The best luxury hotels in the Mediterranean to visit by superyacht

You don’t have to look far to see why the owners of Lesante chose Blu as the name for the second hotel in their Ionian Sea collection. Not only is the answer in the teal waters of the sea and the clear cerulean skies, it’s also in the air itself, which at certain times of the day takes on a cyan hue, making it seem as if you’re viewing everything through blue-tinted spectacles.

The method of arrival at this hotel of 92 rooms and suites sets the tone: transfer by Range Rover Sport from the airport, touch down on the helipad or tender in via the private small-boat jetty.

Styling is contemporary, with box-shaped architecture fringed with succulents and olive trees, and lots of use of wood, stone, marble, suede and wicker complemented by low-slung furniture in cream and beige. Take the Royal Grand Suite and you’ll have 160 square metres of accommodation over two floors, including your own outdoor pool with its own bridge.

Food is also modern; keep it light at lunch with sushi and poke under the rope-strung roof of beach bar Almyra and save yourself for the 10-plate degustation dinner menu at Melia. Dishes overseen by executive chef Nikos Ispiroudis include crab and sea urchin amuse-bouche in an apple taco, veal with crisp potato flower, and a peach and rosemary pre-dessert with gin mist.

Monaco may already boast more Michelin-starred establishments per square metre than any other location on the planet, but that hasn’t stopped another illustrious chef from joining the party. Parisian-born Yannick Alléno, who has tallied up an impressive 13 stars since founding his company in 2008, has taken the helm of what was formerly Le Vistamar, and now Pavyllon, at the Hôtel Hermitage.

His new menu promises “fine dining without the formality” with dishes such as aubergine caviar, served with a spiced avocado sauce and lovage oil, and steamed turbot accompanied by seaweed marmalade, dashi and cucumber broth. Even better for superyacht owners, these dishes can be enjoyed from the hotel’s famous terrace, which offers some of the best views of Port Hercule and the Monaco Yacht Show.

Since it first opened its doors over 100 years ago, this grand hotel in the heart of Barcelona has had to endure more than its fair share of trials. Scarcity of materials after the First World War slowed construction, a general strike in 1919 jeopardised the inauguration, and the civil war meant that rooms where royalty had dined were used as hospital wards. Yet El Palace, founded by César Ritz as part of his group of luxury European hotels, weathered them all, becoming a favoured haunt for the great, the good and the fun-loving, from Ella Fitzgerald to Roger Moore and Salvador Dalí, who once hauled a stuffed white horse up the grand staircase to surprise his wife, Gala, in their suite. 

The venerable hotel is only two kilometres from Spain's Port Vell marina, and its 1,500-square-metre rooftop gardens set the stage for special events, from yoga classes to screenings of modern classics at an open-air cinema.

Forget clinical-looking boot camps: after a challenging 2020, this year’s approach to wellness is all about joie de vivre. And when it comes to healing the soul, you can hardly do better than heading to Airelle’s South of France retreat. Situated in the hilltop village of Gordes in the heart of Provence, La Bastide is set in the 16th-century former stately home of painter Marc Chagall, just a 40-minute scenic ride from Avignon.

Designer Christophe Tollemer led the €33 million (£30m) renovation project, which earned it the coveted Palace status in 2016. The interiors forego modern lines and neutral palettes in favour of a quirky, well-studied French maximalism consisting of period furniture, antique floor tiles, rich tapestries, ornate wallpapers, vintage books and more than 2,000 paintings.

For the look of its Sisley spa, Tollemer took inspiration from the nearby Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque, the 12th-century Cistercian abbey built in Romanesque style and set in the middle of picturesque lavender fields. The spa reception is styled to resemble an old apothecary, and the indoor swimming pool, hammam and treatment rooms can be reached by way of vaulted stone corridors and through heavy walnut doors, each opening to reveal stunning views on the surrounding Luberon mountains.

Days are not spent fasting, but feasting on Mediterranean fare, lounging by the pool and venturing out for e-biking tours. Nights are for honey-coloured sunsets, open-air film screenings and stargazing. Welcome to le sud.

Built on the site of an 18th-century monastery in Fira’s maze-like backstreets, Katikies Garden offers sanctuary from the seasonal crowds that besiege the Greek island’s well-trodden clifftop pathways. The building’s hushed, reflective atmosphere has been thoughtfully preserved, with whitewashed and scented corridors leading to 40 suites. 

Some feature terraces, spa pools and sea views, while others overlook the hotel’s focal point: a graceful courtyard with Moroccan-style arches, subtle lighting and marble-topped tables. Here you can dine under the stars on 10-day dry-aged Challans duck with mustard dolce and Périgourdine sauce, to the sound of a chilled-out Latin playlist and a bubbling fountain. Of course, every self-respecting monastery keeps a well-stocked cellar, and master of wine Yiannis Karakasis has curated an impressive selection of volcanic whites and powerful reds to choose from. 

The next morning, blow away any wine-induced cobwebs on Frog, Katikies’ Riva 63, moored a short drive away in Vlychada marina. Once on the water you can marvel at the island’s dramatic topography and swim above a submerged volcanic crater before rehydrating at a taverna on one of Santorini’s hidden beaches.

A 12th-century villa once owned by Italian nobility, the blush pink Palazzo Avino perches 350 metres above a dramatic stretch of the Amalfi Coast. Spread across a series of flower-filled terraces, it was once used as a hideaway by Hollywood high-flyers (with varying degrees of success – Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini were spotted cosying up here during their scandalous affair in the late 1940s). Today, the property’s vaulted ceilings and graceful balconettes allow guests to relive this glamorous golden age.

Tender in to its recently renovated cliffside beach club – where cocktails are delivered to your sunlounger – before the meandering drive up to the town of Ravello. Dinner is served on a candle-lit terrace overlooking the bay at the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant Rossellinis, where guests can sample the best of Italian haute cuisine (don’t miss grilled scallops served with their coral and the Vesuvio apricot soufflé). Afterwards, retreat to the Infinito Suite where you can watch new yacht arrivals from the spa pool on your private terrace.

This family-owned property cascading down the hills above Elia Bay looks, at first glance, like a traditional sun-bleached Greek hotel. But inside, the lobby is modern and stylish with wood and wire sculptures and gleaming white sofas that enhance the airy atmosphere, while black and white daybeds line the saltwater infinity pool outside. Leave your yacht in Mykonos Old Town or land at the resort’s helipad to discover the 69 private villas, many of which have their own balcony infinity pools, offering unparalleled views of the Aegean. If you want to explore, there’s a regular shuttle to the nearby private Elia Beach and Mykonos Town. Then, after the sun sets, head down to the restaurant to find pink sofas and Serax glassware, and indulge in a fine-dining menu featuring seasonal creations by chef Thodoris Kyriakidis.

Nestled unobtrusively on the Gulf of Porto-Vecchio shoreline, the recently renovated Hôtel Casadelmar showcases Corsica’s natural beauty. Two hectares of lush, perfumed gardens afford privacy and space to the French politicians, musicians and sports stars who visit, while each of the 31 rooms offers a sprawling vista of the sea and mountain villages beyond. The interior is just as impressive, with tasteful artworks and sculptures adding pops of colour to the rosewood-and-glass decor. Anchor out, arrive by tender at its private jetty and grab a cocktail to accompany the Mediterranean sunset, followed by dinner at the island’s only two-Michelin-starred restaurant. Head chef Fabio Bragagnolo emphasises fresh local produce in his spectacular dishes: hazelnuts, game, honey, cheese and seafood all feature heavily. And if you overindulge, don’t worry: Casadelmar’s gym has floor-to-ceiling windows, so you can work o those extra calories while the island continues to bewitch you from the treadmill.

Perched on a dramatic hillside looking out over the rugged coastline and deep blue waters of the Ionian Sea, the secluded Ultima Corfu offers 1,000 square metres of tranquillity and privacy. Bridging the gap between five-star luxury hotel, private home and charter, this six-suite villa comes with its own 24-metre yacht.

It can host up to 14 people in pure-white Grecian interiors divided between two levels to make the most of the 180-degree views. Take the glass lift down to the waterfront terrace and gaze across at the Greek and Albanian coastlines from the two-level infinity pool or the sunbathing areas carved out of the rocks. Once you’ve dined on a feast prepared by the villa’s private chef, step on board the Ultima Beach and let the captain and crew take you out into the Ionian for a sundowner. Or, if you can bear to, choose to stay away a little longer – the yacht can sleep seven guests for overnight trips.

Encircled by granite mountains and backed by bottle-green swathes of cypress, Porto Montenegro lies at the heart of the UNESCO-protected Bay of Kotor. Significant investment in recent years has transformed this old naval shipyard into a sparkling superyacht marina, luxury village and five-star spa hotel.

Start by mooring in one of Porto Montenegro’s superyacht berths before taking your pick between relaxing in the softly lit Regent Spa or a dip in the yacht club’s Instagrammable infinity pool. The shipyard’s old syncrolift now serves as an events venue – hosting fashion shows, plays, concerts and polo. Once the sun slips behind the surrounding mountains, wind your way through the Italian garden to sink into a corner of the hotel’s Library Bar. Furnished with dark wooden panelling, it offers groaning bookshelves, a live pianist and cigars at the ready.