Facing the Casino, the Hôtel de Paris opened in 1864, barely a year after the Société des Bains de Mer was founded. François Blanc wanted to give wealthy gamblers a palace worthy of their dreams, and he succeeded. Crowned heads, writers, film stars: they have all passed beneath these chandeliers. In the lobby, an equestrian statue of Louis XIV draws every eye, or rather the raised knee of its horse, polished by thousands of hands. Tradition says you should touch it for luck at the tables. The hotel also holds one of the most famous wine cellars in the world, carved into the rock, with hundreds of thousands of bottles, and the Louis XV restaurant, led by chef Alain Ducasse. The hotel was completely renovated between 2014 and 2019. Even if you are not staying, take a moment to admire its Belle Époque facade from Casino Square, especially when it lights up at night.
History
When François Blanc took over the Société des Bains de Mer in 1863, his contract required him to build a grand hotel on the Spélugues plateau. He kept his word: the Hôtel de Paris opened in 1864, facing the site of the future casino. At the time the plateau was still almost empty, and this palace was one of the first buildings of the district that two years later would be named Monte Carlo.
Around it the square gradually filled: the Café de Paris in 1868, the Salle Garnier in 1879, then the Hôtel Hermitage in 1896. The hotel grew with the town. More recently, after an auction of its old furniture in 2015, it underwent a renovation lasting more than 4 years and fully reopened in 2019.
Art and architecture
The facade you see dates largely from 1909 and 1910. It is the work of the architect Édouard-Jean Niermans, with frescoes by the painter Paul Gervais. The building was later raised twice, in 1920 and again in 1959 and 1960.
Inside, the grand lobby is dominated by an equestrian statue of King Louis XIV. During the latest renovation two rooftop suites were created, the Rainier III suite and the Princess Grace suite, furnished with pieces from the Prince’s Palace.
Anecdotes
The statue of Louis XIV has its own tradition: the horse’s right knee, polished by generations of hands, is said to bring luck to gamblers who rub it before heading to the casino.
Fine dining is part of the legend too. In 1987 Prince Rainier III asked the chef Alain Ducasse to open a gourmet restaurant here: Le Louis XV, with three Michelin stars since 1990. Beneath the hotel, a cellar carved into the rock holds several hundred thousand bottles.
The hotel is also a film set. In 1971, in the first episode of the series The Persuaders!, Roger Moore and Tony Curtis meet at its bar. It also appears in the James Bond films Never Say Never Again and GoldenEye. In July 1980 Andy Warhol and Jamie Wyeth held a joint exhibition here.
The photographer Helmut Newton loved shooting here, and it was during his stay at the hotel that Andy Warhol took Polaroids of the actor Sylvester Stallone for his silkscreen portraits.
What to look for
From Casino Square, look at the Belle Époque facade and its balconies, then raise your eyes to the floors added in the twentieth century. If you can step into the lobby, find the statue of Louis XIV and the horse’s shiny knee. In the evening, when the facade lights up, the view of the hotel and the casino together is at its best.
Practical
The hotel stands on Casino Square, next to the casino. It is a working hotel: be discreet, and note that access to the lobby, bars and restaurants is at the hotel’s discretion. For Le Louis XV, Le Grill or the bar, booking is advised. Up to date information is on the official Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer website, montecarlosbm.com.
Nearby
Opposite, the Café de Paris, opened in 1868, has a terrace on the square. The casino, the Opera and the Casino Gardens are a few steps away. During the Grand Prix the cars climb the avenue right in front of the hotel, on the Casino hill.
Films keep coming back: you can spot the hotel in Priceless by Pierre Salvadori in 2006, or in Iron Man 2 in 2010. The Hôtel Hermitage, opened in 1896 and also run by the Société des Bains de Mer, is a few minutes’ walk away.
On site, look for: Spot the shiny horse knee in the lobby (visible from the entrance).
Test yourself
Year it opened?
- 1864 (answer)
- 1929
- 1990
Which chef leads Le Louis XV?
- Alain Ducasse (answer)
- Joël Robuchon
- Paul Bocuse
Where is the cellar dug?
- In the rock (answer)
- On the top floor
- Under the sea
Sources
Information checked on 30 September 2026.