Hotel Review: Le Meridien Beach Plaza Monaco
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
As I reported yesterday, I spent the first four days of my South of France holiday at the Four Seasons Terre Blanche in Provence. I had never been outside Paris before, though, and I had one more day to kill before my flight back to Miami, so I decided to spend my last night in one of the area's best-known destinations, Monaco, where I stayed at Le Meridien Beach Plaza.
I had just passed my Starwood Preferred Guest Platinum 75 threshold (uber-elite!) at the Four Points by Sheraton Chelsea, so this was a good opportunity to test out the new benefits, which include:
-4 Starpoints per dollar spent (2 base points that all SPG members get, plus 1 for being a Platinum, and another bonus 1 for hitting 75 nights). This means I actually get 6 Starpoints per dollar I spend now since I've got both the SPG Amex and the SPG Business Amex.
-Your 24 – the ability to check in any time I want and check out 24 hours later (if you check in after 9am, you still get guaranteed 4pm late check out. Just a note on this, though: If your room type isn't available for early check-in, you can downgrade/change it- you will just have to work with the Platinum line to work it all out since they won't automatically downgrade you and you have to confirm 48 hours in advance.
Those are in addition to my Platinum welcome amenity of:
-Continental breakfast for the entire length of stay.
-500 Starpoints welcome amenity (250 at aloft, Four Points and Element)
-Local gift (like wine, crafts, etc.)
As well as my Platinum 50 Night benefit of 10 Suite Night Awards that I can use to confirm certain suites and premium rooms beginning 5 nights prior to arrival, subject to availability.
For this stay, I decided to use a combination of my 75 Night benefits:
I wanted early check-in since I wanted to get to Monaco in the morning, so I asked for and was confirmed for a 10am check-in without a problem.
I also haven't used many of my Suite Night Awards, so I decided to put in a request for a suite and it was confirmed one day ahead of my stay.
One decision I did have to make was how to pay. For the night I wanted to stay, the hotel's Deluxe Room category was going for 425 EUR ($550) a night. The hotel is a Starwood Category 6 property, so I was really hoping there would be a Cash & Points option that would have cost 8,000 points + $150 – still a fair amount of cash, but I'd be getting 5 cents in value out of each of my Starpoints. Unfortunately, the C&P rate wasn't available, so I had to settle for a regular redemption for the Deluxe Room.
Based on their inventory and the fact that it was a Thursday night, the redemption rate I got was 21,500 points – so my per-point value was 2.55 cents. However, because I was able to redeem one of my Suite Night Awards, I had been upgraded four categories to a Junior Suite. The suite was going for 1,054 EUR ($1,360), so my Suite Night Award upgrade was worth $810! Not bad (even though I would have never paid that).
As for the suite itself, I wouldn't say it was worth that price – even for a night in September's high season – but it was nice. The hotel's suites were all redecorated in 2010, so everything was in pretty good shape, but I wasn't crazy about the color scheme of gray, blue and really bright green meant to evoke the sea, but which I found sort of loud. I loved the fact that my room had a full Mediterranean Sea view with a private balcony and lounge chairs, though.
The interior was well over 500 square feet and had a king-size bed, a small sitting area with armchairs and a couch around a coffee table, a small work desk, and a 32-inch flatscreen TV.
The bathroom was also pretty spacious with a big sink area, separate shower and tub, and Cinq Mondes toiletries.
Apart from the room amenities, the hotel has a few unique features. It's the only hotel in Monaco with its own private beach, so guests don't have to fight for chairs on the public beach, and a private pier for watersports. It's also got a beautiful pool terrace with two saltwater pools surrounded by lounge chairs. Guests can also use a small fitness center called Le Sea Club Spa, and a variety of spa treatments are available in-room or on the beach.
The resort also has three bars and restaurants. The Alang Bar is a cute outdoor bar on the beach open from mid-morning to night, L'Intempo Restaurant is the hotel's all-day dining outlet and serves modern Mediterranean-French cuisine, and Muse serves light snacks and bites on an outdoor deck near the sea – it's kind of like lunching on a yacht...as you do in Monaco – and is only open from June-September.
I only had breakfast at the hotel before my flight, so I didn't get to try out much of the food, but I did relax at the pool and on the beach before rehearsing my best James Bond impression and exploring the tiny city and stopping by the Casino on my one evening in town.
All in all, I definitely want to go back, especially if I get as good a value from my Starwood points as I did this time.
[card card-name='Citi ThankYou® Preferred Card – Bonus Point Offer' card-id='22145660' type='javascript' bullet-id='1']
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Rewards
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.