What credit crunch? If you’re gambling on financial matters sorting themselves out while you indulge in an early spring break, Monte Carlo is the natural destination. The best way to arrive in Monaco is by helicopter. In a seven-minute trip, you will soar over the gridlocked streets of Nice, swoop over an idyllic Mediterranean bay and land just minutes away from the casino, the upscale boutiques and the best hotels. 


The Metropole, one of the five four-star establishments in this tiny principality, has recently upped its game to better compete for the attentions of the rich and famous. Owned by the obsessively private Boustany family, the 122-year-old hotel, long overshadowed by the iconic Hotel de Paris, 
underwent a complete makeover in 2004, overseen by 
top-flight designer Jacques Garcia. The result is a private Mediterranean-inspired palazzo, which lures the super-rich to its €9,500 suites, and 30—40-year-old professionals to its more affordable rooms. 


A holiday in Monte Carlo is all about you. Sack off any cultural activities and spend a good half-day being pampered in the hotel’s cavernous ESPA spa. Devoid of any natural light, this temple of self-indulgence feels completely cut off from the outside world. However, the Metropole’s true gems are its two restaurants, run by the world’s most Michelin-starred chef, Joël Robuchon. His eponymous restaurant within the hotel is a slick affair, earning two Michelin stars for perfectly executed Mediterranean fare. The newer Yoshi, which opened last December, is quite a different proposition. Robuchon’s first Japanese restaurant, it is clearly a bid to attract a young and trendier clientele.


The delicacy of the food is all the more startling to be found in opulent Monte Carlo. From the achingly simple — the world’s best California roll — to a subtle seafood jelly, which dissolved on the tongue leaving a mouthful of succulent king prawn, it has to be tasted to be believed. Each dish is matched by a different sake, chosen by the Japanese sommelier, who will dazzle the uninitiated with the versatility of rice wines. The muted, Japanese design of the 40-seat restaurant, which overlooks a harmonious Japanese garden, makes it the perfect place 
to spend a long afternoon. 


Return home with an impregnable, Zen-like calm — and hopefully a healthier investment portfolio.