The Vibe: A legendary hotel that is still up to date.

The Area: Just of the Place du Casino, down a herringbone-brick driveway dotted with jasmine and orchid trees.

The DNA: The Belle Époque Hotel Metropole – with a rich history of prolific guests – oozes independent luxury: jasmine-strewn landscaped gardens, a discreetly luxurious lobby with flower compositions that feel more like dramatic art installations than flower displays, a pool area designed by Karl Lagerfeld, a Givenchy spa designed by Didier Gomez, plus two 2-Michelin starred restaurants, one by Joël Robuchon and the Japanese restaurant Yoshi. This is one of the world’s great hotels.

Suite-Me-Up: Located on the top floor, the Suite Carré d’Or offers a show-stopping 110m² terrace with unobstructed views over Monte-Carlo and the Main Square of the Principality. Complementing the honey-coloured parquet floors, ornate Louis XVI furniture and floor-to-ceiling windows that provide abundant natural light, the newly-designed, delicate ivory wallcoverings by Pierre Frey incorporate tones of pinks, light blues and greens, lilacs and crimsons.

Accolades: Condé Nast Reader Choice Awards 2018: #1 best hotel France & Monaco, #4 best hotel Europe

✅ free Wi-Fi • size matters: 125 rooms & suites • hotel opened: 1886 • interior design: Jacques Garcia, Didier Gomez (spa), Karl Lagerfeld (pool) • bathroom amenities: Hermès • on-site parking (charged) • pets allowed on request • 24-hour front desk • wheelchair accessible