Monaco is the world’s second-smallest country, and the entire principality covers roughly two square kilometres. Even so, deciding where to stay in Monaco makes a real difference: staying by Casino Square in Monte-Carlo is very different from staying down by the harbour in La Condamine, or just over the border in French Beausoleil, where prices drop noticeably.
Hotels in Monaco are expensive, and it’s only fair to say so from the start. But if you pick the right area, you can stay somewhere nice and get the most out of your money. Here are my six suggestions for where to stay in Monaco, with specific hotels in several price ranges and honest words about what isn’t worth the money.
Contents
The Best Areas to Stay in Monaco
- Monte-Carlo - best area for luxury and first-time visitors with a big budget
- Larvotto - best area for the beach and families
- La Condamine, Port Hercule & Monaco-Ville - best area for sightseeing and local atmosphere
- Fontvieille - best area for families and more moderate prices
- Beausoleil - best area for budget travellers close to the Casino
- Moneghetti & Jardin Exotique - best area for budget travellers close to the railway station
Below, I go through the areas one by one with maps, distances, transport and my hotel suggestions in three price ranges. I searched prices for a weekend in June for two adults sharing a room, and all amounts are approximate prices per night, so you can compare the areas on an equal footing.
1. Monte-Carlo - best area for luxury and first-time visitors with a big budget 🎰
- 📍 Distance to the centre: You’re staying in what most people associate with Monaco: Place du Casino, Hôtel de Paris and Café de Paris. From here it’s about a 10-minute walk down to the harbour and a quarter of an hour to the beach in Larvotto.
- 🚌 Transport: Several of Monaco’s CAM buses stop at the Casino. A single journey costs €1.50 (around £1.25) with a card or the app and €2 (around £1.70) from the driver, and a day pass costs €5.50 (around £4.60).
- ✈️ Time from Nice Airport: About 45 to 55 minutes on express bus 80 (Zou), which stops at the Casino. A ticket costs €21.40 (around £18), a little more if you buy it from the driver. If you’re starting your holiday in Nice, I also have a guide on how to get from Nice Airport to the city centre.
- 💰 Price level: €€€€. The three hotels below cost roughly £460 to £800 per night when I searched for a weekend in June, and “budget” is a very relative term here.
- 👮 Safety: Monaco is one of the safest places in the world, with CCTV cameras everywhere and police on the streets. You can safely walk home from the casino in the middle of the night.
Monte-Carlo is the neighbourhood around Place du Casino, where the Casino de Monte-Carlo has drawn gamblers and the curious since 1863. The square is framed by Hôtel de Paris, Café de Paris and the Jardins du Casino, and this is where the supercars queue up to be seen. Both the casino and the grand hotels are owned by Société des Bains de Mer, so it all fits together like one big resort. If you want to go into the gaming rooms in the evening, there’s an entrance fee (about €20, around £17), and you’ll need to bring your passport and be smartly dressed. Behind the square are the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, the Métropole shopping centre and Boulevard des Moulins with the city’s most expensive shops.
I’d stay here if it’s your first trip to Monaco and you want the full glamour package, with morning coffee at Café de Paris and the Formula 1 circuit right outside the door. The most iconic choice is Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo right on the square, and its little sister Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo is just around the corner. Neither had rooms available on my dates, so my three suggestions below are the ones you could actually book.
See hotels in Monte-Carlo here.
The downside is the price, and there’s no getting around it. Even a perfectly ordinary chain hotel here costs what a five-star hotel costs in many other European cities, and the restaurants around the square follow suit. Monte-Carlo isn’t much fun if you have to count every euro either: you’ll end up paying a lot to stay and eating badly. If you don’t have a big budget, look at Beausoleil or Moneghetti further down the guide and walk down to Casino Square instead.
Hotels in Monte-Carlo
Hôtel Métropole Monte-Carlo - five-star palace with Spa Guerlain two minutes from the Casino
The Métropole is on Avenue de la Madone just behind Casino Square and is the most expensive of my suggestions in Monaco. The hotel has a heated outdoor pool, Spa Guerlain, several restaurants and an atmosphere that’s more discreet than the neighbouring hotels on the square. On the other hand, a weekend in June costs over £780 per night, and the mood is more formal than festive, so it’s not the place if you want a lively scene around you.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “Everything. Most of all the fantastic staff. From the people who park the car, to the lovely restaurant and bar staff, to the concierge and those who clean the rooms.”
See photos and book Hôtel Métropole Monte-Carlo here.
Fairmont Monte Carlo - large hotel built out over the sea with a rooftop pool and the Formula 1 hairpin beneath the balconies
The Fairmont is on Avenue des Spélugues below Casino Square, and the famous hairpin on the Formula 1 circuit is named after the hotel. There’s a rooftop pool with sea views, a spa, several restaurants and bars, and the hotel is so big that it feels more like a resort than a city hotel. Several guests mention that this also means queues at reception when lots of people check out at the same time.
From one review: “The hotel is luxurious and the location is fantastic. The staff are wonderful, and the room was luxurious.”
See photos and book Fairmont Monte Carlo here.
Novotel Monte-Carlo - the “cheap” chain hotel with a pool right by the railway station
The Novotel is on Boulevard Princesse Charlotte at the western end of Monte-Carlo, right above Monaco-Monte-Carlo station and about a 10-minute walk from Casino Square. You get an outdoor pool, a gym, a sauna and family rooms, and it’s the closest Monte-Carlo gets to a sensibly priced hotel. Several guests do mention that the rooms could do with a refresh, though, and over £440 per night in June is still a lot of money for a Novotel.
One guest highlights: “The staff are what make this hotel, they are exceptional.”
See photos and book Novotel Monte-Carlo here.
2. Larvotto - best area for the beach and families 🏖️
- 📍 Distance to the centre: Larvotto is Monaco’s easternmost district. Along Avenue Princesse Grace, it’s a 15-minute walk to Casino Square and about half an hour to the harbour and the Rock.
- 🚌 Transport: CAM buses stop along Avenue Princesse Grace and take you to the Casino and the railway station in just a few minutes, so you don’t have to trudge uphill with your beach bags.
- ✈️ Time from Nice Airport: About an hour on express bus 80, which on some departures runs all the way out to Larvotto. If you’re in a hurry and have the budget, Monacair’s helicopter makes the trip in about 7 minutes from €195 (around £165) per person, including a chauffeur on to your hotel in Monaco.
- 💰 Price level: €€€ to €€€€. The three places below cost roughly £180 to £640 a night when I searched for a weekend in June, and the cheapest one is up the hill on the French side.
- 👮 Safety: Completely safe, including on the promenade in the evening. Keep an eye on your belongings on the beach, as you would anywhere on the Mediterranean.
Larvotto is Monaco’s beach district. The beach and promenade were completely rebuilt with Renzo Piano as architect, and today there’s a wide, landscaped shingle beach, a long promenade with restaurants and shops, public showers and a section with disabled access. There’s both a free public beach and paid beach clubs with sunloungers, so you can choose to suit your mood and budget. Just west of the beach lies the new district of Mareterra, built out into the sea, with a waterfront promenade linking Larvotto to the Casino area, so you can walk the whole way without crossing a busy road. Behind the beach you’ll find the Grimaldi Forum conference centre, the Japanese Garden and the Villa Sauber art museum, and out on the peninsula at the end of the bay sits Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort with its sandy-bottomed lagoon, although it had no rooms available on my dates.
I’d stay here with children, or if you want to combine Monaco with proper beach days. You can walk straight from your hotel into the water in the morning, take the bus up to the Casino in the afternoon and have dinner on the promenade, without anyone having to climb a hill. The beach is also sheltered by a breakwater, so the water is calm and child-friendly.
The downside is the choice. Avenue Princesse Grace is counted among the most expensive addresses in the world, and there are only two actual hotels in the district, so the rest of what’s on offer is apartments. You’re also furthest from Monaco-Ville and the harbour, and in the evening Larvotto is quieter than the rest of Monaco. That’s a plus for families and a minus if you want buzz around you until late.
Hotels in Larvotto
Maison Blanc - apartment with a terrace right on Boulevard du Larvotto by the beach
Maison Blanc is a seafront apartment with a terrace, and you get access to a private beach area. It’s the choice for you if you want more space than a hotel room and your own kitchen for breakfast with a sea view. The downside is that the price matches a luxury hotel without the reception and service, the place has only a few reviews so far, and guests have experienced construction noise from the street during the day.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “Absolutely perfect location, great view, easy booking and access, friendly owner and efficient staff.”
See photos and book Maison Blanc here.
Le Méridien Beach Plaza - four-star beach hotel with its own beach area and two pools
Le Méridien sits on Avenue Princesse Grace with direct access to its own beach area, and there’s both an outdoor and an indoor pool, so the children can swim whatever the weather. The rooms are modern, and many have sea views. Guests mention that room service is expensive, and the hotel is large, so don’t expect a boutique feel.
From a review: “The place was beautiful, the beach was amazing. The staff were good. The kids loved the pool and the indoor pool.”
See photos and book Le Méridien Beach Plaza here.
Riviera Home - budget apartment with free parking up the hill above the beach
Riviera Home is on Boulevard Guynemer in Beausoleil, just over the border and a fair way up the hill behind Larvotto, so you walk down to the beach in around 10 minutes and take rather longer coming back up. The apartment has a terrace, air conditioning and free underground parking, which is a rare luxury this close to Monaco. Guests mention that the car lift in the car park plays up now and then.
One guest highlights: “Clean and comfortable apartment in a good location, not far from the beach and the centre.”
See photos and book Riviera Home here.
3. La Condamine, Port Hercule & Monaco-Ville - best area for sightseeing and local atmosphere ⚓
- 📍 Distance to the centre: You’re staying between the harbour and the Rock, so the Prince’s Palace is a 5 to 10-minute walk up the ramp, and Casino Square is about 10 minutes away on the other side of the harbour.
- 🚆 Transport: Monaco-Monte-Carlo station sits at the top of La Condamine, with lifts down towards the harbour. The TER train from Nice-Ville takes around 22 to 25 minutes and costs from about 6 to 7 euros (around £5 to £6).
- ✈️ Time from Nice Airport: Allow just over an hour by tram 2 from the airport to Grand Arénas or Jean Médecin, then the TER train on to Monaco-Monte-Carlo. Taxis charge a fixed fare of 95 euros (around £80).
- 💰 Price level: €€ to €€€€. Hôtel de France was around £170 a night when I searched for a weekend in June. Port Palace and Miramar had no rooms available on those dates, but on a weekend outside peak season they were around £280 to £325 a night, and you should expect to pay more in the summer months.
- 👮 Safety: Safe around the clock. The market square is full of life during the day and quiet in the evening, and up on the Rock it’s almost deserted once the day-trippers have gone home.
La Condamine is the closest Monaco gets to an ordinary neighbourhood. Here you’ll find Marché de la Condamine on Place d’Armes with its stalls and food hall, the largely pedestrianised Rue Princesse Caroline and Rue Grimaldi lined with cafés and shops, and down by the water, Port Hercule with its superyachts moored side by side. Boulevard Albert 1er along the harbour is the start-finish straight of the Formula 1 circuit, and the outdoor swimming stadium by the harbour becomes an ice rink in winter. From Place d’Armes, Rampe Major leads up to Monaco-Ville, the Old Town on the Rock, Le Rocher.
Up on the Rock stands the Prince’s Palace, where the changing of the guard takes place every day at 11.55, and where the State Apartments can be visited from late March to mid-October for 13 euros (around £11). A few steps away are the cathedral with Grace Kelly’s grave and the Musée océanographique, opened by Prince Albert I in 1910, where adults pay 22.50 euros (around £19). If you’d like the stories behind it all, you can join a guided tour of Monaco with a licensed guide, covering the palace, the museum and the harbour in two hours.
See hotels by Port Hercule and La Condamine here.
I’d stay here if you want to see Monaco as more than casinos and shops, and if you’re arriving by train. The downside is that there are no hotels up on the Rock itself, so you’ll be staying at its foot, and the choice by the harbour is small: two hotels with harbour views and a single budget hotel. Monaco-Ville is also packed with cruise ship day-trippers in the middle of the day, so head up early or late in the afternoon, when you’ll have the narrow streets and the view from Jardins Saint-Martin almost to yourself.
Hotels by Port Hercule and La Condamine
Port Palace - boutique hotel right on the waterfront facing the yachts in Port Hercule
Port Palace is on Avenue John F. Kennedy with the harbour right outside the windows, and it’s the place to stay if you want to wake up to views of the superyachts and the Formula 1 circuit. It’s a four-star hotel with a bar, room service and one of the highest guest ratings in Monaco, and it’s less than a 10-minute walk from both the station and Casino Square. Guests mention that the showers in the standard rooms are small.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “The location and the view from the room were AMAZING.”
See photos and book Port Palace here.
Boutique Hotel Miramar - small hotel with a restaurant and harbour views at the end of the quay
Miramar is on Avenue John F. Kennedy, a couple of hundred metres from Port Palace, and is a small hotel with a restaurant, a bar and rooms overlooking the harbour. It’s less polished than its neighbour, but you get the same location for a bit less. Guests mention that there’s limited space for hanging clothes in the rooms.
From one review: “The location and the staff were very friendly and helpful. The room was fantastic, comfortable and with a lovely shower.”
See photos and book Boutique Hotel Miramar here.
Hôtel de France - Monaco’s cheapest hotel, right at the foot of the Rock
Hôtel de France is on Rue de la Turbie, a small side street off Place d’Armes, and is the only hotel in Monaco proper I could find for around £170 a night in June. It’s a two-star hotel with small, simple rooms, air conditioning and a 24-hour reception, and the market, the harbour and the ramp up to the palace are all within a two-minute walk. Several guests mention that it can be noisy, both from the street and from neighbouring rooms.
One guest highlights: “Good value for money, good location.”
See photos and book Hôtel de France here.
4. Fontvieille - best area for families and lower prices 🚤
- 📍 Distance to the centre: Fontvieille lies west of the Rock. It’s about a 10-minute walk to Monaco-Ville, a quarter of an hour to the harbour and the market, and 20 to 25 minutes to Casino Square, mostly uphill.
- 🚌 Transport: CAM buses run from Fontvieille to the railway station and the Casino in around a quarter of an hour, and Monaco’s heliport is in the district if you’re arriving by helicopter from Nice.
- ✈️ Time from Nice airport: About an hour by tram and train to Monaco-Monte-Carlo, then a bus or a 20-minute walk. With Monacair’s helicopter, you land right in Fontvieille after a flight of about 7 minutes.
- 💰 Price level: €€ to €€€. The three hotels below were around £200 to £390 a night when I searched for a weekend in June, and the two cheapest are just over the border in Cap d’Ail.
- 👮 Safety: A quiet residential area where not much happens after 10pm. Safe for families with children.
Fontvieille is the newest of Monaco’s districts, built on land reclaimed from the sea from the 1970s onwards. It’s a planned neighbourhood with wide pavements, a marina, a large shopping centre with a supermarket and Stade Louis II, where the football club AS Monaco plays its home matches. You’ll also find the Roseraie Princesse Grace rose garden, the Chapiteau de Fontvieille circus tent and the heliport where helicopters from Nice land. Everything is newer, cleaner and more peaceful than in Monte-Carlo, but also less charming.
I’d stay here with children if Larvotto is too expensive. Prices are lower, the supermarket makes it easy to keep your food budget down, and the Rock with the palace and the Musée océanographique is right above you. Below the Rock on the Fontvieille side is the small zoo Jardin Animalier, and the park has playgrounds and plenty of room to run around. Fontvieille is also the easiest district to reach by car, as it sits right by the approach road from Cap d’Ail and has several large car parks. On the border with Cap d’Ail, a five-minute walk from Fontvieille’s harbour, there are also two hotels with pools and the small pebble beach Plage Marquet, a quiet alternative to Larvotto.
See hotels in Fontvieille here.
The downside is the atmosphere, or rather the lack of it. Fontvieille is modern blocks of flats and offices, and it’s quiet in the evenings. You’re also furthest from Casino Square and Larvotto, and getting there means either a bus or an uphill walk. If you choose one of the two hotels by the border, remember that you’re technically staying in France, even though Monaco starts on the other side of the road.
Hotels in Fontvieille
Columbus Hotel Monte-Carlo, Curio Collection by Hilton - Fontvieille’s only hotel, with a pool and views of the rose garden
Columbus is on Avenue des Papalins opposite the Roseraie Princesse Grace and is the only proper hotel within Fontvieille itself. There’s a seasonal outdoor pool, a restaurant, a bar and a gym, and the rooms are quiet with views of the garden or the sea. The pool is only open in season, and you’ll need to take the bus or face a good walk every time you want to go up to Casino Square.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “We really enjoyed our stay at this hotel. It was calm and quiet with a beautiful view from the window.”
See photos and book Columbus Hotel Monte-Carlo here.
Riviera Marriott Hotel La Porte de Monaco - four-star chain hotel with a pool right on the border with Fontvieille
The Marriott is on Avenue du Port in Cap d’Ail, but literally at Monaco’s border, so you can walk into Fontvieille in five minutes. The hotel has an outdoor pool with a bar, a restaurant, a gym and family rooms, and it’s one of the few places around Monaco where you get four-star standards for under £340 in June. Guests mention that the rooms are worn in places, and Wi-Fi may cost extra.
From a review: “Fantastic shower. High-quality bedding. Nice touch with bathrobes, slippers and free water (replaced daily). The welcome bottle of wine and chocolates was also a nice touch.”
See photos and book Riviera Marriott Hotel La Porte de Monaco here.
Résidence Cap Winston - aparthotel by Cap d’Ail’s marina with sea-facing balconies
Cap Winston is at Port de Cap-d’Ail, less than a 10-minute walk from Fontvieille, and is a four-star aparthotel with a 24-hour reception, a bar and apartments with a balcony and a small kitchen. You’re right on the waterfront and a few minutes from Plage Marquet, and it’s the cheapest of my suggestions here. Guests mention that parking costs extra, and you’ll rely on the bus or your own two feet to get into Monaco.
One guest highlights: “The location was really good, the room felt clean and simple, the balcony outside is a nice touch, all in all a lovely place to stay.”
See photos and book Résidence Cap Winston here.
5. Beausoleil - best area for budget travellers close to the Casino 💶
- 📍 Distance to the centre: Beausoleil sits just over the border in France, and the lower boulevards are a five to ten-minute walk from Casino Square, downhill on the way there and uphill on the way back.
- 🚌 Transport: Monaco’s CAM buses stop a few minutes’ walk away on the Monaco side, and Monaco’s 79 public lifts, 35 escalators and 8 moving walkways take care of a good chunk of the climb for you, completely free.
- ✈️ Time from Nice Airport: About an hour: express bus 80 to the Casino and then up the steps, or the train to Monaco-Monte-Carlo and a bus or a walk from there.
- 💰 Price level: €€. The three places below came in at around £170 to £235 a night when I searched for a weekend in June, roughly a third of the prices on the other side of the street.
- 👮 Safety: Safe, but less polished than Monaco. The streets are quiet in the evening and some of the upper neighbourhoods are a bit run-down, so stay on the lower boulevards.
Beausoleil is the French town clinging to the hillside just behind Monte-Carlo. The border follows the street: along Boulevard du Général Leclerc, one side of the road is France and the other is Monaco. That means you can stay in a French hotel, buy croissants at French prices from the bakery in the morning and still be standing on Casino Square ten minutes later. The town has its own cafés, supermarkets and a covered market, and it feels far more everyday than its neighbour. There’s some Belle Époque glamour here too, as the former luxury hotel Riviera Palace, with its grand winter garden, is in Beausoleil, although today it has been divided into flats.
I’d stay here if you want to experience Monaco without paying Monaco prices for your bed. The hotels on Boulevard du Général Leclerc are only a couple of hundred metres from the Casino, and several of them have parking, which is worth its weight in gold if you’re touring the Riviera in a hire car. You won’t get a pool or a concierge, but you will be able to afford a good dinner down in Monaco.
See hotels in Beausoleil here.
The downside is the hills. Beausoleil is built in tiers up the mountainside with steps in between, and the higher you go, the more you lose the advantage of staying close by. So always check the address before you book: Boulevard du Général Leclerc, Boulevard de la République and Avenue du Général de Gaulle are at the bottom and closest to the border, while anything up around the Moyenne Corniche needs a car or strong legs. Also bear in mind that technically you’ll be staying in France, so the hotel’s address and postcode are French.
Hotels in Beausoleil
Monaco Central 1 bedroom appartement - spacious flat with parking on Boulevard de la République
The flat is on Boulevard de la République, a couple of minutes’ walk from the border and the Casino, and it has a bedroom, living room, kitchen, air conditioning and underground parking. It’s the priciest of my picks in Beausoleil, but there’s room for a small family, and guests praise how it looks exactly like the photos. According to guests, the sofa bed in the living room isn’t great, so plan on the bedroom for two and the sofa for a child.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “It’s exactly like the pictures. It’s a beautiful flat and so spacious.”
See photos and book Monaco Central 1 bedroom appartement here.
Hotel La Tonkine ex Olympia - three-star hotel with soundproofed rooms a couple of hundred metres from the Casino
La Tonkine, which many people still know as Hotel Olympia, is on Boulevard du Général Leclerc in the lower part of Beausoleil, and it’s one of the best-rated hotels on the French side, scoring 8.9 from over a thousand reviews. The rooms are soundproofed and air-conditioned, there’s a bar, family rooms and an underground car park, and you can have breakfast in your room. Guests mention that the carpets could do with replacing.
From one review: “Fantastic location, the staff were super friendly and helpful, the room was comfortable, nothing bad to say about this place.”
See photos and book Hotel La Tonkine ex Olympia here.
Hotel Capitole - the cheap, simple hotel around 300 metres from Casino Square
Capitole is next door to La Tonkine on Boulevard du Général Leclerc and is the cheapest of my picks this close to the Casino. It’s a simple three-star hotel with air conditioning, a lift, family rooms and an underground car park, and reception is open 24 hours. The rooms are basic, and guests mention there could be more plug sockets.
One guest highlights: “The location is perfect. The parking is close to the hotel and the centre. The staff are friendly.”
See photos and book Hotel Capitole here.
6. Moneghetti & Jardin Exotique - best area for budget travellers near the station 🌵
- 📍 Distance to the centre: You’re staying on the hillside above the station. It’s a 10 to 15-minute walk down to Place d’Armes and the harbour and around 20 minutes to Casino Square.
- 🚌 Transport: Monaco-Monte-Carlo station is just below, CAM buses run through the neighbourhood, and public lifts and escalators take care of most of the journey down to La Condamine.
- ✈️ Time from Nice Airport: Around an hour by tram and TER train to Monaco-Monte-Carlo, and then you’re almost there. It’s the easiest area to reach by public transport.
- 💰 Price level: €€. The three places below came to around £180 to £215 per night when I searched for a weekend in June, which makes them the lowest prices in the whole guide.
- 👮 Safety: A quiet residential area with families and commuters. Safe, but quiet and dark on the stairways in the evening.
Moneghetti is the hillside between the station and the French border, where Monaco climbs the rock in terraces of boulevards. The area’s big attraction is the Jardin Exotique, the exotic garden with thousands of cacti and succulents clinging to the cliff edge, with views over the whole principality and Fontvieille. Admission costs 12 euros (around £10) for adults, and the ticket includes the Grotte de l’Observatoire cave beneath the garden. Right next door you’ll find the Villa Paloma art museum and Princesse Antoinette park with a playground and mini golf, which are handy cards to have up your sleeve with children. The view from Boulevard du Jardin Exotique down over the Rock, Port Hercule and Fontvieille is also one of the best in Monaco, and it’s free.
I’d stay here if you’re arriving by train and want the lowest prices around Monaco without staying far away. The accommodation is around Place des Moneghetti right by the border, so the hotel and apartments below have French addresses in Beausoleil, even though Monaco starts just a few metres away. The station is a few hundred metres below, and from there you’re at the harbour and the market in ten minutes.
See hotels near Moneghetti and Jardin Exotique here.
The downside is that there’s nothing to do in the neighbourhood after dark, and everything is uphill or downhill. Lifts and escalators help on the way down, but the walk home in the evening is still uphill, and the choice of restaurants is small. It’s also not the place if you dream of Monaco with views of yachts: here you look out over rooftops and mountains, and you’ll need to head down to the harbour for the glamour.
Hotels near Moneghetti and Jardin Exotique
Alfred Hotels Monaco - boutique hotel with a rooftop terrace and restaurant on Place des Moneghetti
Alfred Hotels Monaco is right on Place des Moneghetti and is the highest-rated hotel in the whole guide, with a score above 9 on Booking.com. The rooms are soundproofed and modern, there’s a restaurant and bar with a rooftop terrace, and the breakfast gets praised again and again. The hotel has no parking, and guests mention that the view from some of the rooms is nothing special.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “The staff, especially Alex and the lady who looked after us at breakfast.”
See photos and book Alfred Hotels Monaco here.
Spacieux Studio Haut Plafond Proche Monaco - large studio with high ceilings around 400 metres from the station
The studio is on Rue des Martyrs de la Résistance just behind Place des Moneghetti and has air conditioning, a small kitchen, luggage storage and the option of parking and airport transfers for a fee. With over a hundred reviews and a score of 8.6, it’s a safe choice among the apartments in the area. Guests mention that there are no blackout curtains, so bring an eye mask.
From a review: “I loved my stay! The place was very cosy, spotlessly clean and had everything I needed.”
See photos and book Spacieux Studio Haut Plafond Proche Monaco here.
Charmant Studio Rénové 150m de Monaco - the cheapest option: a small, newly renovated studio by the border
The studio is on the same street as the one above, but it’s smaller and therefore cheaper. You get air conditioning, soundproofing, a small kitchen and the option of parking for a fee, and you’re less than a 15-minute walk from the station. Guests mention that the kitchen is sparsely equipped, so it’s for coffee and breakfast rather than proper cooking.
One guest highlights: “Fantastic apartment in a great location. Very comfortable.”
See photos and book Charmant Studio Rénové 150m de Monaco here.
Where not to stay in Monaco
Don’t book anything high up in Beausoleil or in the hilltop village of La Turbie without a car. The difference in height is several hundred metres, and buses are infrequent in the evening. If you still want to stay up high for the views, take a look at car hire on Booking.com. Also avoid central Cap d’Ail, Èze and Menton if you want to be in Monaco in the evening: trains and buses thin out late in the day, and a taxi back can easily cost as much as a night in Beausoleil.
The most important warning is about the calendar. During Grand Prix week at the end of May or the start of June, virtually everything is sold out, the last rooms cost several times the normal price, and the streets along the circuit are blocked by grandstands. If you’re not going to watch the race, stay away that week. And don’t stay in Monte-Carlo without a big budget: you’ll be paying for the address and won’t be able to afford to make the most of it.
If it’s your first trip to Monaco and you have the money, I’d stay in Monte-Carlo and get the full experience. If you’re travelling with children, Larvotto is the easy choice and Fontvieille the sensible one. If you want to see Monaco as more than glamour, the harbour and the Rock in La Condamine are the place, and if you’re arriving by train and want to save money, Beausoleil and Moneghetti are the two areas where you get the most for your money without compromising on location.
Many people combine Monaco with a few days in Nice, which is only a short train ride away, so my guide to where to stay in Nice and my list of things to do in Nice can help you plan the next leg. If you have a car and more time, this is also where the journey west towards the lavender fields begins, and you can find inspiration in my guide to where to stay in Provence.
Travel ressources & websites I use all the time 👇
• Booking.com has the best offers on hotels and unique places to stay
• GetYourGuide is the best place to book tours & activities with free cancellation
• Welcome Pickups is the best & safest place to pre-book airport transfers
Psst 👀 Have you subscribed to my Youtube channel and my Instagram where I provide more useful travel tips?