Pocker Paradise Monaco - Oct 00

By Catherine Chetwynd Lanyards are clacking gently against masts in the harbour. A couple of the latest model Ferraris and a Porsche 911 Carrera are parked outside the Hotel Hermitage and anyone who is anyone is sitting outside Le Café de Paris in Casino Square to see - and of course, be seen. This is Monaco, independent principality and exclusive peninsular state, just 30 minutes' drive - or, more appropriately, seven minutes by helicopter - from Nice airport. There are plenty of expensive yachts in the harbour and even more expensive cars on the road. It could be the venue for the world's most exalted motor show. Prince Rainier's private collection of classic cars is not only open to the public, but can also be hired as a venue for gala dinners. And then there is the Monte Carlo Grand Prix. Monaco also has romance. Prince Rainier was married to the Hollywood film star Ms Grace Kelly, who is buried in the cemetery behind the cathedral. Not surprisingly, the principality is a popular incentive destination. Any sales executive in his or her right mind would buy into the idea that they, too, could live like this, if only for a few nights. There are four major destination management companies serving the country - Conference International, LSO International, Allied Travel and Welcome Travel Team (WTT). Because the principality is only a short drive from both Italy and France, it is easy to incorporate a multi-cultural flavour into programmes, such as excursions to Ventimiglio and San Remo, where visitors can comb the busy markets for inexpensive, yet stylish goods. Because Mr Roger Moore lives locally, and Sir Sean Connery is a regular, "James Bond" is an appropriate theme for visitor programmes. Last summer, an American group was enjoying cocktails at the Hotel de Paris, overlooking Casino Square, when Mr Moore rolled up in an open-top Bentley and entered the hotel, a girl on each arm, to order a martini - much to the delegates' amazement. A traditional scene worth seeing is the Changing of the Guard, which takes place outside Prince Rainier's palace every day at 11.55am. The inside of the palace is also worth a look. Allied Travel operations manager Ms Anouk Gouzi is in no doubt about the basis of Monaco's appeal. "It feels like a magic kingdom. Even the French like it, and they didn't treat their kings very well." For delegates left to their own devices, a visit to the casino is fascinating and free entry can be arranged by issuing participants with gold cards. The first room in the casino is filled with slot machines, while in the second, the stakes are higher. Only VIP clients can get into the private rooms, where stakes are astronomical. An ideal way to recover from an evening of intensive spending is a morning in Les Thermes Marins de Monte-Carlo. Special one-hour packages allow delegates to have two treatments, perhaps a bath with essential oils and a traditional massage, or an algae pack and underwater shower - guaranteed to make visitors feel pampered. Monaco is the smallest country after The Vatican. Everything is within walking distance, and the principality is outstandingly safe. "You can leave the car keys in your car and no one will steal it," says tourism and convention authority president Mr Dario dell'Antonia. "Our main objective is to promote Monaco as a business destination, not just a glamorous one. We have more jobs in the principality and more than 25,000 people commute into Monaco every day to work," he says. The number of groups that return to the tiny state is testimony to its success. "Some 35% of our clientele is business tourism. The largest and longest standing is the Reinsurance Rendez-vous, which comprises 1,600 delegates who have been coming to Monaco for 44 years. We accommodate 90% of them in the principality." There is a range of hotels to suit tastes and budgets. Architectural elegance is abundant at Hotel Hermitage and Hotel de Paris, built in 1900 and 1864 respectively, both belong to the Société des Bains de Mer (SBM) group. The opulence of the Hermitage is a monument to the belle époque-style, epitomised by the property's function room of that name, with its cream and gold paint, murals, ceiling paintings, red and gold carpets and curtains, and rose red marble pillars. It currently seats 190 for dinner. The neighbouring Hotel de Paris also has a superb function room, with gilt and painted walls in its Salle Empire, which seats 350 for dinner. The hotel has two Michelin-star restaurants. The three-star Louis XV is run by Mr Alain Ducasse, the world's only chef with six Michelin stars, while Le Grill has one star. More unusually, guests can also eat in the hotel's wine cellars. "We gave one group dinner in the cellars of the Hotel de Paris," says Conference International director, Ms Merville Spiers. "The guests gathered in reception with a glass of champagne and were led through the underground passages of the hotel, which heightens anticipation. They arrived at the cellars to find a harpist playing." A venue that lends itself well to gala evenings is Le Sporting d'Eté, which features a Ducasse-managed restaurant, Le Bar et Boeuf. Alternatively, the superb Salle des Etoiles can hold up to 950 people. Large groups are catered for by the Monte-Carlo Grand Hotel, which sleeps 600. The Monte-Carlo Convention Centre Auditorium (CCAM), part of the hotel building, offers conference facilities for up to 1,450 theatre-style, plus breakout rooms holding between 25 and 150. Two more meetings rooms are being created out of a former restaurant. Le Metropole Palace has recently undergone a comprehensive renovation. Ten years ago the hotel had fallen into such disrepair that it was razed to the ground and rebuilt in its original belle époque-style. Further capacity was added two years ago, with the construction of a conference room with floor-to-ceiling windows and access to a small terrace, offering wonderful views over the city. The latest in audio-visual technology is available. The property has smaller rooms for hire on the ground floor and even the elegant lobby, with its marble floors and gilded ceilings, can be booked for an event. Le Méridien Beach Plaza is a resort property decorated in vibrant Mediterranean colours. Its conference facilities, known as Sea Club, were built in 1997 at a cost of FF120m (US$16m). They feature two large rooms holding up to 540 theatre-style. State-of-the-art equipment is available and a technical assistance manager is on hand. In June, Monaco raised its profile with the inauguration of the Grimaldi Forum. It is hoped that the FF1.6bn complex will be as much a gathering place for the people of Monaco, as a cultural and conference centre for international conference and incentive delegates. Grimaldi's largest auditorium seats 1,900. This is complimented by two smaller auditoria and two exhibition halls - Espace Diaghilev and Espace Ravel. "These facilities will put Monaco on the map," says business development manager Ms Sandrine Salomon. There are two 500-seat restaurants for delegates, plus the Brasserie Contemporaine, which will be open for lunch and dinner - adding to the venue's appeal for residents of Monaco. "It is very important that the people of Monaco feel that the centre belongs to them," says Ms Salomon of the complex, which opens with a music festival. With the opening of the Grimaldi Forum, the CCAM will close. The Centre de Rencontres Internationales will be converted into facilities for smaller groups, with a 400-seat auditorium and a meeting room for 70. As a result of extra conference capacity, Monaco's 2,231 hotel rooms anticipate over-supply. Two hotels are planned, one with 380 rooms, close to Le Sporting d'Eté, and a three-star property. Both will open by 2003. Monaco is entering the 21st century with all the facilities and services to back up its status as a top-notch leisure destination. The principality hopes that this powerful combination will make it a solid contender in the conference and incentive market