the most beautiful landmarks in the city, like the Prince’s Palace (the official seat of the monarchy), Monaco’s Principality and the Cathedrale Notre-Dame-Immaculee.

Here you can learn everything about the history of this microstate. Finally, as there are no real budget options in Monaco, we decided to include a nearby city that could be a relevant and reliable budget option.

Menton is a quintessential French Riviera town located right next to Liguria and the Italian border. It’s a very charming small city with beautiful sandy and pebbled beaches, some unique art museums, a delightful Old Quarter, and plenty of affordable accommodation options.

As we’ve shown, there’s no bad area to stay in Monaco, and each of the 3 most popular areas has something unique to bring to the table. So, with so much to see and do, what are you waiting for — book your trip to Monaco today!