The Monte-Carlo Beach, a seaside palace owned by the SBM in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, has just reopened with ambitious projects for this year, including the launch of new party spaces. The sun loungers are out, the tables are set on the terrace, and the sound of the pool water is back to its rhythmic pace. Spring has settled in at Monte-Carlo Beach. This year, the hotel and the club opened a few days before Easter weekend for the first time, marking the beginning of the season. Danièle Garcelon, who has been in charge of the beach resort for 22 years, is looking forward to a season "full of energy, new developments, and hopefully good surprises. Each season is a renewal that prevents us from becoming stagnant and forces us to constantly innovate to remain attractive," said the director.
The winter season allowed for the maintenance and upkeep of the property. However, this process was hindered by a large wave on January 18. "It was a submersive wave, and the embankment did its job, but the violence of the wave was so strong that it delayed our preparations," Garcelon said. With the arrival of the May holidays, the palace is expected to see an increase in visitors, as many regulars return year after year. "We see this in our reservations. Some stays and certain dates are booked by clients a year in advance, for stays ranging from three days to three weeks. We also have a lot of last-minute bookings that require us to be flexible and responsive. Last year, the return of international clientele was timid, but Americans are returning more strongly this year, slowly but surely," she added.
As for the club, the 175 tents on the 1,000 square meters of the beach are rented by the season, mainly to a Monegasque clientele. Seven have been replaced by the Maona terrace, a new establishment that takes advantage of the last available square meters of SBM's property in the town of Roquebrune-Cap Martin. Complicating the installation of other equipment, the buildings are not extensible, situated between the hill and the sea. "The Beach is big but not that big, and for any modification, we have to weigh everything and not make mistakes," Garcelon said. “I am fighting to maintain the spirit of the place and the comfort of the clientele while surfing on the history of the establishment, which I want to preserve. It is one of the last rare privileged places in the Principality. It must be protected while growing. And it's a delicate exercise.”
The opening of Maona, announced for "late June, early July," will be the big novelty of the summer at Monte-Carlo Beach. This space above the beach has been remodeled to accommodate a summer cabaret, with a hundred outdoor seating and a sea view. All in an atmosphere that echoes the sixties codes of the Principality's glamorous golden age. Maona, a contraction of Maria Callas and Aristotle Onassis, was an old SBM brand that named a nightclub on the Larvotto peninsula, before Jimmy’z, where for thirty years, nights were wild and legendary. "We relied on this legend and an extraordinary photographic heritage that we have. All the greatest stars of the time came to Maona. It was the place to be seen," Garcelon said, excited about this revival.
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