Corfu hotel Domes Miramare redefines beachfront bliss

Corfu hotel Domes Miramare, defined by its discreet contemporary luxury, glamorous 1960s past, and unbeatable waterside location, has a recent extension that makes more room for your dream stay.

A unique property in the east of the island (35 minutes from the airport), Domes Miramare owes its blissful beachfront location, amid a 400-year-old olive grove, to the Onassis family, who discovered the spot and had a hideaway built during the 1960s, enlisting Greek modernist architect Charalambos Sfaellos. The hedonistic playground welcomed Aristotle and Jackie Onassis, Maria Callas, and more among the era’s glitterati.

Now part of the Domes Resorts hospitality group, the property had a 2018 overall by interior architect Kristina Zanic, and contemporary comfort, chic and calm prevails.

The lobby’s central atrium is built around an ancient olive tree, a living centrepiece in a light-filled, marble-floored space that includes a rotating display of contemporary art by Greek and international artists, and an Assouline book corner. It’s the perfect spot for one of the Blu Bar’s Greek martinis (strong but delicious).

The Emerald suites, retreats and residences, housed in a trio of L-shaped buildings that give the effect of staggered cubic pavilions, are set amid the olive trees preserved on The Seafront Wing site and offer tranquil hideaways in the form of ground-floor and first-floor units, 90 per cent with a sea view. From the Emerald suites, for example, you can stroll directly from your terrace across lawns dotted with olive trees to the waterfront.

Those seeking more space or a private deck, pool or Jacuzzi should look to the Haute Living Selection of pavilions, villas and residences, among them the HRH villas created for a visiting royal family – with, as you’d expect, a little more bling for your buck – and available to book when they are not in residence. The higher-end accommodation comes with access to a shared, serviced living space that offers 24/7 access to drinks and snacks, a concierge, workstations, a private pool and more.

A striking recent addition to the property, The Panoramic Wing, set just inland, brings further accommodation and amenities, thanks to the conversion of a 1980s former hotel building. The architectural renovation by Makridis & Associates, with interior design again by Kristina Zanic – in collaboration with Justin Condon and Maria Grammenou – adds 69 guest rooms to the main site’s 113, along with two pools, a Technogym-equipped gym, a spa, and more drinking and dining options.

The extension’s impressive arched façade nods to the historic architecture of Corfu Old Town and Domes Miramare’s 1960s roots, while making a bold statement of modernity. The interiors continue the arched theme, and reference textures and colours of the island in a subtle, natural palette.

Accommodation again spans standard and Haute Living options, some units with seaview Jacuzzis. The new wing is linked to the main site by a tunnel beneath a road that separates them; what you lose in proximity to the water compared to The Seafront Wing, you gain in an elevated viewpoint.

While your every need will be catered to at Domes Miramare, there’s a refreshingly laidback approach to luxury. The friendly and approachable staff, all in dapper nautical stripes, set a relaxed mood while being unfailingly attentive.

Breakfast on the terrace of 1962 by the Sea Restaurant, with waves lapping just steps away, offers a tranquil start to the day. Later, the same spot is the place to sample Mediterranean, Greek and Corfiot cuisine, including excellent seafood and local wine. Fine dining restaurant Makris, meanwhile, features a set degustation menu, and there are also poolside bars, and a sushi bar.

The slender strip of beach is stony, but, for those without their own private pool, the hotel’s seafront pool is invitingly placed close by, and the new extension’s pools are quite spectacular.

If you’re not content to embrace the bliss and gaze at the Hellenic horizon, the hotel offers activities and excursions and will tailor a programme to your needs. There’s a focus on supporting local Corfiot producers – of olive oil, ceramics, or kumquat sweets and liqueur, made from the island’s signature fruit, for example. We visited an artisanal candle-maker, Choé, that supplies the hotel with its scented candles, and you can make your own should you wish.

If you venture out just once, I would skip four wheels and opt instead for a mode of transport that acknowledges the property’s past of heady glamour. A jaunt to Corfu Old Town in Domes Miramare’s 40ft Fjord speedboat, champagne glass in hand and wind in hair, had me wishing I had come equipped with Jackie O sunglasses and headscarf to properly embrace the hedonistic moment. The captain kept us at lowish speed in order to prolong the journey, but indulged us with a final show-off burst of acceleration before we arrived.

A Unesco World Heritage Site, Corfu Old Town is a delight. We happened to visit during a festival, but people-watching any day – especially Sundays, when locals promenade – is a satisfying way to idle away an hour or two. Try Café Josephine on Liston and sip a cooling frappé. After a wander of labyrinthine streets (stop to peek inside the Greek Orthodox church of Saint Spyridon, home to the casket of the island’s patron saint, and where locals pop by to light candles) and a little shopping (kumquat snacks by Lazarus), a lunch of Italian sandwiches and wine consumed while perched on stools outside Di Santos, Corfu’s Italian street food specialist, will more than hit the spot.

Domes Miramare is for adults only. For a family-accessible stay, its sister property Domes of Corfu is located on the west of the island and includes a kids’ club, buggy-friendly ramps, and a similarly enviable (but super sandy) beachfront proximity. A swim-up suite (perhaps not for the kids), where you may plop from your private deck into a shared pool at will, is just about the most satisfying sleepover you can imagine. Follow up your dip with melt-in-the-mouth-delicious sea bass at the taverna-style beachfront restaurant Topos, where you can linger late into the evening as the west-coast waves crash on the sand, and you will surely have found inner calm and contentment in Corfu.