Where to stay in Monaco: neighbourhoods and hotels for a day trip

Updated on 28 September 2026

Monaco is easy to visit on a day trip from Nice, just 22-25 minutes by TER train. Yet staying overnight makes sense: evenings in Monte-Carlo, breakfast facing the harbour, a Grand Prix weekend. Here are the neighbourhoods to stay in, the hotels, from palace to 2-star, and the cheaper alternatives on the French side.

Beausoleil borders Monaco, and several French communes are within walking or bus distance. Prices quoted were recorded on 28 September 2026 and are highly volatile: book early, especially during the Grand Prix or the Yacht Show. Our guides to the area around Nice complete this overview.

The neighbourhoods to stay in

The Principality is compact: you cross it on foot or by bus in a few minutes. The choice of neighbourhood depends on the atmosphere and the transport links.

• Monte-Carlo: the tourist and luxurious heart (Place du Casino, One Monte-Carlo). The palaces are concentrated here.
• Larvotto: the seaside front, Larvotto beach, Grimaldi Forum, resort hotels (Méridien Beach Plaza, Monte-Carlo Bay). Family-friendly and summery.
• Port Hercule / La Condamine: the port, the Condamine market and Monaco-Monte-Carlo station; practical for transport, with a varied offer (Port Palace, Ambassador, Miramar, Hôtel de France). This is the Yacht Show district.
• Fontvieille: modern and family-oriented, marina, Stade Louis II, Princess Grace rose garden, heliport. The Columbus is located here, a 15-minute walk from the Casino.
• Monaco-Ville / Le Rocher: the heritage, Prince's Palace, cathedral, oceanographic museum. Almost no hotel accommodation; reached by CAM buses and public lifts.
• Moneghetti: residential, on a balcony above the station: quiet, close to the Exotic Garden, few hotels, but well served (station + CAM buses: €2 per trip, €5.50 per day; N1/N2 night lines).

The hotels of Monaco

Here are the establishments checked in 2026, with price benchmarks observed in late September 2026 (double room, excluding events): orders of magnitude, not promises, rates change every week.

• Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo (5* palace, Place du Casino): from ~£805 per night.
• Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo (5*, square Beaumarchais): from ~€666.
• Hôtel Métropole Monte-Carlo (5*, Guerlain spa, 4 av. de la Madone): from ~€532.
• Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort (4*, 40 av. Princesse Grace): resort with lagoon and gardens.
• Fairmont Monte-Carlo (4*, 12 av. des Spélugues): 602 rooms, famous for its hairpin bend.
• Le Méridien Beach Plaza (4*, 22 av. Princesse Grace): the only hotel in Monaco with direct beach access.
• Novotel Monte-Carlo (3*, 16 bd Princesse Charlotte): station and casino on foot, from ~€221.
• Columbus Hotel Monte-Carlo (Curio by Hilton): Fontvieille, 181 rooms. Sources differ on its rating: we do not assert it.
• Hôtel de France (2*, 6 rue de la Turbie, La Condamine): the only 2-star in Monaco, 28 renovated rooms, no lift, from €175, breakfast €12.
• Port Palace (4* boutique, 7 av. J.F. Kennedy): 50 rooms, all overlooking Port Hercule.
• Ambassador-Monaco (3*, 10 av. Prince Pierre).
• Boutique Hôtel Miramar (3*, 1 av. J.F. Kennedy, 14 rooms).

These prices are subject to the tourist contribution (see below). Book on official websites or booking platforms: compare, as rates move fast.

Staying nearby for less

Several French communes border the Principality and cost less:

• Beausoleil (adjoining Monaco): Odalys City "Monaco Les Hauts de la Principauté" (tourist tax €2.01 per person per day) and Adagio Monaco Monte-Cristo 3* (2A rue des Martyrs de la Résistance).
• Cap-d'Ail (2-3 km): the Riviera Marriott Hôtel La Porte de Monaco 4*, 171 rooms + 15 suites, free shuttle to Monte-Carlo, beach 50 m away; from €169 in low season, €239 in high season (OTM listing).
• Roquebrune-Cap-Martin (~5 km): Hôtel Victoria (32 rooms, 17 with sea view), Hôtel Alexandra and The Maybourne Riviera 5*.
• Menton (~11 km): Hôtel Napoléon 4* or ibis Styles Menton Centre, to combine Monaco and the old town.

Watch out for similar names: the Hôtel Napoléon in Menton has nothing to do with the one in La Turbie, check the address before booking.

To compare, see our guide Where to stay in Nice and the hotels hub.

Getting there from Nice

• By train (TER): around 60 trains a day (~4 per hour), 22-25 minutes, from €5-6. The ticket remains valid all day on the same route.
• By ZOU bus: line 600 Nice-Monaco-Menton every 15-20 min; 601 in the evening; 602 Nice Vauban-Monaco (~every 2 h, Mon-Sat); 80 from the airport via Monaco (€20.50).
• By boat: no regular public shuttle. The cruise with a stopover by Trans Côte d'Azur runs from 4 April to 31 October 2026, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays: departure from Nice at 9.30am, stopover from 10.15am to 5pm, return at 6pm, €49.50 for adults, €41.50 for ages 4 to 10, free under 4. Booking essential at trans-cote-azur.com.

The running order of a day trip is in our guide Monaco and Monte-Carlo from Nice.

Budget and best times

Two separate taxes depending on which side of the border. In Monaco, the tourist contribution (non-residents, since 2024) is €7 per night in 5*, €5 in 4*, €3 in 3* and €2 in 2*. In the Nice Côte d'Azur Métropole, the 2026 tourist tax ranges from €1.34 (2*) to €6.43 (palace), i.e. €4.69 (5*), €3.48 (4*) and €2.28 (3*).

Two periods drive up prices and fill hotels months in advance: the Formula 1 Grand Prix, from 4 to 7 June 2026, and the Monaco Yacht Show, from 23 to 26 September 2026. The 2027 Grand Prix dates had not been published at our last check. Outside events, favour spring or autumn; for tennis, consider the Monte-Carlo Masters.

Frequently asked questions

Monaco and Monte-Carlo from Nice: the guide · Visiting the Monte-Carlo Casino · Oceanographic Museum