Grand Hotel Miramare

Character and identity

Set on the Ligurian coast a short hop from Portofino and Cinque Terre, the Mira (as owner Andrea Fustinoni calls it) occupies a gleaming white Art Nouveau building from 1903, framed by century-old gardens that climb toward the foothills of Mount Portofino. The scale is intimate at 84 rooms: 36 deluxe with sea views, 26 superior opening onto balconies or garden patios. A refined restaurant, a pool and a spa round out the amenities. The register is grand-hotel formality softened by family ownership, with staff treating arrivals more like guests in a private villa than ticketed clients.

Who's it for

Bottom line

The defining quality here is the residential feel: an Art Nouveau landmark run with personal warmth rather than corporate polish, and a setting that puts the whole Ligurian Riviera within reach. Book a deluxe room for the sea view (the superiors face gardens, which is lovely but a different experience), and aim for shoulder season in May, June or September when the coast is open but calmer.