The best beach hotels in Europe
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In summer it's hard to resist the sun soaked appeal the best beaches in Europe – even more alluring is a stay that's an effortless barefoot stroll away from one of these prized spots. From small and secret hideaways on the harbour to sprawling resorts just steps from the water, here in no particular order, we round up the best beach hotels in Europe. For more recommendations, see our edit of the best hotels in Europe.
Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino, Greece
Featured on our 2024 Hot List of the best new hotels in the world
The private Costa Navarino reserve in the Peloponnese’s Messenia is already known for its dunes, secret bays, world-class golf courses and family-friendly resorts – but Mandarin Oriental’s Greek debut takes things up a notch. With sweeping views of the coast, the resort is cast organically into the hillside, with flora-topped pool villas and gardens alive with pirouetting butterflies and bushels of oleander and rosemary. The 51 suites and 48 pool villas are spacious, and even entry-level rooms can interconnect for families. The central pool with swim-up bar is flanked by restaurants and high-end fashion stores including an Orlebar Brown, and there's a separate adults-only pool. The vegetation topped private pool villas sit comfortably and organically in the landscape and the 225m sandy beach offers calm swimming conditions.
Breakfast tapas, or paramana, are served on the lavender-scented terrace of Oliviera restaurant, including homemade yogurt topped with pistachio and honeycomb, and milk cake. Aside from Eastern Mediterranean restaurant Tahir (whose silken baba ghanoush is a must), the pizza omakase counter at Pizza Sapienza impresses with its 48-hour-proved, perfectly singed slices topped with freshly picked courgette flowers and local horta bitter greens with nduja. The citrus-hued spa has a panoramic 25 metre pool and indoor- outdoor gym stocked with pepper and ginger kombucha shots. This is a resort for all generations, with access to Costa Navarino’s four golf courses, tennis academy and plentiful water sports; and new free kids’ club, laden with wooden toys. And thanks to its excellent GM, Raul Levis, there’s warmth in its soul. Jemima Sissons
Distance to the water: On the beach.
Travel time: 50-minute drive from Kalamata International Airport.
Price: Rooms from around £855 per night.
Georg RoskeOku Kos, Kos, Greece
Pure relaxation is difficult to find, but it’s near-impossible not to lean into the chilled-out vibe you feel immediately as you enter Oku’s open reception. Inspired by the relaxed Greek way of life, Oku aims to combine local culture with relaxation, and easily succeeds. Somehow there are 100 rooms in the hotel, but it feels more like 20; the property is wonderfully private, and Greek-style whitewashed buildings blend seamlessly into the open landscape. Guests can choose from rooms with private or semi-private pools (shared with two other rooms, but surprisingly personal), or opt for a larger villa with a roof terrace and sea views. Special mention to the showers, which are some of the best I’ve used in a hotel thanks to the strong waterfall current and moody, stone walls that lean into the minimal aesthetic.
Food at Oku, overseen by executive Chef Mark Vaessen, is impeccable and unapologetically Greek. Salads are topped with crumbly feta and tomatoes that burst in the mouth, while the tzatziki is so good it's impossible not to order a bowl at every meal. Take your dinners outside where you can watch the sunset – which sets over nearby Kalimnos and is guaranteed to be one of the most stunning you've seen – over the hotel's private beach, with a cocktail made at the bar in-hand. Abigail Malbon
Distance to the water: On the beach.
Travel time: 14-minute drive from Kos International Airport.
Price: Rooms from around £289 per night.
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November StudioLily of the Valley, Saint Tropez, France
This relatively new arrival to the Cote d’Azur may share other five star hotels' cinematic Riviera views and cool, contemporary interiors, but its agenda is unique and, perhaps, prophetic. Philippe Starck’s walnut ceilings, daring marble bathrooms and offbeat rustic spaces high in La Croix Valmer play host to new thinking on luxury travel – where wellbeing is no longer confined to a Swiss lake but sits alongside tapas lunches and lazy pastry breakfasts. This is where the well-heeled (and well-tired) come to recharge without the Opus Dei flavour punishment, but equally without the heavy hangover of an overindulgent week. The spa has, therefore, had to up its game for this new breed of Riviera roller – who sign up for three holistic programmes (weight loss, sport and detox) or go at their own turmeric shot and Technogym pace. Shades and materials, both inside and out, feel as organic and nourishing as the plates of poached fish and seasonal salads. The pool lords over trippy, Mediterranean views and reminds the one-only cocktail crowd (who occasionally slip off the wellness wagon) that wellbeing and pleasure were always bedfellows. Rosalyn Wikeley
Distance to the water: On the beach.
Travel time: 1 hour, 40-minute drive from Nice Côte d'Azur Airport.
Price: Rooms from around £405 per night.
Tomeu Canyellas MoraguesZEL Hotel, Palma Nova, Mallorca
Simply put, this new opening from Meliá Hotels International and co-founder Rafael Nadal, is a lot of fun. It has a breezy, unpretentious attitude, all whitewashed woods, comfy sofas and seagrass finishes, befitting its choice location right on Palma Nova’s pristine beachfront. The heart of the hotel is a sweeping open-plan space where each zone spills lazily into the next, from the lobby through to the impressive triple-height dining area and out onto an expansive patio with panoramic sea views. Indeed, R&R is the order of the day, with two pools, a gym, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and aromatherapy spa to hop between – a massage here nearly sent me to sleep – plus plenty of loungers and Bali beds to loll on for the foreseeable. In the evenings, however, prepare to gear up: there are regular live music performances throughout the week and, on the weekend, bass-heavy dance beats bounce through the space after 7pm. This is Mallorca’s party hotspot, after all. If that’s not your vibe, it’s quieter outside at restaurant Beso Beach, where the food and cocktails proved a highlight of our stay. The strawberry mojito was a hit, as was a whole sea bass prepared tableside and a generous heaping of rich, salty paella. Charley Ward
Distance to the water: On the beach.
Travel time: 25-minute drive from Palma de Mallorca Airpoirt.
Price: Rooms from around £153 per night
www.fevziondu.comMaxx Royal Kemer, Antalya, Turkey
Maxx Royal Kemer feels like a family-run boutique guesthouse rather than the colossal resort it is. This is largely due to the attentiveness of the staff and the warm smiles that greet guests at every turn. So much as hint at a special occasion, and it’s more than likely a jumble of balloons will greet you after a long day on one of the two beaches. There’s ample room for everyone to breathe, and rooms are more akin to sprawling villas. Check into one of the two-bedroom swim-up rooms, and you’ll be forgiven for thinking that, eventually, there’s a check-out time. Premium rooms are paired with access to cabanas on the long beach and sleek chillout areas facing the sparkling Mediterranean.
The beach is stony, but boardwalks lead into the water, so feet are unscarred, and this corner of the Med seems all the clearer for it. Cornflakes are as frequent a sight as caviar at breakfast, while lunchtimes can be a formal affair or consist of a pool-side toasty or an indulgent eclair from the patisserie. Suppertime is when the resort comes alive. Dancers and DJs take to the stage while dressed-up diners choose from a range of restaurants facing the heart of the resort. Discover Mediterranean cuisine at Medigusto, seafood favourites at Marsea, or Far Eastern flavours at Otaku; the possibilities are endless. Vanessa Kingori
Distance to the water: On the beach.
Travel time: 1 hour, 10-minute drive from Antalya Airport.
Price: Rooms from around £799 per night, all-inclusive.
Ricardo NascimentoVila Vita Parc, Algarve, Portugal
This is the grand dame of the Algarve’s resorts, with something for everyone. Private yacht with which to set sail on the seas? Tick. Two Michelin-star restaurant? Tick. Extraordinary wine cellar? Tick. The country’s only Sisley Spa? Tick. Brilliant kid’s club? Tick. And so, it goes on. The choice of restaurants is huge, ranging from Michelin star dining at Ocean, where you really must try Chef Hans Neuner’s sublime dishes, to traditional Portuguese favourites at Adega, Japanese teppanyaki and sushi at Mizu and tuna tartare and salmon poke bowls, next to the infinity pool at Whale. They have their own private beach, great shops and tip-top service throughout the 202 rooms and villas dotted around the 54 acres of sub-tropical garden. Mary Lussiana
Distance to the water: On the beach.
Travel time: 45-minute drive from Faro Airport.
Price: Rooms from around £187 per night.
Santa Marina, a Luxury Collection Resort, Mykonos, Greece
Featured on our Gold List of the best hotels in the world 2023
When I chose hotels for honeymooning in southern Greece, where my mom's family is from, it was important to me that I support Greek-owned hotels in the aftermath of the pandemic. I was ecstatic to discover that Santa Marina, the beloved five-star resort on Mykonos, remains owned by the same local family that opened it four decades ago. The only resort on the island with its own private stretch of sandy beach – and on calm and sought-after Ornos Bay, no less – Santa Marina includes 101 sea view rooms and suites with private plunge pools, plus a selection of 13 sprawling villas, a cove-nestled beach club shielded from the mighty Cycladic winds, and two infinity pools to mix up the lounging scenery. Two restaurants, including sushi spot Buddha-Bar Beach Mykonos and Mykonos Social by Jason Atherton, serve inventive plates ranging from Asian-inspired poke and ceviches led by the Mediterranean’s abundant fish, to taverna-style dishes: slow-cooked lamb, sun-dried grilled octopus, classic horiatiki, and bread baskets served with traditional dips like taramosalata (roe puree) and htipiti (spicy whipped feta). The on-site spa has a traditional hammam as well as aromatherapy massages, medical-grade facials, and a sauna that are well worth breaking from the sun and sand for an afternoon. But the real magic of Santa Marina is in the simple pleasures afforded by its fabled location – sipping assyrtiko from a shady cabana while the mega yachts go by, you’ll forget all about the island's hard-partying reputation. Shannon McMahon
Distance to the water: On the beach.
Travel time: 12-minute drive from Mykonos Airport.
Price: Rooms from around £382 per night.
Stefano ScatàLa Peschiera, Monopoli, Puglia, Italy
Settled on the water's edge, La Peschiera is the perfect example of a meticulous restoration – from an ancient fishing reserve to one of the most exclusive, refined hotels in Puglia. Located along the Monopoli coastline, the dreamy beachside bolthole embraces a simple colour palette of whites and beiges that perfectly enhances the hypnotic deep blue sea that it overlooks. Here you live and breathe the Adriatic, waking up and falling asleep to the gentle rustle of the waves, and even dine above it on a suspended terrace, where fish is undoubtedly the starring ingredient of Chef Vincenzo Montanaro’s tasting menus. On the other side is a small, private beach, where you experience the leisurely rhythm of the Mediterranean. Lucrezia Worthington
Distance to the water: On the beach.
Travel time: 58-minute drive from Karol Wojtyla International Airport.
Price: Rooms from around £338 per night.
Ana LuiNobu Hotel Ibiza Bay, Ibiza, Spain
Nobu opened in Ibiza in 2017, taking over what was once the Talamanca Hotel and its envious position on the water just behind Marina Botafoch. And despite the potentially intimidating Ibiza-ness of the hotel, with its boutiques selling €300 swimwear and the sashimi-serving Nobu, this is a fantastically relaxed, pad-around-in-your-bikini kind of place.
The smack-bang seafront spot means some of the best views are from bed: boats bobbing in Talamanca Bay, the tips of palm trees, and early risers jogging along the boardwalk that leads to Fish Shack. Outside, the hardest decision is whether to spend your time by the pool, lounging on the bleached-wood double sun loungers, or on the slick of sandy beach that’s just steps away. The Six Senses spa hosts a range of wellness practitioners in the summer, from nutritional therapists to meditation and breathwork teachers.
Distance to the water: On the beach.
Travel time: 13-minute drive from Ibiza Airport.
Price: Rooms from around £388 per night.
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Michel FiguetHôtel Martinez, Cannes, France
A vast palace hotel set right in the crux of La Croisette – the oceanfront road in Cannes that's home to exceedingly smart hotels and stores – might sound intimidating. Yes, the Art Deco design is as handsome as they come; all soft blues and whites designed by Pierre-Yves Rochon (also responsible for The Savoy in London and Hotel George V in Paris). The seventh floor is home to two of Europe's biggest penthouses, so you might see filmmakers or A-listers hopping out of a Bentley out front before being whisked away by impeccably dressed staff. There's a top-notch spa and a garden for relaxing by the swimming pool, a bar and a buzzing beach club. This is an old-school hotel that's always reinventing itself. Read the full review of Hôtel Martinez. Sarah James
Distance to the water: On the beach.
Travel time: 25-minute drive from Cannes Airport.
Price: Rooms from around £238 per night.
Horácio RodriguesPine Cliffs Luxury Resort, Algarve, Portugal
This family-friendly spot is perfect for those on a mission to relax on the Algarve’s picturesque southern coast. Just 30 minutes from Faro airport, the cliffside escape is nestled between the coastal city Albufeira – a former fishing village with a vibrant old town – and Quarteira. Combining modern style with authentic Portuguese touches, visitors ambling through the expansive 72-hectare grounds will stumble across white-washed villas and hidden courtyard fountains decorated with hand-painted tiles and murals by local artisans. A sleek elevator brings you from the cool shade of the resort’s namesake pine trees to the white sands of Algarve’s famed Falésia Beach, while those who prefer pool-side comforts have eight to choose from. Golfers can enjoy a nine-hole scenic cliff-top course, whilst the 1,100 metre Serenity Spa offers everything from CBD massages to body wraps made from the powder of the island’s fragrant carob fruits. Flower-enveloped four-bedroom villas and self-catering apartments with cloud-like beds and free-standing baths form part of the array of contemporary accommodations on offer, while the resort offers the largest kids club in the region. Food lovers have their pick of 12 different restaurants and bars, the most impressive being the highly Instagrammable cliff-top Champagne Mirador bar, where trees decorated with magnums of fizz frame the stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean. Jessica Rach
Distance to the water: An elevator ride.
Travel time: 35-minute drive from the ferry terminal.
Price: Rooms from around £177 per night.
Cosme, a Luxury Collection Resort, ParosCosme Hotel Paros, Paros, Greece
This hotel – part of Marriott Bonvoy’s Luxury Collection Hotels and Resorts portfolio – feels more like a narrative, a breathing thing. The property draws in the fresh, salty air that whips off the Aegean Sea and allows it to fill its white-washed lungs to uplift the myriad pathways and passages (inspired by the bright fishing villages of Paros itself) that connect guest rooms with thoughtful spaces and dining areas, and outdoor living. From the achingly cool entrance that frames the stretch of private beach in front to the half-moon infinity pool that perfectly kisses the ocean beyond it, island living doesn’t get much better – or much freer – than this. Anya Meyerowitz
Distance to the water: On the beach.
Travel time: 17-minute drive from the ferry terminal.
Price: Rooms from around £374 per night.
Pascal ReynaudAmara, Limassol, Cyprus
A beach hotel that enjoys sunny days well into October, Amara is raising the hotel game in Limassol. Moments after your car door is opened by a smiling dark-suited doorman, you’ll be informed about the separate entrance for the Japanese-Peruvian restaurant, Matsuhisa Limassol. Matsuhisa, as in Nobu Matsuhisa, the world-famous Japanese chef. The show-stopping restaurant makes Amara a standout spot on the island, serving sensationally fresh sushi that’s as pleasurable to look at as it is to eat.
If you come for the food though, you’ll want to stay for the location. Prime beachside land with nothing but palm trees and beach umbrellas to spoil the view. Cool, airy, understated rooms are designed around that sea view as point of focus: large glass doors look out onto a glass-sided balcony that seems to slice the ocean up perfectly between the different-hued waters before and after the breakwater, and you can open shutters to look out to the horizon from the deep bath or large rain shower, too. Outside, the infinity pools – one child-friendly, one not – provide the ultimate stay highlight and must be lounged in for as long as possible. See our full Amara hotel review for more.
Distance to the water: A short leisurely stroll through the gardens.
Travel time: 35-minute drive from Larnaca International Airport.
Inside tip: The Cyprus hotel is very child friendly. Restaurant staff, even in atmospheric Michelin-starred Ristorante Locatelli, are incredibly accommodating, bringing children’s dishes sooner or adapting them as much as possible to whatever weird demands they may have.
Enzo RandoBorgo Santandrea, Amalfi Coast, Italy
If you wanted to land the ultimate stretch of sand on the Amalfi Coast, Borgo Santandrea would be it. Perched high in the cliffs, the exciting new arrival is built into the rock face overlooking the sea, and within view of the sweet fishing village of Conca dei Marini. The property's original 1960s bones have been enhanced by a magical crew of local Amalfitano artisans, with details like landscaped gardens and museum-worthy vintage pieces. All rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows and sea views, while some have infinity pools. While the Amalfi Coast might not be known for its beaches (the few plum spots become jam-packed come high season), Borgo Santandrea comes with a fabulous private one — and a chic beach club for its guests.
Distance to the water: On the beach.
Travel time: 60-minute drive from Naples International Airport.
Price: Rooms from around £652 per night.
Grand Hotel De Cala Rossa, Porto-Vecchio, France
Corsicans get a bad rap for being inhospitable, especially compared to their island neighbours, but there are two sides to life here: the one locals enjoy – access to secret beaches and an enveloping sense of community – and the more polished, arms-length experience that visitors tend to encounter. What’s special about this place, near the glitzy coastal town of Porto-Vecchio, is that it offers both. Run by the Canarelli family since the late 1970s, it has the lively, everyone-knows-everyone vibe of a sprawling beachfront villa with white-stucco domed ceilings and plenty of inviting linen sofas to curl up on. Regulars and newcomers are embraced like long-lost pals by staff, many of whom have been here for decades. Such an air of comfort only adds to the thrill of the experience, which starts, of course, with the unbeatable location. The hotel has its own lick of sandy beach dotted with sunbeds and parasols, and its gardens hum with the sound of birds and insects in the summer months. The blue, blue bay is the focus of everything, as is the jetty, from which the catch of the day is delivered directly into the hands of chef Pascal Cayeux, who has plenty of home-grown produce to work with from the expansive kitchen garden. The latter is worth a visit. Heady with the scent of mimosa and native aromatics, it was laid out masterfully by landscape architect Phillipe Niez. In the evenings, the mood at dinner is always jolly – guests linger long after pudding is finished and star-gaze while listening to the guitar strum of local musicians. Old school and under the radar, just like the best hotels in the Mediterranean often are. Alice Cavanagh
Distance to the water: On the beach.
Travel time: 138-minute drive from Figari-Sud Corse Airport.
Price: Rooms from around £828 per night.
Matthew BuckThe Ritz-Carlton, Tenerife, Spain
Some large hotels can seem impersonal and lacking in character. Instead, The Ritz-Carlton Abama – a monumental vision of faintly surreal, multi-layered Moorish pink – feels more like a curious labyrinthine village; a place to get happily lost in, amid all those palm trees, curving walkways and aquamarine pools with sharp, dissonant angles. The sense of a total escape is helped by the fact that the hotel is a world unto itself: with views beyond the white-sand beach to the neighbouring island of La Gomera, it is mostly surrounded by a golf course, beyond which the volcanic Mount Teide looms ominously large. Flying and flopping may be unfashionable, but I can’t think of a better place to do just that of a European winter (Tenerife is T-shirt-warm all year round). The eight-plus restaurants and bars restaurants include Michelin-starred Basque and Japanese fusion; the kids’ club, with its colourful art walls is one of the biggest in Europe; and the spa takes opulent inspiration from Roman baths. But the joy here is just being: hiking along the rugged coast or floating from pool to pool, as the sun
casts lines of shadows over pink stucco walls and eventually settles over the peaks of La Gomera. David MoralejoDistance to the water: Within walking distance to the hotel's private beach.
Travel time: 27-minute drive from Tenerife South Airport.
Price: Rooms from around £394 per night.
Heinz TrollElix, part of Mar-Bella Collection, Parga, Greece
Depending on your route, the journey to and from Elix, part of Mar-Bella Collection, is as unforgettable as the destination. If you can, arrive in Corfu, where you can take the hotel’s boat, sailing past caves and secret beaches, to reach the resort's beach cove. From there, it's a beloved-by-kids funicular ride to the top where you’ll then be welcomed at the soothing spa-like reception.
The journey to the hill-top location is worth it, with other-worldly views overlooking Paxos, Antipaxos and Corfu. These views are made a focal point in the rooms via clear balconies, and even from the pool via a freshwater infinity pool. Much of the action takes place here or at the sun loungers on the beach; both are served by a dedicated bar team serving up cocktails and light bites. There are plenty of options beyond the pool, too, especially for families with kids activities, including treasure hunts, sports championships, and theatre shows on offer. A London creative events company even organises the likes of stargazing and Greek mythology games during summer. If you’re in the mood to explore, don’t miss the nearby Monolithi Preveza beach, a sprawling stretch of sand that’s said to be one of the longest beaches in Europe. See our full hotel review for more. Becky Lucas
Distance to the water: A funicular ride away.
Travel time: 1 hour 13 minute drive from Preveza Airport.
Price: Rooms from around £149 per night.
Francisco de Almeida DiasThe Albatroz Hotel, Cascais, Portugal
Although once a whitewashed fishing village, Cascais long ago swapped that simple existence for tangible glamour. Among imposing 19th-century villas where grand European families sought out a cool breeze to escape the hot summer lies the much-loved Albatroz, a constant in a shifting seascape. Since opening as a tiny inn in the 1960s, it has blossomed to become one of the first five-stars in town. Its buildings jut out on a rocky promontory, close enough for the pounding waves to weave through any pillow talk, with the beach of Conceição just steps away. Inside, there is an enduring sense of elegance; a hint of mystery from the war era when spies filled the salons. A 21st-century freshness has just been added by talented designer Gracinha Viterbo, who introduced hand-painted tiles, limestone and palm-tree wallpaper, with a nod to the country’s maritime past in sea-blue friezes where monkeys jostle with flamingos. Bedrooms are split between the old palace and a modern wing; there are also six hidden rooms in Italianate jewel The House of the Yellow Ceilings. The restaurant, buzzing with ladies from Lisbon who lunch toying with plump scarlet prawns, overlooks the sand, but the best seat is at the bar. To be here, glass of wine in hand, boats bobbing on the waves, is as near to perfection as it comes. Mary Lussiana
Distance to the water: A short walk next door to Conceição beach.
Travel time: 34-minute drive from Humberto Delgado Airport in Lisbon.
Ekies All Senses Resort, Halkidiki, Greece
The emphasis at Ekies is very much on hanging out horizontally. With its oversized, Indian-style daybed in the lobby, Coco-Mat mattresses in the bedrooms, thick-cushioned sun loungers on its small beach, and hammock strung up in the sea, naps - accompanied by the lulling sounds of the waves and the cicadas - are thoroughly encouraged. Owner Alexandra Efstathiadou has turned the place around, commissioning four designers from Greece's award-winning agency Beetroot to curate unique looks for the 76 rooms and the common living spaces. The results could have been messy but, thanks to Alexandra's style-conscious eye, are instead fun and quirky. There are graphic touches, such as the stylised creatures (bees, squirrels and jellyfish) painted onto the walls to represent the fauna of the surrounding Sithonia peninsula, as well as more obvious additions such as Panton S chairs, polished concrete flooring and Tom Dixon lighting. But for all this attention to design detail, Ekies is essentially a barefoot hideaway, where sarongs rather than shoes take precedence in the dress code.
Distance to the water: On its own beach.
Travel time: A 75-minute drive from Thessaloniki airport.
Inside tip: Head to the old town of nearby Nikiti for an iced coffee or a glass of wine on the shady terrace up in the hills at Café Barcarolla, surrounded by the scent of jasmine, fig and pine trees.
Romain FoucqueU Capu Biancu, Corsica, France
From land or sea, U Capu Biancu is almost entirely hidden. Hewn into a cliffside on Corsica’s southern coast and shrouded by the island’s rosemary- and lavender-scented maquis, this small, secret hotel can be found down a long and winding lane leading straight to its great iron gates.
Once inside, the space is welcoming and open to the elements like the teak pavilions of the East, rustic lanterns swinging in the sea breeze. And then, suddenly, there it is – the sea, right below you. It’s a view that makes you stop walking and talking and just breathe it all in.
The indoors-outdoors restaurant is the heart of this little hotel, set on a series of terraces along the hillside. Here, the well-dressed, usually French clientele eat superb seafood hauled in by the hotel’s only neighbour, a fisherman who moors at its jetty, bringing his catches to marvellous, long-serving chef Gadio El Hadji, who grills them a la plancha or bakes them in salt. At breakfast, guests enjoy freshly baked breads, home-made jams and eggs laid by the garden’s chickens. Follow the garden path past the deliciously warm pool, down through oleander bushes and olive trees, to the beach at the bottom, accessible only from the hotel and the sea.
A go-slow ethos runs right through this place. Two nights here will unravel your stresses and have you sleeping again. Rooms are pin-drop quiet with a relaxed design and exposed-stone walls. Each one is filled with eclectic items and antiques from India and Bali, curated by the owners who have spent the past 25 years turning U Capu Biancu into the perfect seaside hotel: charming, private, and seriously smart. By Laura Fowler
Distance to the water: A five minute stroll
Travel time: A half-hour drive from Figari-Sud Corse Airport
Insider tip: There are donkeys, too, whose milk is used to fill a bath for a wellness treatment fit for Cleopatra, in the small, intimate spa that could easily be an old shepherd’s hut, all dry stone and bare wood.
La Minervetta, Sorrento, Amalfi Coast, Italy
With this crazily brilliant, pocket-sized Amalfi Coast hotel clinging like an eagle's lair to the cliffs just outside Sorrento, owner Marco DeLuca has created somewhere that's so much more than just a place to sleep. The bold red, white and blue colour scheme in the huge open-plan living area could feel a bit Ralph Lauren, but when juxtaposed with Marco's collection of curiosities, icons and design pieces from Sweden it becomes zingy and fresh. Bedrooms are sparse with whitewashed walls and the bare minimum of furniture: the main focus is what's outside the floor-to-ceiling windows. Each room is different, but especially lovely is the junior suite which, with its teak floors and brushed-steel Tolomeo lamps, gives you the impression of being on a boat. Rise early for breakfast and watch the sun rise over Vesuvius then take the staircase to the fishing harbour of Marina Grande where Neapolitan mammas gossip in the water while their offspring dive from the rocks. For dinner, pop over the hill to Lo Scoglio, one of the best restaurants in Italy. And if you are here in mid-July, for the annual lemon festival, round off the evening with lashings of limoncello.
Distance to the water: 200 steps via a private staircase.
Travel time: A one-hour drive from Naples.
Inside tip: Rather than make for tourist-swamped Sorrento, head along the Sorrentine Peninsula, still mercifully free from coach parties.
Don Ferrante, Monopoli, Puglia, Italy
If you want a taste of what Capri and St Tropez were like in the 1950s, but for a smidgeon of the price, Monopoli is the spot. Fishermen still mend their nets and sell sardines from buckets by the harbour while wizened old ladies on plastic chairs pinch out orecchiette with their thumbs. This 10-bedroom townhouse was originally a fortress, carved into the ancient defensive walls that surround the town. Tucked away down a side street, Don Ferrante comes as a surprise to even the most seasoned Italophile, its discreet front door opening to reveal a maze of narrow stone steps and corridors all leading to the same Adriatic panorama. With that blue sea always visible, it made sense for the owner, Gianni, to paint his hotel entirely white; everything glows, from the staff uniforms to the vintage Piaggio Ape three-wheeler that trundles guests through the cobbled streets. Bedrooms are simple, sun-filled and very comfy. The suite with its Juliet balcony is heavenly, but just as lovely is the dinky Portiera. The rooftop restaurant is white, too, with sofas and sunbeds overlooking the coastline. The pool is tiny, but some of the best beaches in Italy are just minutes away, and guests have special access to the Hamptons-esque Coccaro Beach Club. For more recommendations, see our pick of the best hotels in Puglia.
Distance to the water: Waves lap right up to the hotel walls.
Travel time: A 45-minute drive from Bari.
Inside tip: Once you're there, ditch the car - Monopoli is for exploring hand in hand. Take a short stroll down to the Lido Bianco for a plate of fresh sea urchins, washed down with the local Primitivo.
Ammos Hotel, Chania, Crete, Greece
Breakfast alone makes the trip to this chic little Greek Island hotel on the west coast of Crete worthwhile. You could stay for a week and still not try everything: freshly baked spinach pie; orange cake; sesame cookies; Cretan yogurt with honey and nuts; mini barley rusks piled high with feta, olives and tomato. All are served in the groovy, Moroccan-tiled dining room with its primary-bright mismatched chairs until a very Mediterranean 11.30am (practically lunchtime for the many new parents who have wised up to this family-friendly getaway). Tables at the laid-back restaurant spill out past the swimming pool and down to a shallow, sandy beach, where the hotel has its own sunbeds and umbrellas. There's a playroom if you want to keep toddlers out of the sun, and babysitters are on call in the evening. Bedrooms in the low-rise, sugarcube-shaped building are perky, with bright, colour-blocked walls, Marimekko cushions of clashing patterns and African-print Moroso stools adding a grown-up touch. The best are the deluxe sea-view studios - freshly revamped for this summer - where you can watch the sunset from your balcony and nod off to the sound of the waves.
This is a feel-good hotel without any formality; most of the staff have been around for years and many guests are regulars, which comes as no surprise as the place is astonishingly good value. Owner Nikos Tsepetis, a self-confessed design junkie, has a black book packed with insider information about the best remote mountain villages and beaches in Crete, plus details on where to go in the lively Venetian harbour of Chania.
Distance to the water: Right on the beach.
Travel time: A 20-minute drive from Chania airport.
Inside tip: Ask Nikos for directions to Dounias, a taverna hidden in the foothills of the White Mountains. Everything from the goat to the aubergines comes from the owner's farm and is slow-cooked in a wood-fired oven.
Can Simoneta, Mallorca, Spain
Set on a cliff top in the north-east of the island above the bay of Canyamel, Can Simoneta feels fantastically tucked away. The adults-only Mallorca hotel was designed by local architect Toni Esteva, who spread the 28 bedrooms across two mid-19th century stone houses and updated the interiors in calming creams and taupes. There are simple but stylish doubles and the two-room Gran Suite Neptuno, set in a walled garden with a private pool, but the best place to stay is the Beach House, with its sea views. A winding staircase leads to the water, hot tubs are dotted around the manicured lawns, and crocheted cotton hammocks swing from umbrella pines. The spa offers facials using slick Spanish brand Natura Bissé, and a smart restaurant serves locally sourced suckling lamb or Iberian pork. It's quite the grown-up hideaway.
Distance to the water Just down the cliffside steps.
Travel time A one-hour drive from Palma airport.
Inside tip Take the hotel's speedboat and discover hidden beaches where you'll be dropped off for a Champagne-and-seafood lunch.
La Coorniche, Pyla-sur-Mer, Bordeaux, France
Philippe Starck's reimagining of this 1930s Basque house is a high-spirited success. His signature quirkiness is apparent, but with a freshness that suits the location, right on the sand dunes with views of big skies and an indigo sea. Bedrooms - if you can excuse the mirrors on the ceilings - are crisp and minimalist, softened by tongue-and-groove panels in pastel yellows and pinks. Murano-glass chandeliers hang above the zinc-topped outdoor bar, and the restaurant, with its Moroccan-tiled floor, has witty quotes scribbled along the painted beams. On the bleached-wood deck, striped double sunbeds surround a rimless infinity pool and are roped off for the use of hotel guests only, as the lunch-time hordes look on longingly.
In the afternoon, paragliders swoop past on the horizon, and children whose parents are still ploughing through the Provençal rosé play on the garden's giant-sized chessboard. Yes, it's self-conscious and at times perhaps a little too big for its boots (waiters with a Hotel Costes attitude this far from Paris?) but on a sunny day, with a huge plate of oysters on the table, and views overlooking the Bassin d'Arcachon, there can be few places lovelier.
Distance to the water: A short skip down the dunes.
Travel time: One-hour 45-minute flight, then a 45-minute drive.
Inside Tip: Bring hand luggage only. On sunny days, there are hats to borrow on the terrace. And if the wind whips up in the evening, staff wheel out gas heaters, with blankets to keep your legs warm.
iStockLa Malà, Vernazza, Liguria, Italy
While the entire Cinque Terre region has been designated a UNESCO heritage site, Vernazza, with its faded pastel buildings, is a standout. The vocal local community has resisted the advances of big-name hotel brands; instead, this is the territory of family-style pensione and smaller, three-star establishments. A converted Ligurian-style townhouse facing the sea, La Malà is the perfect distance from the town centre and its day-trippers. Minimal but charming, its four sunlight-filled bedrooms have buttery soft white linen, hardwood floors and design details that are more Scandinavian than Italian rustic. Two have sweeping views of the Med, and there's also a shared terrace from which to watch the fishing boats. Despite some caveats - those who are less mobile, over-burdened by luggage or have children in tow may find the numerous stone steps to the property an ordeal, and there is no restaurant - the price and low-key vibe make La Malà one of the best bets on the Italian Riviera.
Distance to the water: A five-minute stroll down the hill.
Travel time: One-hour 45-minute flight to Genoa, then a one-hour drive.
Inside tip: The narrow roads into Vernazza are best avoided. Instead, park by the station at Levanto, only a five-minute train ride away.