Monte Carlo - 1
A unique arrival awaited at Maybourne Riviera, the 65-key palace that floats high above Monte Carlo. Girlahead was getting off RSSC Splendor after the amazing GHA CEO Conference at Sea. A young lady helped her and her bags down the gangway from Deck 4. And there was Alexis waiting. He didn't have a sign. He recognized her and took her to a black Mercedes van. No wait at all. Very impressive. Three minutes later, however, Alexis had a phone call.
It turned out that the boss of Maybourne Riviera, Francesco Garcia, had come personally to meet Girlahead. A rendezvous was arranged, and Gomez arrived in a straw hat in a sea-blue 1965 Ford Mustang.– see above. Boy, what an arrival. Then began the journey through Monte Carlo, underneath the Fairmont, and up the steeply winding, S-bended road to Maybourne Riviera. It's perched so high and so precariously that one wonders if it's going to stay up.
The first appearance of the 14-floor hotel is absolutely beautiful. It's airy and light, with such touchpoints as orange backing for the library down the far end of the lobby. Up on floor 10, it's continuing airy and light, bringing the outside in. Suite 1002, like all the other 64 suites, has ocean views and big terraces. The terrace runs around the zigzag shape, looking to Italy to the far left, around over Monaco to France. The seating on the terrace is pale blue, matching the ocean. Inside, it's white with pale blue elements in the carpet that sits on the pale wood parquet flooring that is in ladder shape. The entertainment centre is also pale blue, two shades. It looks like two Smegs, one on top of each other. As well as masses of potables and edibles, the minibar includes three sets of patches by Ross J. Barr, for Serrenne – the hotel’s spa, a branch of Emory’s, in London There are two sleep patches, two calm patches (effective for 12 hours) and there's one healing patch for maintenance of minor aches and pains, muscle and sports injuries.
The extremely generous welcome table included a bottle of Champagne, flowers, chocolates, fruit, a commissioned drawing portrait of the straw-hatted guest, an da sugar sculpture of said bemused guest in a yellow Mini-Moke. See below, hat and all.
