This is my first of hopefully many blog posts reviewing airlines, hotels, airports and general travel related stuff as well as advice on how to maximise your travel through credit cards, air miles and loyalty programs. I have a lot more posts coming over the next few months and will also start uploading Youtube videos here so stay tuned. I’m still learning the basics of writing blogs and website design so bear with me whilst I hopefully improve the website appearance, writing and pictures.
If you would like to stay at the Domes Miramare, please consider using my affiliate link through Booking.com.
This Luxury 5 Star Adults-only Hotel is nestled on the edge of a bay on the coast of Corfu, Greece. Part of the Marriott hotel chains “Luxury Collection,” at the Domes Miramare Corfu, you can earn or redeem Marriott Bonvoy points and benefit from status perks, such as late checkout and rooms upgrades. I have Marriott Gold Elite Status through the Amex Platinum Card and whilst there weren’t any available room upgrades I did benefit from late checkout and extra points, which.
The Domes Miramare is definitely not cheap, at around £400 or more per night during peak season. Though as I stayed in mid-September, just as the weather started turning cooler, it was around £320 per night. I’ll talk in more detail later about whether these prices are worth it.
Corfu Airport, Location and Check-in
Coming in to land at Corfu airport gave way to some truly stunning views and if you’re keen on plane spotting I would definitely recommend visiting the Holy Monastery of Panagia Vlacherna, a monastery built on a small island just south of the runway where you can see planes come into land just a few meters overhead. Our taxi driver was waiting for us after clearing customs and the transfer to the hotel took around 30 minutes to arrive at the hotel through quite busy traffic. It cost about £75 for the return airport transfer.
Upon arriving at the hotel we were taken to a lounge area and guided through the check-in process by a friendly concierge and given a fresh kumquat cocktail. The main hall is jaw-dropping with an (allegedly) 500 year old olive tree in the center and modern art and furniture scattered around. There is also a grand piano, with live music in the evening which provides a nice ambience.
After check-in and a short tour of the grounds we were shown to our room, which Domes refer to as the “Emerald Retreat”. The hotel is relatively small as far as beech resorts go but it did take a good amount of time to walk around, especially as our room was located quite far from the main area.
Rooms and Facilities
In keeping with the rest of the hotel the “Emerald Retreat” rooms and furniture was classy with a cool Mediterranean vibe. The bed was massive (too big if anything) and very comfy with plenty of space to lounge or sit around the room. A wall-sized sliding glass door led to a slightly looking bare balcony with two lounge chairs overlooked the garden (and other rooms and a path)
We received complimentary prosecco, Greek delight and honey-nut snacks as well as a thank you for staying note which was a nice touch. There is also a coffee machine fully stocked with coffees and water. A hairdryer, a safe, mini bar and everything else you would expect in a high-end hotel like this were also provided.
The bathroom was lovely and spacious with full marble cladding, though personally I feel a 5 star resort hotel like this should have a bath, but this could be personal bias as I’m a sucker for a good soak.
Disappointingly, however, the room just wasn’t clean at all, it was as if they never hoover or mop it. There were lumps of dust under the bed and simply walking around the room in bare feet turned them black from the dirt.
The Food
Coming into this holiday the food was probably my most anticipated aspect of this hotel, and sadly, I was quite let down. There are 3 main restaurants at the hotel, the Makris buffet choice which is free on the half-board rate, the Korypho a la carte restaurant which is across a road in the hotel’s newly developed complex, and the Raw Bar which serves Sushi/Japanese food. We tried all 3 and the Raw Bar was hands down the best, and though pricey, served incredibly fresh sushi and was very flavourful. Up there with the best sushi restaurants I’ve been to in Japan. The Buffet restaurant was also good with a huge selection, some of which was bland or poorly cooked, but there was still enough good food here to make it worth while. Both restaurants had a good selection of (once again) pricey drinks
Finally the a la carte Korypho restaurant had an impressive looking menu but was one of the worst meals I’ve had at a 5 star hotel. To start we had the slow cooked egg (rich eggy sauce with rubbery chicken cubes and mushy breadcrumbs, do not recommend) and scallops. For our main we had a whole sea bass to share and red mullet, both of which tasted good but seemed under-seasoned. Dessert was the highlight, Namelaka with Ice cream and a crispy bee biscuit. All dishes had very impressive presentation but, except for the delicious dessert, everything was bland and underwhelming. And to top it off the price was eye-watering for the quality, it cost around €450 for a table of 5, including 4 cocktails and a bottle of wine.
The good news is that the nearby village of Moraitika is only a few minutes away with incredibly cheap and delicious food. I highly recommend the Pesce fish bar for fresh greek seafood served by a friendly local; the Village Taverna for an authentic Greek experience in a traditional setting; and the Belle Vista for a stunning view.
The hotel also has a pool bar which serves a limited and slightly bland selection of light meals, though this too seemed expensive for the quality of food and service.
Everything Else
If you enjoy watersports you’re in luck, in the corner of the resort there’s a small hut run by a friendly man with a family of (at the time of writing) baby cats. You’ll have to pay extra for any watersports but it’s quite reasonable. We tried kayaking and paddle boarding and you can also go waterskiing and tubing.
Both pools were large and well done, though unheated so surprisingly cold. The sea, also cold at this time of year was beautifully calm and tranquil and great for swimming. The beach however is quite coarse shingle so be prepared for some sore feet when going in and out of the sea, once in the water though it’s all sand.
Finally there is a jetty going out into the sea which is nice to walk on and also acts as the boarding point if you choose to catch a boat into Corfu Town which can be arranged with the concierge.
Conclusion
Overall a very nice hotel let down in a few key areas due to a lack of attention to details. Location and décor is fantastic. Service was friendly but multiple times we had to remind them about our order. Food was hit or miss and I would recommend the Raw Bar firstly and if you can’t get in there just go to the buffet restaurant. The Korypho a la carte menu was frankly disappointing, especially at the premium price point.
I would definitely consider visiting the Domes Miramare again, but only if I could get a good deal and definitely not in late September as it was too breezy and never topped 25C. Personally I also enjoyed the cats wondering about and begging for food, though this also may not be for everyone.
Pros:
- Beautiful location and design
- Very friendly and helpful staff
- Good Breakfast
- Plenty of things to do and the watersports manager was lovely
Cons:
- Food very hit or miss, and pricey
- Service can be very slow at times, despite the friendliness
- Rooms were quite dirty, old towels, no bath
If you would like to stay at the Domes Miramare, please consider using my affiliate link through Booking.com.
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2 responses to “Review Of The Domes Miramare Corfu; Marriott’s Luxury Collection”
My experience at this hotel was similar to yours. Still enjoyed my time in Greece very much
Good to hear!