The great British summer didn’t quite make it this year and the Indian summer – well it is probably still in India. So before the nights close in and the air gets cool my thoughts turned to happy times and CV Villas to whisk me away foo some sun and relaxation.
A look on the CV Villas comprehensive website led me back to Corfu. We very rarely go back to the same place but San Stephanos is rather a special place on Corfu.
CV Villas also have apartments and we thought this would be a different experience and at this time of year CV Villas reduce the cost of some of the villas and apartments by up to 20% and this is a good saving as the climate is still good on Corfu and it is quieter once the children have gone back to school.
We hired a car through CV Villas who actually sort every thing out for you including the flights and they provided excellent instructions on how to get out of Corfu Town to our apartment which is a huge bonus when driving in a strange area on the wrong side of the road!!
Our apartment was situated between San Stephanos and Kerasia on the North East side of the island about one hour from Corfu Town. There were six apartments in the block. The larger apartments sleep four but there is one that sleeps just two people and many visitors book the whole complex as this is ideal for families that like their own space and often prefer this to being all together in a villa. Each apartment has a balcony with fabulous views across the Ionian sea to Albania and it is wonderful sitting in the sun and relaxing watching the many boats that sail this channel – bliss.
Our apartment had two bedrooms, one with a double bed and the other with two singles. There was a few steps to negotiate to get to the small kitchen and shower/toilet room which were at a higher level and the rest of the apartment was a lounge with a sofa and table and chairs that lead on to the balcony that overlooked the pool. This spacious pool is shared by all the guests and has more than enough sun loungers to sit on. There is a Bar B Q area with seating and a large Bar B Q for alfresco dining. A free welcome pack is waiting for you at the apartment courtesy of CV Villas which includes small packets of tea and coffee, biscuits, bread, fruit and wine. In St Stephanos there are two supermarkets so you can get all your require from these well stocked shops.
If dining in is not your ‘thing’ then walk down the hill to San Stephanos (or in my case a car ride) to this lovely village which has five restaurants to choose from If you walk down it will take about 10/15 minutes, but don’t forget you have to walk back, and a torch is advisable to carry. The bay of Kerasia is another 10 minutes to walk the opposite way, but the hill is steeper so be prepared. Kerasia is a lovely little bay with one restaurant and a snack bar plus one gift shop. The restaurant is very good and the setting is very romantic as you sit and look over the bay.
Getting out and about isn’t difficult in this area and there are some lovely places to visit. Drive out of San Stephanos and take the right turn to Avlaki which is a small bay with two restaurants and continue along the road main road to Kassiopi which is a busy tourist town that hasn’t lost its character. It has plenty of shops and restaurants and is ideal for families – although the beaches are small but many hotels and villas have their own pool. The harbour is very popular and many people ‘mess about’ in boats and thoroughly enjoy the water. Trips can be organised from an agent in Kassiopi to go to Corfu Town and Paliokasistra by boat or coach if you do not want to do any more driving. Kassiopi has lots of restaurants for you to chose from and all give excellent service.
CV Villas have a ‘getting to know you evening’ in the Wave Bar in San Stephanos. This is a weekly event on a Wednesday evening to welcome old and new customers. Many people book with CV Villas and currently 72% of the guests re-book for the following year. CV Villas offer luxury with a smile, the staff are all excellent and try very hard to make your visit a success. They pride themselves on how they ‘go the extra mile’ and work for this excellent company tirelessly.
The difference between a Villa and an Apartment? Well the company, if you go to a Villa on your own it is lovely with no one else to please or have your friends and family living in the same villa together. The apartment has other guests and it was a pleasure to meet and talk to like minded people who had come to rest and relax. The other guests respected your privacy but would pass the time of day and enjoy a chat if you wished. This sort of holiday does suit many people who do not want to spend all their holiday on their own or with their extended family.
The sun shone for us and we got what we set out to do – rest and relax. Now the nights can draw in and the weather will be cooler but curling up with a good brochure sent from CV Villas will transport me back to the sun and the enjoyable time we had with CV Villas.
Fact:
We got our own flights – Jet2 from Manchester, the Car Hire organised by CV VIllas, the desk for the Green Motion Car Hire is just outside the arrivals carousel area.
I would not recommend the apartments for disabled guests.
