Corfu Escape

Kay Halton on 11 October 2021
October is perhaps not the best time to visit Greece as the weather can be unpredictable…but numbers are lower so the island is not quite so busy - however this was a work/leisure trip and so dates were already planned.

Flying from Manchester I was glad we had sorted all our paperwork. Some passengers were being turned away from airport check in due to not having completed their Greek PLF forms. I had everything printed (TIP) don’t rely on Tech! the NHS App had been going down too.. so again people had to get a Covid Test before being allowed to board. I always advise my customers to print documents out.

It was a good flight and we landed in the evening at Corfu Airport. The hotel we were staying for the first 3 nights was the Labranda Sandy Beach in Agios Georgios. Just 20 miles south of the airport (about 45 minutes), it is a huge 4* family all-inclusive resort. We were welcomed with drinks and a sandwich (it was 11pm) and shown to our room. The resort has many family rooms and are currently undergoing room refurbishment so the new 2-bedroom family suites are beautifully decorated with plenty of space. There is one main buffet restaurant which adheres to safety protocols very well (gloves and masks) plus an Italian and a Greek which need reservations. The pools are large with plenty of sun loungers and you can walk straight out to the beach where there is an abundance of water sports on offer and a couple of beach bars along the coast. On site they have their own mini waterpark with 4 slides which is a massive hit with children! The Wellness Spa is an added bonus to the hotel for the adults too.

We then moved over to the sister property the Kairaba Sandy Villas for 2 nights. This is a 5* adult only, all-suite, all-inclusive offering. A beautiful layout offers pool view rooms, swim up suites and some with private pools. The main restaurant is beautiful, very Versace in style and the service was not rushed, effortless and discerning. It was buffet style but superb with show cooking on offer. You can also dine in the Labranda speciality restaurants too as part of your package. There is a lobby bar and pool bar – the pool is a great size and has cabana style beds around one side.

There is a car hire area in the Labranda so getting wheels for our stay was an easy process. Unfortunately, after 3 gloriously sunny days with temperatures in the twenties, the weather took a turn for the worse and the rain greeted us, so away we went in the car for the short 45 minute drive up to Corfu Town. We had a lovely wander around the Fortress area and had a coffee in one of the quaint cafes, after a look around the narrow streets with bustling shops selling local goods. We took a different road back and it was incredible to find some beautiful houses up in the hills! The roads are not like the UK.. narrow, crumbling, no road markings.. so we did have to be careful especially with so much rain. I used my google maps for directions which was a godsend! We also visited a beautiful little resort called Liapades with the most stunning small coved beach - well worth a drive out.

Our final stay saw us move to Messonghi to the fabulous, brand new 5* Olivar Suites. Set on 200m of sandy beach, the sprawling low rise resort was once an 18th century olive mill and now offers an all- suite experience, oozing with character. It is not adult only, but I would say more adult focused. The majority of the suites have their own small pool and offer compete privacy. We stayed in an Ionian Suite which faced the sea on the ground floor level with private pool. Fabulous modern interior with a separate lounge (sliding doors) and bathroom with free standing tub. Your own cabana awaits you on the beach if you book into one of these rooms. Literally right outside the hotel are buzzing local tavernas and bars – a particularly special restaurant on the beach I highly recommend ‘Bacchus’ which has been owned and run by the same family for years. Having said that, the hotel’s own restaurant ‘Flya’ serves a very high-end evening meal and definitely an experience to try.

We thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Corfu – it was a shame the weather wasn’t on our side, but we found plenty of places to visit. Parking was free, there was wi-fi everywhere and the Greeks are so friendly. They have really had it tough during Covid and are relying on us to bring back their tourist trade so that they can continue to prosper in the future.

Contact me to book your Greek getaway today!