cool

TWO adults-only escapes in the Mediterranean – but which will you choose?

Take your pick from Barceló Hamilton Menorca and Giannoulis Grand Bay Beach Resort, Crete.

Barceló Hamilton Menorca 

Associate Editor Sarah Barns and friends found cool culture and a brill bar scene in the Balearics. 

The Pad: Set in the charming port town of Es Castell, a speedy 15-minute drive from Menorca airport, the star of this place is the rooftop sun terrace, with its gorgeous 360-degree views of Mahón Bay and six hot tubs. 

It’s the perfect spot for sipping refreshing pomadas – the island’s signature slushy cocktail, made with Xoriguer gin and cloudy lemonade, £8. 

You’ll also find two outdoor pools and a well-equipped gym, and while modern double rooms are compact, most have a balcony overlooking the Med, so keep an eye out for celebs on their superyachts! 

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Explore: Want to stay local? Take a stroll to the picturesque harbour at Cales Fonts.

But sundowners at the iconic Cova d’en Xoroi, a dramatic cave bar perched on the cliffs famous for its Ibiza-style chillout tunes and breathtaking views, are well worth the 30-minute taxi ride and £12 entry (Covadenxoroi.com).  

Meanwhile, Ciutadella, Menorca’s historic former capital on the isle’s west coast, makes for a great day trip.

Potter around the narrow, medieval streets, lively market square (stopping to sample the delicious Mahón cheese) and Gothic cathedral. Grab pastisset – flower-shaped, shortbread-like cookies – and pop into Atelier Ansa per Ansa to admire the handbag brand loved by Spain’s Queen Letizia (Ansaperansa.com).  

Elsewhere, along the northern coastline you’ll find the North Menorca Marine Reserve, a protected area home to hidden coves and crystal-clear sea ideal for snorkelling, as well as the Cap de Cavalleria lighthouse. 

Refuel: Nestled among olive trees, the terrace at nearby Torralbenc was made for balmy evenings (Torralbenc.com).

Expect locally sourced, regional favourites, including ceviche, £23, spider crab stew, £24.50, and Mahón cheesecake, £16.

For a more rustic affair, head to Arjau Restaurant in Maó’s harbour for small plates, including Iberico flatbread, £15.50, rice with chicken, £19.50, and tiramisu, £6 (Arjaumao.com).

After exploring the northern coast, the fideua at Casa Emilio in the fishing town of Fornells is not to be missed. 

It’s a traditional, one-pan paella-like dish with thin noodles instead of rice, bursting with monkfish, cuttlefish and crayfish, £23.50 (Casaemiliofornells.com).  

Don’t Miss: Illa del Rei, a small, pretty island in Mahón harbour, is home to the art gallery Hauser & Wirth Menorca with shows from both local and international artists. Even better, there’s a free water-taxi service (Hauserwirth.com).  

Book It: Double rooms at Barceló Hamilton Menorca cost from £89 per night.

EasyJet now offers year-round flights to Menorca, from £23.99 each way (Easyjet.com). 

Giannoulis Grand Bay Beach Resort, Crete 

Fashion Editor Abby McHale and boyfriend Andy sought out R&R in the fishing village of Kolymbari. 

The Pad: Grab a seafront junior suite with a shared infinity pool for picture-perfect postcard vibes.

Decorated in warm creams with a hint of blue, you’ll find a super-king bed, sofa area and dining table, so you won’t be lacking in space.

A private spot on the sandy, shingle beach is reserved just for Grand Bay guests, and a 60-minute body-detox massage using reflexology points and essential oils in the spa, for a £10.50 supplement, hits the spot.

The buffet may not be the most varied, but rooftop a la carte restaurant Azzuro serves up fab Greek classics like keftedes and moussaka for dinner, before the evening entertainment – think everything from a violinist to a DJ – hit the terrace. Oh, and bartender Andreas makes a mean tequila sunrise, too. 

Explore: In Kolymbari itself, stroll to the tranquil Odigitria Gonia Monastery, £2.60 entry, and snap the stunning sea vistas.

Handily, the bus from right outside the hotel takes you to the ancient city of Chania, £3 for the 30-minute ride.

Wander down to its 16th-century lighthouse for panoramic views of a city built by the Venetians, then explore the narrow streets of the Old Town packed with handmade pottery and woven basket bags – Melody Ceramics was our fave find (@Melodyceramics).

Later, seek out the Rat Race Taproom, a craft-beer bar with arcade games, and order the tropical Welcome Abroad IPA, £6 (Rat-race.gr). 

Refuel: If you stay all-inclusive-plus, you don’t need to eat out. But dining in candlelight with the sound of waves and Zorba‘s Dance played on an accordion at chic Palio Arhontiko restaurant makes for a great date night just a short stroll from the hotel.

The seafood pasta is stuffed with mussels, clams and prawns, £19.50, and the lamb orzo comes with the meat still on the bone, £25.

A glass of Greek rosé, £7, will seal the deal (Palioarhontiko.gr).

Meanwhile, tucked away by Chania’s harbour entrance is tiny Gyros Chania, where halloumi gyros cost just £6.50, and make for a tasty lunch when day-tripping (Gyroschania.com). 

Don’t Miss: Picking up an award-winning bottle of local olive oil, £17.50, at Edia after a delicious tasting (Edia-crete.gr). 

Book it: Rooms at Giannoulis Grand Bay Beach Resort cost from £94 B&B (Giannoulishotels.com).

Flights from the UK to Chania start from £89 return. 

YOU’D have to be living under a rock to have not heard of Margate, often cited as one of the UK’s trendiest seaside towns.

But it became the coolest seaside town in the WORLD after singing legend Madonna recently visited – and raved about it.

It’s the second time the Vogue singer has been spotted in Margate, having visited back in October after being introduced by artist Tracy Emin, who lives in the town.

Having previously visited the Freedman Gallery and TKE Studios, she was spotted again this week at an Off Season event, a grassroots initiative.

Talking about Margate, she said: “This is my idea of heaven. Whenever I go there, I feel like I’ve entered a dream.”

She also cited the town as being “inhabited and energised by creativity”.

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As someone who used to live in the town, it comes as no surprise that Margate continues to attract world-famous stars.

The town was previously used as a filming location for the Sam Mendes film Empire of Light, which saw huge stars including Olivia Colman visit during filming.

Lily Allen filmed her Sky Atlantic series Dreamland in Margate, while Oscar winner Rami Malek was previously spotted with his former girlfriend actor Emma Corrin, set to star in the new Pride and Prejudice remake.

And Pedro Pascal was spotted visiting at an art gallery in recent months.

Margate was one of the original Victorian seaside resorts but, like many in the UK, lost favour in the 1960s and fell into disrepair.

However in the last decade it has seen a boom in popularity.

Even during my few years living there – having left London for the town during Covid – I saw how it has grown in popularity.

My three-bed flat cost £210,000, although you could easily find one bedroom ones for £120,000. Now the average house price is nearly £300,000, according to Rightmove.

Before I moved to the town, it was in short supply of hotels to stay in, mainly with run down seaside B&Bs or home rentals being the only option.

Since then, openings have included the trendy boutique Fort Road Hotel, as well as the latest Guesthouse hotel, after success in Bath and Brighton.

When it comes to the food scene, Michelin named Margate in its ‘10 best seaside towns for food lovers in the UK & Ireland‘ last year.

Mexican restaurant High Dive was praised by the Good Food Guide, while the Italian Sargasso was name one of the UK’s best restaurants by the Times.

Sadly, Madonna didn’t reveal where she ate, but wrote: “I get to eat at my favorite Italian restaurant which I’m not giving anyone the name of because then everyone’s going to go there and it only has one table.”

It is thought that it was Bottega Caruso, in the middle of town known for its huge slabs of tiramisu.

Even when it comes to bars, there is the often lauded Sete, a tiny Parisian-esque drinking spot, as well as Guesthouse’s rooftop bar which opens in summer, and is one of the few rooftop bars in Kent.

Of course you can’t best a good pub, and both George & Heart and Rose in June are some of the coolest in town.

It is even home to one of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods, with Cliftonville named the UK’s best by Time Out.

It’s here you’ll find the historic Walpole Lido, one of the UK’s largest that is also free to visit, as well as the nearby pop up Sea Scrub sauna.

But when it comes to seaside towns, it needs fish and chips – Peter’s Fish Factory is often praised as the UK’s best – as well as arcades, which can be found lining the seafront.

And with one of Kent‘s only sandy beaches, and being home to the famous retro Dreamland theme park? I’m ready to back it taking the mantle of world’s coolest.

In the mean time, here are some other seaside towns that are booming.

And we’ve rounded up our favourite seaside towns that are less than 90 minutes from London.