Best of Monte Carlo Where to Stay and What to Do in Monaco

Just Back From... Monte Carlo, Monaco

Trip duration: 72 hours

Flight Plan: A direct nine-hour flight from New York to Nice, France, and then a 30 minute drive to Monte Carlo.

Olivia Fleming

Where I Stayed: At the enchanting Hotel Metropole, a Belle Epoque property originally built in 1889 that boasts a Karl Lagerfeld-designed pool, a brand new Givenchy spa, and newly-renovated decor by French interior designer, Jacques Garcia, whose poetic use of printed upholstery immediately transports you into a world of cozy luxury.

As one of the most prized addresses on the Côte d’Azur, the hotel has attracted guests like Helmut Newton, Naomie Campbell, Robert De Niro and the Bee Gees (located in the heart of Monte Carlo, Hotel Metropole is just around the corner from the famed casino, the opera house and the Mediterranean ocean).

And as if you had any other reason to never leave, the hotel also features three onsite restaurants by Joël Robuchon: Yoshi, a one Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant, Restaurant Joël Robuchon, a two Michelin-starred dining experience complete with an open kitchen and the chef's famous mashed potatoes, and Odyssey, the enchanting pool-side restaurant.

Olivia Fleming

Travel Uniform: Monte Carlo calls for Grace Kelly-inspired packing: elegant, classic staples that can carry you from cocktails and dinner to the casino for a round of roulette.

Best Thing I Ate: This is impossible to choose. From the hotel's in-room dining to the sushi at Yoshi, the dessert cart at Joël Robuchon and even lunch on the pool-side terrace at Odyssey, everything at the hotel is made in-house from scratch—and is insanely delicious. The traditional Monagas food at Castle Roc, a historical restaurant with views of the ocean and the Prince's Palace, was also phenomenal. And then of course there was the quick lunch in Italy—only a 20-minute drive away from the hotel, I devoured delicious fresh pasta with the locals at Amador, an unassuming restaurant in the seaside town of Ventimiglia.

Olivia Fleming

Best Nighttime Hangout Spot: Sass Cafe, located on avenue Princess Grace, is the go-to spot for after-dinner drinks and late night snacks. With live music and lots of outdoor seating (which makes for great people watching), this where the jet-set hang out until the sun comes up.

Trip Highlight: My two-hour full body treatment (titled Le Soin Noir Renaissance Intégrale, inspired by Givenchy’s black algae sap-based Le Soin Noir skincare line) at the Spa Metropole by Givenchy is hard to top. Designed by award-winning French designer Didier Gomez (who has worked with the likes of Yves Saint-Laurent, Cartier, Louis Vuitton and Céline), the minimalist black, white and gold spa is the epitome of luxury. The hallway features a floor-to-ceiling digital forest complete with mood lighting, and the 10 treatment rooms are outfitted with white embossed walls modeled after Givenchy’s signature lace.

Before your treatment, you will be asked to select three images from a mood board; the images correlating to the spa's 11 custom fragrances created by L’Atelier de Givenchy. Your massage therapist will then ask you to choose your favorite from your selection of three. During your treatment, your chosen scent will waft throughout the room for an immersive scent experience.

Olivia Fleming

Could Not Leave Home Without: An appetite!

I wish I had… More time.

Why Monaco? The country is half the size of New York’s Central Park, featuring one mile of coastline, which lends to an intimate travel experience with an unparalleled level of luxury rarely found in other parts of the world. Monaco's close proximity to Italy and France also makes for a fun game of where to have dinner on any given night. And then of course, there's the Grace Kelly allure...

Watch: 72 Hours in Monaco

Olivia Fleming is the former Features Director at HarpersBAZAAR.com. Born in New Zealand, Olivia was raised with two basic beliefs: That deep respect for the earth is a given, and women are imperative to leading a successful, progressive country (two female prime ministers took office during her childhood). But after moving to New York in 2008, she quickly realized that her status quo was at odds with the rest of the world. In an effort to change that—and to legitimize women's duel interest in fashion, politics, and human rights—Olivia focuses on female storytelling. From long-form features and ambitious packages, to new podcast initiatives that elevate the magazine's content mix across platforms, she champions the stories no-one else is telling.

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