The Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo has received its 5th (and final) star in the prestigious Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award for 2020. This Monaco institution joins an elite group selected by Forbes for its 62nd annual edition of the world’s most luxurious hotels, restaurants and spas.
A particularly momentous badge for Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo as it is the only hotel in Monaco, or indeed the French Riviera, to have been awarded this level of excellence by Forbes. Presented in the guide as “Monte Carlo’s revamped belle époque beauty”, Forbes highlighted its four-year 2014 renovations that were led by French architect Richard Martinet, which have created a “modernized” hotel.
The Forbes Travel Guide’s nose for excellence
“To uncover the most outstanding properties, Forbes Travel Guide’s incognito inspectors check into a hotel for a minimum of two nights, posing as ordinary guests and paying their own way. Then they test up to 900 objective, exacting standards—including whether a staff member greets them curbside within 30 seconds of arrival, whether clothing left around a room is folded neatly or draped and placed within immediate view after turndown service, and whether the staff uniforms demonstrated exceptional design. The ratings tabulate 75 percent of a hotel’s score based on its service, while the remaining 25 percent is determined by the quality of its facilities.” – Forbes Travel Guide.
Highlights of the Hôtel de Paris noted by Forbes were its wine cellar – the largest in the world – which houses more than 350,000 bottles, the new open-air, tree-lined courtyard of the finest jewellery, private yacht service, two royal-themed rooftop villas and the second Alain Ducasse dining experience.