Relax, Observe, Enjoy.

Nothing beats the sweet smell of the sea and the sand beneath your toes as the scorching sun unknowingly tans every exposed part of your skin. Monaco offers the best of the three. A principality that enjoys over 300 days of sunshine makes it the best destination for a business stay or for a tourist-y holiday.

A microstate that holds the soul of Monaco, France, an Italy makes it the ideal place to discover. A big plus is the easy access it possesses; a short distance of 30 minutes from Nice, Côte d’Azur airport and an even shorter 7-minute ride by helicopter, the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer Resort is where we had the pleasure of being invited to.

The Monte-Carlo SBM resort houses 4 different hotels, but our trip mainly focuses on Hotel Hermitage and a couple of the monuments that are the pride of this famous location.

A name that packs history behind it, the hotel is called legendary and not for nothing. Upon entering the lobby, our eye automatically drifted to the glass dome that illuminates the reception area as the sun rays hits the glass, bathing the lobby in a sense of calmness. The luxury does not stop there.

The beautifully decorated room overlooked the marina where a glance outside gives view of the yachts docked on the water. Each room and suite at the hotel has its own special design, with artwork and decorations to complement it. With high ceilings and arches everywhere, the hotel is a modern day palace. What is largely known as the center of attention, the Belle Époque dining room is the jewel of the hotel; its intricate ceiling is the work of French painter, Gabriel Ferrier. The hotel is also home to Michelin Star restaurant, La Vista Mar, where dinner could only be described as a gastronomic experience with the dessert, the reigning champion.

We also got the pleasure of trying out Cryotherapy at the Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo. Cryotherapy uses cold chambers that go down to almost freezing temperatures for therapeutic purposes, the 3 minutes spent there was more than enough before moving on to other treatments at the spa.

With so many restaurants to try from, we headed over to Buddha Bar, an Asian Fusion restaurant. Expecting excellence from what we have previously experienced, we were not disappointed. Every aspect was perfectly executed; the food, design and music made the perfect meal.

The luxuriousness of Monte-Carlo is evident is every aspect of the principality and that includes prominent monuments like the Casino and the Opera Monte-Carlo. From classical architecture to the internal grandiose interior of the buildings; gold embellishments and velvet furniture, the design speaks volumes about the luxurious life of Monaco.

A trip like no other, the 4-day getaway was the perfect way to sit back, put our feet up, an enjoy all that the hotel had to offer.