Review: Columbus Hotel Monte-Carlo, the Curio Collection by Hilton

Christmas Markets in Monaco

Christmas Markets in December bring throngs of tourists to many European destinations. From extravagantly lit Christmas trees to sweet and savoury holiday treats and elegantly crafted holiday scenes that highlight a city’s history and traditions, these festive markets draw a surge in tourism.

One such city is Monte Carlo, the capital of Monaco, a small principality in the French Riviera, a region synonymous with wealth and opulence. It’s the 2nd-smallest country in the world (Vatican City is the smallest), yet one of the richest. When most travellers hear the name Monaco, one of two things comes to mind: the Grand Prix, hosted in May, or Grace Kelly, the Oscar-winning actress, who went on to become a Princess by marrying Prince Rainier III, yet died tragically in a car accident.

My trip to Monaco in December was to see their Christmas Market decorations, which are an IG viral sensation, including life-sized snow globes at Casino Square with multiple festive scenes and animatronic characters, including Santa and reindeer, inside. I am also a foodie and do enjoy dining at Michelin-starred restaurants, as you may have read in previous posts. One famous list I have added to my bucket list is the “best of the best” list of the world’s best restaurants, released annually. 2019’s winner is a 3-Michelin-star restaurant called Mirazur, located in the French city of Menton on the French Riviera, within walking distance of the Italian border. The restaurant is about a 45-minute drive from Monte Carlo. I was also able to get a reservation here for their four-hour, 9-course tasting menu as a day trip from Monaco. Even if you don’t enjoy fine dining, the drive to Menton along the Mediterranean is one of the most scenic drives I’ve taken.

Christmas Market – Monaco

Booking Columbus Hotel Monte-Carlo

For my 4-night stay in Monte Carlo, I decided to stay at the Columbus Hotel Monte-Carlo, from the Curio Collection by Hilton. I used a combination of a cash stay for €215 using a preferred rate and paying almost half of that with Hilton quarterly credits on two US Amex cards. This, however, proved to be one issue I will discuss further at the end. The other 3 nights cost 229,000 Hilton points (earned through my Amex Hilton Aspire Card, which also comes with complimentary Hilton Diamond Status), averaging 76,000 Hilton points per night. The cash rate for the 3 nights was approximately $1,785 CAD, so my redemption was 0.77 per point. Not the best redemption if I am being honest, but nothing is cheap in Monaco.

Columbus Hotel Monte Carlo – Exterior

I booked a 229 sq ft Twin Superior Room but got an instant automatic upgrade to a 333 sq ft Twin Deluxe Room a few days before my stay. I was able to “Suite Talk” my way to their 409 sq ft “Queen Lifestyle Suite” with a gorgeous view of the Mediterranean. This room goes for around €600 or 290K points a night.

Getting to the hotel

My trip to Monaco started in Toronto (YYZ) with an Air France business-class flight to Paris (CDG), connecting in Nice (NCE) for a short 90-minute flight to the French Riviera. This is the closest Major airport to Monaco, as Monaco does not have its own dedicated international airport. From NCE airport, it was a 1-hour €21 Bus ride on the #80 to stop Place de l’Armes (the 4th stop), then a 15-minute walk to the hotel.

From my own experience, the walk is a little complicated as there are a few staircases you need to take that can be confusing. If you have heavy luggage, I recommend taking a taxi from the airport, unless you enjoy a cardio stairmaster workout after a long flight. A pricier Uber around €100 would take about 45 minutes from NCE airport. Monaco does not use Uber or Lyft, and has Taxi Monaco, which is not cheap. A one-way ride from the Casino back to the hotel, which was less than 10 minutes away, cost €20-€25. (Plus they don’t take Amex)

Another critical piece of information: although the data on my phone worked fine during the bus ride, it was not working when I got off the bus in Monaco. As I discovered from hotel staff, Monaco, not being part of the EU even though it uses the Euro, has its own cell phone towers that are not always compatible with international cellular networks, and certain pockets in the country are dead zones for data, mostly near the French border. However, when I got to the more touristy destinations, like Casino, I had issues with my phone.

Columbus Hotel Monte-Carlo – Twin Deluxe Room

As you enter the hotel, you can either take an elevator or a small set of stairs to the reception desk. The layout in the main lobby is couches and chairs in various shades of turquoise and blue, a calming theme that would continue into my room. Check-in with Ahmed & Jessica went smoothly at first. As in Europe, there is a € 3-per-person-per-day tourist tax, paid separately and not covered by points. Check-out was a bit of a nuisance that I’ll explain later.

Hotel Lobby

As I walked in, directly to the left-hand side are the closets, including one with an ironing board and iron, and two bathrobes and slippers. Next to that was another cupboard that had more storage space and a safe. To the right of the entrance is the bathroom with a shower and tub. Further ahead is the main bedroom with a queen bed, a flat-screen TV, and a full-length mirror. There were two nightstands on either side, each with charging stations (both plug and USB) and night lights.

Twin Deluxe Room

To the left of the main bedroom is the living room area, with a dark mahogany reading table and chair, as well as another flat-screen TV. There is a fridge with a mini bar inside, though no microwave. Next to it was a drawer with a coffee maker and glassware, and below that another drawer with a kettle. In front, on the adjacent side of the bed in the living room, was a dark blue couch with nice accent pillows.

Bedroom

Coffee Station

Room mini-bar

Bathroom

Lastly, at the very end is a walk-on terrace with a small table and two chairs with a gorgeous view of the Mediterranean. Definitely cannot beat the view and sounds of the crashing waves. Also, a welcome amenity of a small bottle of Gin made in Monaco, a bottle of tonic water, along with a small pastry and a handwritten card from the team, was there.

View from the room

Columbus Hotel Monte-Carlo – Breakfast and other Amenities

Breakfast is served at the Tavola restaurant on the lobby level. Thanks to Diamond status, breakfast was complimentary. It is a buffet-style breakfast with hot items such as scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, fried mushrooms, and baked beans. Cold foods included yogurts, cold meats and cheeses, a salad bar and cereals. Fresh juices, coffee and tea were also available. The breakfast selection was quite good. A variety for any dietary restriction someone may have. The restaurant was laid out with beige chairs on dark mahogany tables, and it didn’t exceed 50% capacity during my stay.

Breakfast Restaurant

Breakfast Seating

Breakfast Buffet

There is also a bar on the lobby level that is open for lunch and dinner.

Hotel Bar

The hotel also has a first-floor gym, which is very, very basic. Two exercise bikes, a treadmill and a simple weight machine, along with free weights. I can’t see more than 1 person in it at one time.

Gym

There is also a complimentary city shuttle that runs a few times a day. It only seats 6, so it’s best to reserve ahead. A bus stop is within a 2-minute walk, and for €2 you can get to places like Casinosino and the Casino station. It only does drop-offs from the hotel and does not pick up from the city.

Complimentary City Shuttle

Staff and Service

On my first night, I requested a wake-up call, but since there was an issue with the phones, somebody from reception actually knocked on my door to wake me up. Now that’s service! Reception always greeted me by name when I came back at night, which was that added touch which is always appreciated. While the staff at check-in and the upgrade were nice, check-out was where this property lost points.

Wanting to take advantage of a few Hilton credit cards that needed to be used by December 31st, as many do in this hobby, I split the first night’s cash stay between two cards. I was even confirmed twice that it would be processed, and I inserted both Amex cards into their POS terminal. However, after I got back home, I noticed only one card had been charged. Calling and emailing the hotel management got me nowhere. I recommend you get a copy of your final bill before leaving the hotel. I even called the Hilton Diamond call center to get a PDF of my final bill, and it took multiple calls to obtain it because the hotel did not process it correctly.

To date, I still don’t know how the error occurred, given that I had to insert both my Amex chip cards at check-in and that a temporary hold was placed on both Amex cards.

Hotel Exterior

Takeaway

Overall, I was happy with my stay. I loved the view of the Mediterranean from my balcony while I finished off my G&T welcome amenity. But it was the disappointment at check-out that tarnished my stay.

However, being a very tiny nation, once you get your bearings, it’s really not that hard to navigate around the country/city on foot. So while the property itself was pleasant to stay at, I give this hotel a 6/10.

Bon Voyage ✈️