MarBella, Mar-Bella Collection Hotel

We spent one week at the MarBella Collection in Corfu and had a lovely time. The hotel complex is beautiful and very well maintained. The staff was hardworking and constantly busy keeping the premises clean and tidy. The rooms are cozy and adequately furnished. Unfortunately, the view of the “garden” from our room wasn’t particularly appealing — it was basically a natural hillside with olive trees and other local trees and shrubs. The sound insulation towards the outside was fine, but it could have been better between the rooms and the corridor. We have to deduct some points for the bed, which was unfortunately very uncomfortable for us as the mattress was too firm. The gym, on the other hand, is highly recommended — it’s well equipped with plenty of good machines and workout options. If you prefer to train outdoors, there are also some small trails into the surrounding hills. The area is beautiful and offers a good challenge for hiking, although some of the paths are only partially walkable and the vegetation, with its thorns, can make it a bit tricky to get through. The heart of the hotel is definitely its staff. Everyone was without exception friendly and helpful. At times, we would have appreciated a bit more attention during dinner service (for example, to order drinks), but given how busy it can get, it’s understandable that not everyone can be served immediately. Otherwise, all of our requests and questions were handled with great care and friendliness. In general, the food was varied and, for omnivores, probably a dream come true. As vegan guests, however, the start of our stay was a bit bumpy. I had contacted the hotel beforehand to inform them of our dietary preferences and was assured that vegan options would be available and clearly labeled. This was indeed the case, although the labels weren’t always reliable, and the selection was somewhat limited. The quality of the food, however, was consistently excellent and everything tasted great. Things improved significantly after a conversation with the dining desk staff — special thanks to Rafaela and Maria, who arranged for meals to be prepared especially for us. From then on, we simply informed them where we would be eating, and they asked what we would like. Thanks to that, we enjoyed vegan pancakes for breakfast and vegan pizza for lunch, among other dishes. Even for à la carte dining, vegan options were arranged and freshly prepared for us. Our favorite à la carte experience was at Kum Kuat — every dish was outstanding. For all other meals, we felt most comfortable at Kuzina, where our vegan diet was best accommodated. A big heartfelt thank-you to Antonia and her entire kitchen team — you made our stay so much better! On my birthday, there was even a big surprise during dinner — but no spoilers here! You’ll have to find out for yourselves. The bar offerings were very good. Sometimes it was hard to find a seat, especially since it was too cold to sit outside during our stay, but the atmosphere was pleasant and the decor inviting. The selection of non-alcoholic cocktails could have been a bit larger, but what we had was good. For those who drink alcohol, there was definitely everything you could wish for. In the evenings, there were various entertainment programs such as dance performances, acrobats, and live music. The beach wasn’t quite as impressive as in the photos but still fine. The sun deck, however, is highly recommended — beautifully designed and the perfect spot to enjoy a cocktail right by the sea. All in all, despite the not-so-great weather, it was a wonderful holiday and excellent value for money. We would definitely come back.