Grand Hotel Miramare

We were upgraded to a balcony room overlooking the bay, with wonderful views. The room was lovely, and housekeeping kept it in great shape, with turndown service and thoughtful little touches. Breakfast had a huge range of food, all made in house, and the quality of the ingredients came through. The staff were friendly, attentive, and professional from the moment we arrived. The pool and relaxed atmosphere made it a pleasure to spend time there, with views to die for. Santa Margherita is wonderfully placed for exploring, and Positano is a flat 45-minute walk away. Prices are fairly extortionate, though perhaps that comes with the location. A simple lunch for two with a drink each cost over €100. A lovely, extravagant hotel, highly recommended.

The breakfast was good, but nothing special, and an omelette cost extra. That felt wrong with a room rate close to 700 EUR. The pool was unremarkable, with just a towel and pillow provided. Other places we stayed, for less money, offered free water or fresh fruit by the pool. We came for our wedding anniversary after ten wonderful days in Puglia and Tuscany, but unfortunately didn’t feel welcome. Our room was clean and spacious, though the hotel needs updating. We could hear every sound from the corridor, and being next to the housekeeping service room made it hard to find quiet. There was a bathtub shower rather than a walk-in shower. The WiFi was unreliable, and as guests with a dog, we felt treated as second class when we didn’t want to leave it in the room all day. The hotel is strict about rules, such as staying off the garden lawn, but didn't mention the loud building work on the beach opposite. The surrounding area looked run down and scruffy, which added to the poor impression, though that isn't the hotel's fault. This wasn't the end to our vacation we’d hoped for. We wish we’d booked somewhere else.

The purple flowers at the entrance were a lovely welcome, and every staff member showed genuine hospitality. We had thoughtful room service, attentive help by the pool, excellent meals, and warm, professional service throughout. Grand Hotel Miramare was truly one of the best parts of our Italy trip. Highly recommend.

The views were amazing, the setting absolutely beautiful, and the food delicious, with waiters who really cared about their customers. We first had lunch there one day, then came back because of Luigi. He was an exceptionally nice, helpful waiter, knowledgeable and funny. We’ll definitely return to Grand Hotel Miramare, and to Luigi.