Neither rich nor famous, and with no access to a yacht even in my distant future, you might say that Monte Carlo was a peculiar place to find myself on a recent trip to the French Riviera. But the storied destination has a knack for drawing travelers to its studded stretch of the Mediterranean, and if it's good enough for Jacquemus (more on that later), who am I to argue with it?
Monaco, of course, is one of the destinations we look to when it comes to understanding Mediterranean interior design. But the hotels here, naturally, have their own take on the genre.
The refresh currently making waves in the principality is the ongoing renovation of Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo, one of the destination's oldest hotels. The iconic property is nearing its centennial, and with its signature Belle Époque façade just a stone's throw from the ultimate icon, the Casino de Monte-Carlo, the address that made this place what it is today, the updates make it an ever more attractive anchor for any trip here.
In the works is a renovation of the hotel's regal Diamond Suites, reimagined by Pierre-Yves Rochon and the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer Design and Engineering Office, plus the addition of 40 new rooms and suites — with more on the horizon. Already home to a pair of Michelin-starred restaurants, the grande dame also unveiled a stylish new bar, Gustave, by interior architect Shirine Zirak, adding contemporary spirit and genuinely covetable interiors to the mix.
Monaco Is Buzzing — It's Where Fashion Hits the Beach
But it's the mix, after all, that's something of a secret perk — guests of the refreshed Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo can also indulge in other properties within the owner's portfolio. The one currently on my radar is Monte-Carlo Beach Hotel, the hospitality group's sun-kissed outpost, located a short (and complimentary) shuttle away to the coast. Here, the guests of Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo can indulge in something of a daytime resort getaway without leaving the destination. The former satisfies your cravings for urban elegance; the latter is your chic coastal retreat.
And what a retreat it is: this season saw the return of the Jacquemus takeover of the beach club's iconic pier — perhaps the most coveted sunbeds in Monaco this season — while resort updates open to Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo guests. These include Le Deck, the pool restaurant reimagined with maximalist verve by French interior architect Dorothée Delaye, and La Vigie Zanoni Monte-Carlo, a brand-new destination eatery set on bluffs overlooking the sea, both of which make it something of an irresistible day trip.
As I floated between both properties, I found myself noting the ways to bring their updated aesthetics home. Here's what's happening in Monaco this season — and a few shoppable items to help you capture the look.
Making Waves at Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo — A New Sea-Inspired Palette
It can be tempting to hold onto tradition for eternity — especially for a grande dame like Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo, which has welcomed guests for over a century. Under the guidance of French interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, the renovation underway intends to lift some of the hotel's old-school Belle Époque rooms into something more contemporary and relaxed.
The update working the hardest is the new palette for the hotel's Diamond Suites: a quiet mix of aqua, blue, and beige. The palette softens the room's ornate Auberley & Laurent crown molding, refreshing the look without erasing its period style.
Rochon kept the decorative elements light, maintaining an almost milky calm throughout the suites. The one exception — and the style lesson worth stealing — is the upholstered bench at the foot of the bed. Wavy textiles are increasingly popular lately (riffs on chevron, ikat, and moiré), and range from lightly playful to downright hypnotic. Here, the fabric is still restrained, with raised velvety zigzags in aqua and mint against a creamy ground. But the loose, intentionally 'messy' rhythm of the lines brings a casual feel to an otherwise composed, formal room without going overboard.
Even if you want to keep your bedroom space calm and neutral, a little statement piece can go a long way to add visual interest — the wavy, uneven pattern on this upholstered bench adds just a touch of pattern that leans casual without looking out of place in formal settings.
Fashion-Forward Interiors Head Out at Bar Gustave
The most dramatic reveal at Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo arrives beneath its most show-stopping space: the Belle Époque glass-and-steel dome built by the workshops of Gustave Eiffel. Here lies Bar Gustave, a new lounge designed by Shirine Zirak that levels up the setting. Inside, guests can drink beneath the dome itself, or slip through a door along the perimeter where amber-drenched interiors radiate warmth. And beyond that lies an all-new surprise — a chic terrace carved out of a formerly unused rooftop, making it entirely new ground for the storied property.
This is where the hospitality group really plays its hand, with new-wave cocktail ingredients you're unlikely to see anywhere else in Monte-Carlo (think pea shoots, cacao butter, and peach wine). The toast of the season, in my opinion, is the Madeleine, crafted to taste, as the name suggests, like a spiked Proustian reverie.
Given that few of us can install a glass dome at home, the space that has me smitten was the unexpectedly chic terrace, which really nailed the look of a well-designed outdoor living room.
Large checkerboard pavers lay a nostalgic base for the scheme, while plump upholstered furniture on black metal frames — a nod to the dome's structural bones — reinforces that lovely indoor feel outdoors. The element that ties it all together is the parasols: burned orange canvas with a double-top silhouette. That extra valence on top upgrades your everyday umbrella into something more substantial, and the scalloped edges — complete with white trim — tailor the whole look, making it all a touch fashion-forward.
The scalloped edges and bonus valance on this stylish parasol happens to channel the same formula as those studding Bar Gustave's terrace, but this version, which swaps solid trim for fringe, adds another layer to the fashionable look.
Rounded Sunbeds Are the Jacquemus-Approved Summer Accent
In a destination where status is everything — and everywhere is status — the most coveted decor on the Côte d'Azur this season might just be the bespoke Jacquemus sunbeds and parasols at Hôtel Hermitage's sister property, Monte-Carlo Beach Hotel.
Lining a wooden jetty that juts into the Mediterranean, the bookable seats are part of the fashion label's current pop-up immersion — a re-fashioned jetée that brings a glimpse of the label's Riviera-ready runway to life. Tragically, none of the furniture is for sale, although we'd love to know where they end up after the season is over. But you can easily borrow Jacquemus' style with products well within reach.
The style note worth stealing, in my opinion, is the sunbeds' curved headrest. The thick cushions not only look comfortable for a full day of lounging in the sun, but the rounded backs just add a more contemporary edge to a usually traditional silhouette — it also brings the aesthetics of indoor furniture, like lounge chairs and chaise lounges, straight to the outdoors.
The rounded back of this sunbed feels a touch more contemporary that the classic design — pair it with a striped towel, and it'll make your deck feel a touch more like a posh Riviera beach club.
Dine Al Fresco, Monaco Style
Another arrival to these shores this season is La Vigie Zanoni Monte-Carlo, an Italian restaurant set on a scenic bluff. It's a charming location with fantastic views over the Mediterranean from its terraces, located at the end of a winding stone path flanked by lush plants.
The seasonal restaurant has the rare perk of being a 'dockable' reservation — for those lucky enough to have their own boat, they can float right up to the bluff and dock for a meal crafted by Michelin-starred chef Simone Zanoni, known for his fresh pastas.
The decor wasn't shy about leaning into coastal interior design: hand-blown water pitchers shaped like blowfish and seahorses, plates and saucers rimmed with sunbeam yellow. Altogether, the palette — sun-yellow, warm teak, and colorfully painted glassware — makes for a lovely, bright formula for your outdoor tablescape.
Those interested in taking the look home should start by using yellow as an accent, not a base — think napkins or placemats instead of a solid yellow tablecloth, making sure it's a splash of yellow that doesn't dominate. Teak can arrive through furniture, like the restaurant's woven rope chairs, while you can have your own fun with playful seaside references.
The color palette at La Vigie Monte-Carlo works with streaks of sunny yellows and oranges across its tablescapes, and these linen napkins can capture the same idea.
When it comes to outdoor dining chairs, can you really go wrong with teak frames and woven seats? The seat in this version is all-wicker, making it a durable alternative to classic paper cord.
The vibe at La Vigie Monte-Carlo doesn't take itself too seriously, which gives you some freedom to get playful with coastal-inspired decor. Even if your wine preferences are serious, this sardine-shaped corkscrew will keep the atmosphere cheeky and carefree.
Get Inspired by a Refreshed, Maximalist Oasis at Le Deck
Maximalism is on full display throughout Monte-Carlo in more ways than one. But you'll get an extra taste at Le Deck, a refreshed space at Monte-Carlo Beach by French interior architect Dorothée Delaye (perhaps this writer's favorite space in the whole destination).
The poolside restaurant was inspired by the Roaring Twenties, albeit with a contemporary edge, and mixes patterns and textures at every turn: a green and white striped canopy stretches overhead and blankets the open-air terrace with a breezy atmosphere, while a painted trellis in vibrant terracotta climbs the tall walls. There's a lot going on in this space, yet it all manages to pull together — and the reason it works, beyond Delaye's penchant for mixing patterns, is that most of the upholstery and decor share a similar color palette as well as patterns of similar scale.
And while the actual mix is fantastic, there are a few specific items worth borrowing at home. The takeaways here are the floor-to-ceiling textures that Delaye incorporated. First on the list are the woven bistro chairs, which bring a certain character through their richly textured weave: it's the commitment to surface detail that makes them so visually compelling rather than any single color choice. A similar texture is picked up by the trellis-clad walls, which could look rather traditional if it weren't for the vibrant terracotta paint — and all of these tactile elements are softened by those flowing canopies overhead, making it a true maximalist moment.
Sometimes, more really is more.
If there's one think to learn from Dorothée Delaye's design, it's that a little color and pattern goes a long way. These woven bistro chairs bring color and pattern all at once, and they're sure to add all sorts of character to your patio.
In for the resort-core moment? Keep dreaming of more design-worthy getaways by revisiting our travel trends 2026 report, your online directory to all the sensations shaping hospitality in the months ahead, including the rise of 'monastery' hotels.
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