Port Palace, the harbourside hotel with the circuit below

Some Monaco hotels charge extra for a room with a view. The Port Palace settled that argument from the start, because all 50 of its rooms and suites face Port Hercule. It stands at 7 avenue J.F. Kennedy, on the quayside where the yachts moor, with the Rock and the Palace opposite and the town climbing behind. What interests me is exactly that, the view doesn’t depend on luck when you book.

A small hotel with the harbour in front

The website calls it a charming, privately managed establishment, and it’s run by a Monegasque company, La Monégasque de Logistique. It isn’t one of the four hotels owned by the Société des Bains de Mer. Nor does it publish a star rating, in its text or its structured data, so I won’t give you one.

What it does make clear is who it’s for. It talks about business trips, weddings and families, and in practice size decides the feel. With 50 rooms, service is more personal than at a big hotel. For a sense of what you’ll see from the window, the walk along the quays is in my Port Hercule guide.

What are the rooms like at the Port Palace?

Large, by Monaco standards. The Superior Room, the entry level, is 37 m², sleeps two and includes breakfast. The Junior Suite goes up to 51 m² with a sitting area, also with breakfast. The two larger suites sleep four. The Corner Suite has 62 m² with a separate bedroom and king bed, and the Grand Suite 89 m², a dressing room and a marble bathroom with a private steam bath.

As a couple, I’d ask for the Junior Suite. The hotel says on its site that on your first direct booking it upgrades you from the Superior to the Junior Suite when there’s space, so booking direct and asking is worth it. For a family of four, the Corner Suite, though I’d check first whether breakfast is included, because the listing doesn’t say.

La Môme, up on the sixth floor

The restaurant is at the very top, on the sixth floor, with a dining room and terrace. It opens every day for lunch and dinner, the chef is Benjamin Zannier and the decor nods to the 1920s. The hotel makes a point of local produce and responsible fishing. From the terrace you see the Palace, the harbour and the curves of the circuit, and I’d rank it among the best-framed tables on the port.

Breakfast is served there too, as a buffet, or in your room if you’d rather. The lobby has a bar open all day, although the site gives two different sets of hours and I won’t pick one. To compare with other places to eat, see where to eat in Monaco.

Watching the Grand Prix from your room

This is the hotel’s big selling point. According to its website, every room overlooks the harbour, the yachts and the Grand Prix circuit, and availability during the race is very limited. There’s no published price for those days and I won’t guess how much it rises. One practical point, though. The hotel’s street was closed to traffic during the 2026 races, which is why I’d do the last stretch from the train on foot.

If your trip is all about Formula 1, I compare the options in the best hotels for the Monaco Grand Prix. The 2027 race calendar and seating are covered in my Monaco Grand Prix guide.

What costs extra

The rate includes Wi-Fi, a bottle of water in the minibar, and coffee and tea. Parking comes with a valet at €50 per car per night. Transfers to airports and stations are arranged through the hotel, by van or Mercedes S-Class, and massages are done in your room. The gym appears among the services, but the site itself says it’s being renovated.

There are also a few offers I’d use if they fit. Fifteen per cent off a second room for families, tickets for Roca Team basketball or the Philharmonic Orchestra with two-night stays, and ten per cent off dolphin-watching trips to the Pelagos Sanctuary. All subject to availability.

The Port Palace or the Miramar next door?

On the same avenue sits the Hotel Miramar, with 14 smaller rooms and a rooftop terrace. The choice is simple. If you want space, a suite and a restaurant in the building, go for the Port Palace. If a well-placed room with a harbour view and breakfast on the roof is enough, the Miramar is the one I’d look at. For everything else, where to stay in Monaco sorts the Principality’s hotels by district.