Hotel Marinca & Spa

We had a great stay and even got a room upgrade, which was a lovely touch. The hotel grounds, setting, and views are beautiful, and the spa is nice and open to use during the day. We loved the restaurant's marine menu. Everyone was excellent with service, and our questions and requests were handled quickly. We'd read comments about noise and were a bit concerned, but heard nothing bothersome, even though our room was above the breakfast area.

The Michelin-starred restaurant is amazing, probably one of my favorites among the 22 I've tried so far. The hotel itself is beautiful, with a nice beach and very good food. Staff were friendly and everything was clean, but the price makes the problems hard to overlook. Our room was very small, and both the toilet and shower gave us trouble. The water took around 5-10 minutes to warm up, which isn't okay at this price. Although the view was lovely, we were right above the restaurant and heard tables being moved and cleaned late at night and again around 7 a.m. It woke us several times. There are very few sunbeds, and you have to pay and reserve them ahead. They were all booked for the next five days when we arrived, so we had no option. One day, five beds sat empty from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.; only when we asked did we learn those guests hadn't shown up. Such a waste. Some important things need improving for what they charge.

The bed was extremely comfortable, the linens felt top quality, and there were plenty of big, fluffy towels. I also liked the pools being close to the hotel center, and the private beach was a nice extra. The views were lovely and the restaurant food was good. The shower looked better than it worked. Hot and cold water came from separate spigots in the rainfall shower, and with no door, steam and some water spilled into the room.

Hotel Marinca and Spa has a quiet, romantic feel, with a luxurious design, and the staff were generally nice. Service was good, breakfast excellent, and it's dog friendly. The bar is cozy, with a stunning view. The rooms are modern and well equipped, but tiny. A larger person might brush their shoulders against the walls using the toilet. The terraces, though, have lovely views. The beach is small and private, with little pebbles instead of sand. We booked sunbeds for the whole stay, which was very handy. Food at La Paillote was good, and La Verrière and the particularly cozy La Table du Moulin were decent too. Bring mosquito spray. The spa is small, cozy, and very nice. They limit numbers to avoid crowding, so reserve a time ahead. There's a lot of stair climbing around the hotel, which wouldn't suit elderly or disabled guests. You'll need a car to reach town and other nearby sights. My only other comment is about plant-based lattes. They added cold oat milk straight to the coffee without frothing it, as they didn't have a steamer or other equipment for that.