9 Best places to stay in Corfu

Blissfully quiet, adults-only San Antonio snuggles among the hoary olive groves above Kalami with magnificent views of the sea and the fishing village-cum-resort below.

The striking swimming pool terrace overlooking the bay is difficult to part from and not just because of the buzzy Bella Vista pool bar; the main a la carte restaurant Dyo Elies (Two Olives) cooks reassuringly traditional Greek dishes; and the concierge service can fix anything: from massage in your own room to scuba diving lessons.

A darling of package tours because of its exceptional standards of service, it also offers a slew of discounts to individuals if booked directly.

Standing on the best location of the most picturesque resort of the island, the Zefiros has been welcoming guests since the 1930s.

Simple and stylish yet fully renovated, it’s on the village high street right by the main beach and within walking distance of Palaiokastritsa’s two other beaches and close to the cross-island bus stop (25Km to Corfu town), providing a warm, relaxed, economical alternative for the independent traveller.

You can buy snacks and light meals in the ground floor café, open throughout the day, and relax while watching the world pass by.

This 1960s modernist creation, sumptuously upgraded in 2018, stands out for its lush fronded gardens and from the range of services provided.

An all-inclusive four-star oasis on a five-star beachfront, it has nothing to envy from its higher-rated neighbours: every room has a balcony or veranda; it offers gluten-free menus, a safe children’s playground, four pools, a tennis court, and bike rental.

It also lies on the northern, more laid-back stretch of Moraitika beach.

A stunning family five-star on its own thin, long sandy stretch at Dassia; here blue waters and clean beaches are demarcated by olive groves coming down right to the water’s edge.

The interior palette is Hellenic white-and-cyan and extends from the standard rooms to the large villas with their own private garden and beachfront.

There’s extensive and focused childcare (a Kid’s Club, a Teenager’s Club and beachside service), a day’s complimentary car rental (reserve early!), movies, animations, live music and theatre productions for entertainment, beach volley courts, tennis courts, basketball courts – and anything that can fit in the 25 acres the hotel is set on.

Built on vibey Moraïtika Beach, close to the quiet resort of Mesonghi at the estuary of the eponymous river, this five-star adults-only showstopper is a place for a blissful break.

It offers rooms that range from lavishly luxurious to deliciously decadent, a pool to die for and three restaurants, one of which Makris Degustation, run by chef Petros Dimas won the 2022 ‘Contemporary Greek Cuisine’ Award by Greek lifestyle guide Food & Leisure.

For wellness, its Soma Spa uniquely offers a CBD massage – barely legal in Greece – and a handheld, battery-operated Theragun for Percussive Therapy.

A fabulous 1896 neoclassical gem, Bella Venezia demands the title of the town’s Grande Dame, for even the recent upgrade, all carved ceilings and marble inlaid flooring, reminds one of a London Gentlemen’s Club.

Rooms have their own character each, but all use the fluffy COCO-mat mattresses, the best bedding brand in Greece.

Convenient for all Old Town sights, yet quiet, it offers car and bike rentals for those who are too heavy to amble after sampling its lavish, award-winning breakfast buffet.

Built in 1971 in the prevailing modernist style but thoroughly modernised in 2015, this was one of the first large resorts in Corfu and thus had first dibs on location.

Set on its own secluded peninsula and straddling two beaches, only 6km from Corfu Town, the resort serves as a twin-destination holiday base – for both beach relaxation and exploring the capital as well.

There’s a wellness spa with two saunas, a hammam, a jacuzzi, an indoor heated pool and no fewer than eleven rooms offering treatments using local produce such as herbs, olive oil, raki and orange essence.

For families, there’s fun to be had in a wide spectrum of watersports like water-skiing and paddle boarding alongside fun banana rides and pedaloes (third party supplier/extra charge).

There’s always a hotel which is far from the madding August crowds if you look hard enough, and, in super-saturated Corfu, Labranda Sandy Beach Resort in the southwest of the island fulfils these conditions.

Close both to Issos beach and the Korission lagoon, this is a resort whose USP lies within its gourmet network of six restaurants – the gelateria is as good as any in Italy – and four bars.

The kids’ programs are particularly extensive and appealing, but there are music and culture shows for adults in the evenings with higher standards than the entertainment offered elsewhere.

Domes Corfu lies west of Corfu Town on the Blue Flag Glyfada beach, whose scythe of golden sand enclosed by pine-fuzzed cliffs gets extremely busy in peak season.

The resort itself, though, feels unhurried and uncrowded with airy, gracefully furnished rooms, three bars, two excellent restaurants, and offers activities that range from mountain biking to horse riding.

The spa and treatment range is extensive, the kids’ club a parents’ delight, while there’s a range of live music entertainment in the evenings.