Hotel Review: Le Méridien Beach Plaza Monaco
Monaco is known as the Billionaire’s Playground. Hosting the Monaco Yacht Show and the Monaco Grand Prix, Monaco is one of the smallest and densest countries in the world, and one in three residents is a millionaire. You can easily spot rare sportscars, and almost all ultra-luxury brands are available for shopping. Monaco is full of luxury hotels to match the country’s lavish wealth. Marriott has two properties in Monaco: Riviera Marriott Hotel La Porte de Monaco and Le Méridien Beach Plaza. When deciding between the two, we ultimately chose Le Méridien Beach Plaza because of its proximity to the Monte Carlo Casino, and the Riviera Marriott Hotel was technically located in France, just 10 meters from the border of Monaco. Overall, we were pleased with our choice, and we wish we had stayed longer to fully experience everything the hotel offered. Here is my review of Le Méridien Beach Plaza Monaco:
Le Méridien Beach Plaza greets you with love, and it is located at 22 Av. Princesse Grâce, 98000 Monaco.
What Card(s) Should You Use to Book?
I earn tons of Marriott Bonvoy points by using my American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card. It currently offers a sign-up bonus of 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $5,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. The card earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 3X points on dining and flights booked directly with airlines, and 2X on all other purchases. Paired with Marriott’s promotions and AMEX offers, it opens doors to endless points-earning opportunities.
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card comes with great benefits that can substantially offset its annual fee.
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card does come with a hefty $650 annual fee but offers tons of perks to significantly offset its costs. The card features the following benefits:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status
$25 monthly dining credit—$300 total in a year
$100 property credit when booked directly with Marriott and staying a minimum of two nights at Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis properties
An 85,000-point Free Night Award
Access to Priority Pass lounges
25 Elite Night Credits for chasing Marriott Bonvoy status
Even if you don’t stay at Marriott properties often, this card is still a must-have, in my opinion. It’s a true example of a keeper card that offers benefits that outweigh the annual fee.
If you’d like to apply for the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! Click HERE to access my referral link!
If you are looking for a Marriott Bonvoy credit card with a low annual fee, consider the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card. It currently offers a sign-up bonus of three Free Night Awards after spending $1,000 in three months, each covering up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. I personally value Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.8 cents each, making the 105,000 points offer worth $840. The Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card earns 6X points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 3X points on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases every year on dining, grocery stores, and gas stations, and 2X points on all other purchases.
Be aware that 15 elite night credits from the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card can’t be combined with 15 elite night credits from the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card.
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card’s annual fee is $95, and it offers useful perks to offset the cost:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, the low-tier status offered in Marriott’s member ecosystem
A 35,000-point Free Night Award
15 Elite Night Credits that will help you achieve a higher Marriott Bonvoy status
Please note that you can’t combine Elite Night Credits from two Marriott Bonvoy personal credit cards, but you can stack Elite Night Credits from one personal and one Marriott Bonvoy business card. Thus, if you own both AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant and Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless, you would only earn 25 elite night credits.
If you’d like to apply for the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you!
The last Marriott Bonvoy credit card you could use would be the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card. It currently offers a sign-up bonus of 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $5,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. Considering that the annual membership costs $125, you get paid to have the card! The card earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 4X points on dining, U.S. shipping purchases, U.S. wireless telephone services, and at U.S. gas stations. All other purchases earn 2X points.
The Marriott Bonvoy Business Card is the only Marriott business card on the market.
The AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card’s annual fee is $125, and it offers valuable benefits to justify the cost:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, the low-tier status offered in Marriott’s member ecosystem
A 35,000-point Free Night Award
15 Elite Night Credits, which can be combined with 15 Elite Night Credits from other personal Marriott Bonvoy credit cards
As you can see, the card’s benefits are less substantial than the ones from the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, but it is a great long-term keeper card due to its annual Free Night Award perk. Furthermore, it is absolutely necessary if you want to chase a higher Marriott Bonvoy status because it is the only Marriott business card that is on the market and will grant you an additional 15 Elite Night Credits. Lastly, even though it is a business credit card, it is very likely that you could get it approved. Check out my article on how to apply for a business credit card as a sole proprietor.
If you’d like to apply for the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! Click HERE to access my referral link!
Location
Le Méridien Beach Plaza belongs to the Monte-Carlo district and is one of the few hotels positioned along the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. It is about a five-minute car ride from major cultural attractions in Monaco, including Casino de Monte-Carlo, Palais Princier de Monaco, Musée Océanographique de Monaco, and many more. The highlight of the hotel’s location is that it’s the only hotel in Monaco with a private beach. When Monaco is booming with guests in the summer, the private beach will be a godsend for hotel guests.
Lobby & Check-In Review
When we arrived at Le Méridien Beach Plaza, a selection of luxury cars were parked outside the hotel, reminding us that we were indeed in Monaco. Unlike in France, it was mandatory to wear a mask indoors, and it was strongly regulated at the hotel. Le Méridien Hub was at the center of the lobby. Compared to other Le Méridien Hubs I’ve been to in either Houston or Denver, the Hub in Monaco seemed quite rudimentary.
The Le Méridien Hub was more casual and blended in with the surrounding atmosphere seamlessly.
The lobby was full of art installations and paintings. Most of the paintings were by an American artist Kaitlin Kraemer. Her exhibition in the lobby displayed interesting abstract oil paintings and copper art, and most of them were on sale for thousands of dollars.
I love when a bland hotel lobby turns into a free art gallery.
The property sold other Le Méridien-themed souvenirs as well.
If you can’t afford to buy one of the paintings by Kaitlin Kraemer, you can pick up a tiny stuffed bear with a Le Méridien t-shirt on.
The ground floor was home to Muse Restaurant, where you could enjoy Mediterranean cuisine while enjoying views of Monaco Bay. Muse Restaurant only opens during the summer months, so it was closed during my visit.
The outdoor dining setting at Le Méridien Beach Plaza Monaco was gorgeous.
However, the indoor restaurant on the ground floor, L’Intempo Restaurant, was open, and you could have an upscaling dining experience without leaving the hotel.
Because it was still chilly outside, most guests opted for indoor dining.
Directly across from Muse Restaurant, Le Méridien’s signature Longitude 7°26' bar was available for guests to lounge around and relax while sipping on cocktails. I wish the hotel had put the bar on the top of the hotel so guests could take advantage of the sweeping views of the sea, but I appreciated that the bar had outdoor seating available at least.
The bar offered both indoor and outdoor settings.
After browsing art installations, I checked in at the front desk, and the front desk agent informed me that my Suite Night Award was accepted.
The check-in process was smooth, and I was upgraded to a suite with my Suite Night Award.
Before we went up to the suite, we stopped by the concierge desk to book a ride back to Nice tomorrow. We originally took an Uber from Nice, France, and if you were planning on taking an Uber back to France, you would need to arrange a taxi, as Uber does not operate in Monaco.
If you need transportation to neighboring cities, use the concierge desk! Highly recommended.
Monaco has plenty of taxi services, but some vendors required pre-payment, and I didn’t feel comfortable with it. The limo service booked by the concierge desk was 150 euros, and even though it was about 40 euros more expensive than other service providers, we chose it since we would pay at the end of the ride. The driver was kind and professional, and the car was a Mercedes-Benz S-class sedan, making the ride extremely comfortable. After booking our limo service, we went up to the 11th floor, where our suite was located.
Living Room Review
As soon as I entered the room, I was immediately greeted with an open view of the Mediterranean Sea.
The view from the living room was fantastic.
The living room had floor-to-ceiling windows, and you could see Monaco and the sea very well from the inside and the balcony if you would like to soak up some sun simultaneously.
The balcony was spacious enough to fit additional chairs from the living room if needed.
The balcony had a small coffee table and lounge chairs, a perfect spot to enjoy coffee during the day.
Enjoy a cup of coffee or a glass of wine overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
The living room was carpeted and furnished with a modern couch that could easily fit three young adults at once. Since the living space primarily used neutral colors, the mustard-colored throw pillow added vibrancy to the room.
The living room was minimalistic with touches of bright colors and contemporary furniture.
We found a welcome amenity on the coffee table in the middle of the room. It was a demi bottle of provencal wine along with bread and olive tapenade. The food paired with the wine very well, and it was such a kind gesture from the hotel.
The welcome amenity was delicious, and the wine paired well with the olive tapenade.
Across from the couch, a wall-mounted TV and a small work desk were positioned in the corner of the room.
The desk chair was slightly lower than my preference, but at least the hotel standardized the furniture.
The living room was separated from the bedroom by thick sliding doors so enjoying entertainment independently wouldn’t have been a problem. The biggest disappointment with the suite was the refreshment stand. It had typical in-room snacks for purchase, and the mini-fridge was stocked with only water, soda, and beer.
The mini-fridge only contained non-alcoholic beverages.
However, I couldn’t locate a coffee machine; all I could find was Nescafé instant coffee and a water heater. I was surprised to see that one of the best rooms in the hotel didn’t have a nice coffee machine, but I remembered that I had a similar experience when I stayed at Le Dokhan’s in Paris, France.
Perhaps my expectation was too high for a hotel in Monaco.
Luckily, the coffee wasn’t as bad as I thought, but I wish the hotel supplied more than two sticks for the entire suite. Aside from my peculiar obsession with an in-room coffee machine, the living room was excellent. The balcony truly brought the outside in, and I loved how open the living room was.
Bedroom Review
The bedroom could be entirely separated from the living room by shutting wooden sliding doors. They were sturdy and closed without much gap, effectively isolating light and sound from the living room.
The sliding doors completely isolated noise and light from the living room.
The bedroom featured a king-sized bed with a minimalistic gray fabric headboard, and the accent wall against the bed presented abstract patterned art.
The bedroom was modern and simple, but it also had a private balcony which significantly elevated the stay.
There were small nightstands on each side of the bed and hanging lights from the ceiling. Nonetheless, the lights were asymmetrical as the right side had one more light pendant, and I wish they had created uniform aesthetics by at least having two white floating nightstands.
With plenty of sunlight from the balcony, I didn’t have to turn on lights until late at night.
The bed was comfortable, and the bedroom also came with a balcony, which wasn’t connected to the living room balcony. The outdoor furniture on the bedroom balcony was more personal, as it featured a sunbed and a tiny accent table.
The balcony attached to the bedroom featured more personal outdoor furniture where you could relax.
Although the bedroom was closer to the city than the sea, I could still enjoy open views of the ocean.
From the bedroom, I could see the hotel’s outdoor pools as well as the rooftop garden.
Another wall-mounted TV and a dresser were situated in the corner of the room, and the dresser doubled as a luggage rack.
The bedroom had another wall-mounted TV, and you could technically watch it from the balcony.
Without the balcony, the bedroom was pretty typical of what I would expect from a Le Méridien property, but the unobstructed view of the ocean created memorable experiences.
Bathroom Review
The bathroom had two entrances: one from the bedroom and the other from the living room. In addition, it had a sliding door as a divider between the bedroom side, which had a walk-in shower and a tub, and the living room side with a toilet.
The bathroom was brilliantly designed with users in mind.
The water closet came with a bidet and a petite sink so that you could totally isolate your business from the other portion of the bathroom.
The sink for the water closet was tiny, but I still very much appreciated that there was a separate sink from the primary vanity.
The walk-in shower had a rainfall-style showerhead as well as a handheld one.
I loved the rainfall shower until the water splattered everywhere on the bathroom floor.
However, without a shower door, the water splattered everywhere, leaving a puddle of water outside every time I took a shower. Fortunately, I could adjust the shower head’s direction, which minimized the spillage. The tub was big enough to fit two young adults at once, and I appreciated how deep the tub was.
The bathtub was ergonomic and even had a handheld shower head, making the cleanup much more manageable.
Because of many entering points to the bathroom, the hotel had to divide a bathroom vanity into two single vanities. Each had its own mirror and storage space, and I actually preferred this approach over a double-sink vanity.
There were two single-sink vanities, so each person could enjoy a truly independent setup.
The toiletries were by Malin+Goetz, and I am a fan of their products as they don’t leave my hair too dry and the fragrance is gender-neutral and refreshing.
Malin+Goetz is the official partner of the Le Méridien brand.
The bathroom was perfect for a suite; it was spacious and clean, and the separation of the toilet and the shower should be implemented in every suite.
Indoor Pool & Gym Review
The gym was the biggest frustration at Le Méridien Beach Plaza because there was no clear direction on how to get there. The hotel didn’t have clear signage for directions, and I encountered many helpless guests with the same objective. After roaming around aimlessly, I found an elevator to take me to the fitness center adjacent to an indoor pool. The gym spanned two floors; the upper floor mainly had strength equipment, while the lower floor had cardio equipment.
The lower floor was on the same level as the indoor pool.
The gym featured various types of strength machines, but the equipment was slightly outdated.
The fitness center was divided into two floors, but the machines were not as renovated as I imagined.
Since the lower floor was connected to the indoor pool, you could use a locker to store your belongings. The locker area had indoor cycling bikes with a dedicated area for yoga and bodyweight exercises.
The cycling room had high ceilings, creating an airy workout environment.
The indoor pool was considerable in size, and its floor-to-ceiling windows maximized the use of natural light.
The indoor pool was a nice option for guests to enjoy swimming even in winter.
As I mentioned, the biggest pain point I experienced was the direction and access to the gym. It was confusing, and I almost gave up on it. After I arrived at the gym, the experience was fine, but the equipment could benefit from upgrades in the future.
Private Beach & Outdoor Pool Review
Le Méridien Beach Plaza had a private beach, which was probably the most unique and exclusive feature of the property since it is the only hotel in Monaco with a private beach. Because we visited Monaco in late March, it was still chilly outside, and the hotel temporarily removed all sunbeds from the beach.
No sunbeds at the moment, but it will be refurnished as the weather becomes warmer and more pleasant.
I could imagine the private beach booming with guests sunbathing and relaxing during the summer months because Alang Bar, the hotel’s Balinese bar, would be in full operation, which meant refreshing tropical cocktails while enjoying a breezy Mediterranean ambiance.
Le Méridien Beach Plaza is the only hotel in Monaco with a private beach.
If you are afraid of being in the ocean or want to avoid walking on the beach, you could cool off in one of the two outdoor pools.
There were two outdoor pools available for guests, perfect for kids or non-swimmers.
They were technically separate but too close to each other to be considered individual pools. The water wasn’t heated at the moment, and I could imagine the outdoor pools being a great space to connect and hang out with others. If you visit Monaco in the summer, Le Méridien Beach Plaza would be the best hotel for outdoor amenities for its private beach access alone.
Enjoy the Mediterranean Sea—just a few steps away from your room!
Positives & Negatives
Positives
In my opinion, the best part of the hotel is its private beach. Even though Monaco is full of luxury hotels, Le Méridien Beach Plaza is the only hotel with a private beach. In summer, beaches in Monaco could become packed with travelers, so why not avoid the crowd and enjoy the Mediterranean Sea at your leisure, just a few steps away from your room?
My upgraded suite was full of practical and modern amenities. The bathroom featured a brilliant layout so that the toilet could be separated and have its own entrance. The view from my suite was absolutely spectacular, and it came with two balconies. Though it wasn’t a direct view of the ocean, I actually enjoyed that my room overlooked both the city and the water.
Negatives
The only negative experience I had with the hotel was navigating to the gym. I was somewhat glad I wasn’t the only confused one since another group of people was also looking for the gym. Since it was a minor inconvenience I presume the solution won’t be too difficult as the hotel could easily install clear signage on the wall.
If you enjoy spending time at the beach, I strongly recommend staying at Le Méridien Beach Plaza Monaco.
Summary
Le Méridien Beach Plaza is the only Marriott property that is actually located in Monaco. Its proximity to the Monte Carlo Casino and access to its exclusive, private beach were some reasons why we chose the hotel. Thanks to my Suite Night Award, I was upgraded to a suite and enjoyed unobstructed views of the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. The bathroom was designed with functionalism in mind, and the living room and bedroom had floor-to-ceiling windows that let in plenty of sunlight. Even though I struggled to find the gym, the private beach and indoor and outdoor pools make the hotel a relaxing spot to unwind in the heart of the Billionaire’s Playground. I recommend Le Méridien Beach Plaza to anyone visiting Monaco, and I urge you to stay at the hotel during the summer months to take full advantage of the wonderful amenities that the hotel offers in the summer.
