Grand Hotel Miramare

Our accommodation for our weekend around Genoa was this lovely old hotel - very conveniently located with great amenities and very helpful staff. The rooms are spotless and generous in size with good hot water , a comfortable bed a well stocked minibar and a balcony overlooking nicely manicured gardens . There are sea view rooms but they have to be requested. The rooms are perfectly serviced by the capable household staff. The huge breakfast offerings are included in the price with a la carte options and they even stock my favourite rooibos tea ! We had a lovely stress free weekend where our car was parked for us , we went given directions and walked everywhere or went by boat to where very we wanted to go . Thank you all at Grand Hotel Miramare.

The location, the hotel and the staff were incredible. We loved the location, the view and the beach access. Doria at the front desk was charming and so very helpful. Luigi was our server in the restaurant and we loved his service too. They were so friendly, helpful, personable and at your service. The breakfast was very good. We were sad to leave and would return. Santa Margherita was our favorite of the villages along the coast

To me a hotel is much more than the building or grounds or even location. While those elements are important, the true distinction between adequate and great hotels is the overall hospitality, care and experience. Everything is relative, and to be fair, we have just come from two great hotels. The Botanic Sanctuary in Antwerp and the Hotel Nobu in Ibiza. Our opinion of Grand Hotel Miramare is that it is over stretching to award itself 5 stars. The problem is they charge as a 5 star. I would define the hotel as ‘adequate’, a comfortable 3-4 star. The bed is a king and comfortable. The linen is basic. The ensuite has a “bath/shower” which I don’t think is better than “adequate” in anybody’s rating and definitely not 5 star for me. The amenities are average and there is no alcohol in the mini bar, or even wine glasses and bottle opener in the room. (Again, hard to see how that’s more than 3-4 star). The breakfast was very average. Definitely more 3-4 star. It is included in our rate but we are looking for alternatives for the rest of our stay. The restaurant is nice, but even during a heatwave not operating the air conditioning and requires gentlemen to wear long pants. I did ask if during this heat wave (it is not my definition - the radio is calling it a dangerous heatwave) if they might make exception to this policy but I was very politely advised “no” - “it is our policy”!! The pool is the highlight of the hotel for sure. It important to appreciate that it is directly on the main road through SML so is noisy. For reasons unknown to me, there is no music, and no pool side drinks service. (I am capable to get up and order, no problem at all, but again, not aligned with the typical 5 star resort experiences we are use to). Oddly, the gym is for 18+ only so if travelling with your 14-18yo and they expect to use the fitness centre - again, “the policy is no”! Our 15yo daughter is not with us but in all other 5 star hotel gyms that we go to the requirement is that a parent is there with them. The beach club will is very 3 star. Dated and unremarkable. It is across the main road from the hotel. The hotel has no security. Anybody can walk off the street annd access the lifts and hotel via stairs. Again, I find this very unusual for a 5 star resort hotel. We did request to leave a few days early as we did not feel a good match with the hotel. Again, the policy said no, our booking through American Express was not able to be changed. Personally I think it is hard to meet everyone’s expectations and if I operated a hotel and had guests staying who were not enjoying it, I would help them find a place they feel more at home with. That to me is hospitality. It isn’t Faulty Towers but it is far from 5 star!

We loved everything about the hotel, spectacular location, right on the water with beach access and stunning views (book a room with a balcony!) Gorgeous grounds, garden and pool, walkable to the town and shops. Hotel staff was wonderful, especially the concierge who rescued us when our hired car broke down (not booked through the hotel, lesson learned!) Rooms were on the small side but with so much to do on property and locally, it didn’t matter much. Piano player each night on the front terrace added to the ambiance (we loved you Sergio!) Buffet breakfast each morning was robust with lots of options (even gluten free) out on the beautiful terrace overlooking the water. The dinner we ate at the restaurant was the best we had while on vacation. We booked a tour of nearby Portofino through the hotel (with a pesto making class and lunch included) and the guide provided (Francesca) was wonderful and very knowledgeable. Highly recommend! Overall, we loved our stay at the GHM! Note: if you’re planning to visit the beach, pack water shoes the coast is very rocky!

Great elegant comfortable hotel with excellent friendly staff. They can’t do enough to please. Rooms are not enormous but of good quality. Very lovely touch is all drinks in refrigerator are included during your stay . This is a unique but very smart move in making you feel more at home. The pool area and gardens are magical. Breakfast can’t be faulted with delicious pastries We ll definitely return here

Exceeded all expectations. From the moment I arrived, the Front Desk staff was exuberant and welcoming! Professional and courteous, but mainly, kind and genuine. I like staying in nice places when on vacation, if affordable, but generally casual about not needing or expecting much attention. This hotel has hired the right people who care to make sure you are enjoying your stay, sharing suggestions on where to dine in town, staffing their swimming pool and beach, serving a nice breakfast on the front patio, and if you depart early in the morning, will be sure you receive pastries and coffee to go! This was a friendly and unpretentious hotel. Grand Miramare, I hope you always retain the charm in your hotel rooms - I love the high ceilings, crown molding, small chandelier, marble ensuite bathroom, and purple velvet chairs! (Too modern wouldn't work for me!) Thank you to all your staff.

This hotel is a classy gem. The location is fantastic, we were fortunate to have a room with a view overlooking the sea and we couldn't help staring out of the window all the time. The beds were comfortable and the bathroom was very roomy, modern and nice. Every time we encountered staff we were greeted with a friendly hello and there was never a problem they couldn't solve. We had lunch at the hotel and once at the beach bar, both times the food was excellent if a bit pricey. The breakfast buffet was great. I'd definitely go back again and again to this beautiful hotel

While the hotel itself is nice, the staff isn’t particularly accommodating or friendly, considering it is a 5 star hotel. For example, they did not allow irons in the room (which I needed to smooth out a few minor wrinkles on a dress). The only option was to pay them 20€ to iron it for me, during their own schedule. There also is no coffee machine in the bedroom, something that is nowadays present in any hotel room, especially in a high end hotel. If you want a coffee outside of breakfast hours / buffet, you need to order it at the pool bar which took up to 10-15 mins at times and obviously cost extra. It almost seems like they create all of these inconveniences to extract more money out of the customer. Does not leave you feeling valued.

The Grand Hotel Miramare was our favorite hotel during our 12 day tour of Italy. We came toward the end of their season so it was much less crowded. Our travel agent booked the hotel for us so we were not aware that this town basically shuts down at the end of October. The hotel is beautiful and the staff couldn't have been more helpful. The weather was not great during our stay and one of our tours was cancelled. We were able to get to the other towns and do our own tour with the help of the front desk. Another reviewer complained that there were no taxis. That seems to be the case. And if you want to hire one, it is expensive. The ferry closed down during our stay because of the weather so we walked the 45 minutes to Portofino (there is an easy bus option available too). It was a gorgeous walk. And to get to Cinque Terre, we walked to the train station (15 minutes from the hotel) and took the train there. The town of Santa Margherita is nice and quaint. Maybe because we came late in the season or maybe because of the weather, but we found a lot of the restaurants closed. We had great meals in Portofino and Vernazza so it's great to explore the neighboring towns. We also ate 2 dinners at the hotel's restaurant. While a little more expensive, it was amazing food and fantastic service. And their pastry chef is impressive as well. From the morning pastries to the dessert, it was all delicious. Because of the time of year we came, we didn't have the opportunity to take advantage of the pool area. Highly recommend this hotel.