Domes Miramare, Corfu, Greece

Nothing was left to chance in the re-imagining of the legendary Miramare hotel, which opened in 1962 and swiftly turned into a celebrity magnet. Meticulously fashioned as a serene Mediterranean-chic seaside destination for couples. The interior design reinterprets Sixties style with contemporary flair in shades of white, grey and teal. Objets d’art, like a flower-like gold light fixture in the lobby, subtly draw attention. Centuries-old olive trees stand proud amid palms and lawns fronting a 400-metre long beach. 

Location

Situated on Corfu’s eastern coast, it is one of the island’s few luxury resorts occupying a direct private beachfront location, ideal for those who want to mostly focus on central and southern Corfu, ideally by car. It is a short drive from the Unesco World Heritage-listed Old Town, while Achilleion Palace and Mon Repos are are also close, respectively. The rolling sand dunes and cedar forest of Issos beach are 20 minutes by car.

Accommodation

The 113-room sand-hued resort is divided into the main hotel section and a more exclusive area comprising pavilion retreats and two villas, standard rooms are close to the beach and pool and feature king size beds and bathrooms with mosaic detail. It’s worth splashing out on a more spacious sea view or waterfront pavilion retreat, where you can stretch out on chaise longues and de-stress in your hot tub or private pool, or both. Lather up in an oversized all-white marble bathroom with walk-in shower and separate bathtub. 

Dining

Breakfast by the sea at main restaurant Makris is exceptional, with an abundance of healthy and vegetarian options, including mango-flavoured Recovery smoothie and quinoa salad. Executive chef Petros Dimas, a graduate of Michelin-starred restaurants, reveals his talents with exquisite seafood dishes. Try succulent grilled prawns atop citrusy, yoghurt aioli adorned with wildly colourful edible Corfiot flowers. Slink into the Blu Bar for cocktails below suspended silver Middle Eastern urns. Sushi devotees should book at minimalist seafront Raw Bar and sample the tangy amberjack ceviche. 

Facilities

Soul beats float above a shingle beach, where it’s deceptively easy to spend a day unwinding on sun loungers and cooling off in the aquamarine Ionian Sea. Wakeboards, sea bobs and glass-bottomed canoes await those craving action. Haute Living is a cool haven for upper room category guests with an expansive sun deck, pool and access to shallow waters. At the spa, treatments such as couple massages are performed. Miramaretta, the resort’s sleek black yacht, whisks guests to Corfu Town in 20 minutes.