Corfu, what a corker …for an epic reunion
EVERY week our Holiday Hero NEIL SIMPSON takes an in-depth look at a brilliant holiday topic, doing all the legwork so you don’t have to. This week: Luxury family villas on Corfu.
LARGE villas with private pools are set to be the stars of summer as families and friends join forces for the perfect long-awaited holiday.
‘Villas have always been popular with guests who want extra space and privacy,’ says Oliver Bell, co-founder of bespoke holiday company Oliver’s Travels. ‘This year we’re also seeing lots of bookings for multi-generation family holidays, as well as groups of friends wanting to holiday together, often after a long time apart.’
While big villas are being reserved fast, Bell cites availability on the evergreen Greek island of Corfu, home to some of the Mediterranean’s most luxurious large properties where you can find a huge number of villas with awesome infinity pools.
A great example is Barbati View, an Oliver’s Travels villa on the north-east coast.
Float by the pool’s edge and you can gaze across to the nearby beach, village, mountains and sea.
The villa sleeps ten in five bedrooms, all stylishly decorated in cool whites and pastels.
It’s a two-minute walk to the beach and just a short drive to Corfu Town. Rent it from £5,784 per week.
Oliver’s Travels also has places that are perfect for guests of all ages. One, Villa Althea, is spread over three levels but has a lift that makes it accessible to everyone.
Its six bedrooms sleep up to 14 and it also offers a tennis court, fitness room, hammam, mini-spa, pool and a 360-degree view from its hilltop gardens.
The owner also promises a welcome hamper stuffed with local wines, feta, olives, ham, cheeses and more. From £3,481 for a week (oliverstravels.com).
Proof that pools at villas can be almost as large as those of hotels comes at the Khaleesi villa, offered by The Thinking Traveller. Its infinity edge stretches 55ft (16m) along the crest of a hill, with views over olive and fig trees to the sea.
The four-bedroom, five-bath villa makes alfresco meals easy with an outdoor kitchen with fridge, sink and bar alongside the built-in barbecue. There’s a fully equipped modern kitchen in the chic, openplan interior with dining tables and oversized sofas galore. Or head to a teenage-friendly snug with woodburner and a Netflix-enabled TV.
From £3,269 per week (thethinkingtraveller.com).
Another family-friendly spot is Villa Klymene, a five-bedroom, four-bath home lost amid olive trees that’s exclusive to Simpson Travel.
The main house has a master suite with terrace, a room with bunk beds for children and a third en suite room. It also has a cinema room with comfy chairs.
Away from the main house, by the infinity pool, is a two-bedroom, twobath annexe which is popular with grandparents wanting to retreat for a bit of peace and privacy.
Book fast for 2022’s last remaining slots from £1,563pp per week, including flights and car rental (simpsontravel.com).
Another option for big groups is to rent adjoining villas to get a mix of community and privacy. Examples from Vintage Travel include fourbedroom, five-bath Villa Angelos and its sister house Monika.
Book both, near family friendly Ipsos beach, and 16 of you can holiday together while enjoying private space in gardens and pools.
Guests can expect shaded dining areas, a roof terrace, built-in barbecues, plenty of parking and enough TV screens to keep everyone amused.
The villas rent from £1,676 per week each in early summer (vintagetravel.co.uk).