13 Best Hotels in Corfu, Greece

Few hotels in Corfu are so superbly positioned to take in its natural splendor the way the Akrotiri is, which lords it over a paradisaical little peninsula. Covered with trees, lapped by turquoise waters, and crowned by this sumptuously modern hotel, this gorgeous spot allows you to escape to nature without roughing it. Upstairs, balconies in the warmly, chicly, and pastel-decorated guest rooms overlook dreamy views of grottoes, blue bays, Agia Triada Beach, and the Alipa marina; downstairs, a restaurant, bar, array of pools, and vast stone terraces all vie for your attention. A private elevator takes you nearly down to the beach where there is also a pool and a snack bar.

This beachside resort, made up of low-rise buildings and bungalows cascading down a hillside, is now one of the most luxurious on Corfu's west coast. It's built on a series of terraces amid extensive natural woodland of pine, cypress, and eucalyptus. Accommodations range from standard but very spacious rooms to stand-alone villas with terraces and private pools: 27 rooms have their own pool. The decor is sleekly contemporary with a mainly earth-tone palette and plenty of natural light. Service is efficient and friendly, and lots of sporting and entertainment activities are offered both during the day and throughout the evening. The resort has its own state-of-the-art spa with indoor pool and wellness treatments, while Corfu's Golf Club is a short walk away. Guests can reach the beach by way of a funicular down the steep hillside.

There are far grander places to stay on Corfu but few with as much quiet, unpretentious charm as Casa Lucia, where the stone buildings of an old olive press have been converted into guest cottages and smaller studios. Every one of them has its own kitchen and a little terrace overlooking the tranquil garden, filled with hibiscus, olive trees, and bougainvillea, and the pool. Cottages have two to five beds and are great for families; studios sleep only two. The decor in all the units is simple and cozy. Lots of folks come back year after year. Tai chi and yoga sessions are held out in the garden by the pool.

Poised on the edge of the Liston, overlooking the green space of the Spianada (Esplanade), the Arcadion is a rarity in Corfu Town: a full-service hotel that stays open all year. Not for a long vacation, but if you're looking for creature comforts right in the heart of things, it's good value.

Right in the heart of Corfu's historic center and just a minute's walk away from the Liston, this aristocratic town house was built in 1823 and its conversion to a hotel has preserved its lovely and authentic Venetian style. The hotel retains, for example, such time-burnished elements as the original checkerboard tile floor, the walled garden, and the original staircase while adding the personalized you'd expect from a boutique hotel or a posh B&B in the US. Named in honor of a matriarch of its original owners, the hotel has nine rooms, all decorated in soft, warm colors, with walls adorned with old prints and paintings, and antiques accenting the cozy lounge and breakfast room. Each of the rooms—seven in the main house and two in an annex—are artistically appointed and equipped with some nice up-to-date facilities, including one godsend: the garden proves to be a haven of peace right in the center of the city. Though the hotel does not serve any meals except breakfast, there are a number of excellent restaurants a short walk away.

This hotel occupies a landmark 18th-century building with a wonderful location equidistant between the Liston and the sea; it's one of the few hotels here to remain open year-round.  Guest rooms have nice bathrooms and simple but comfortable furnishings. If you want a breathtaking view of the Old Fortress and the sea, ask for a room on the fourth or fifth floor, with a number ending in 1, 2 or 3. The highlight is the roof garden, where over a drink at sunset you have one of the most glorious views in town, over the Spianada toward the OLd Fortress and Garitsa.

Built in 1950 as the island's first resort hotel, the Corfu Palace is a grande dame in an unbeatable location and with some lingering grace notes. This stolidly built landmark's guest rooms have a spaciousness from an earlier age, and they are all nostalgically decorated with the old-fashioned Louis XIV–style furniture that spelt bourgeios grandeur in its heyday. Every guest room has a sea-view balcony and a marble bathroom. The two restaurants have seating in the gardens that surround the huge saltwater pool, and once a week there's a barbecue banquet.

Gazing out over Paleokastritsa's central bay, the venerable Apollon is one of Paleo's more venerable properties: not by any means grand, but certainly cozy enough for a longish stay. Rooms in the original wing look out over the bay, but those in the newer annex overlook a busy car park.

This elegant two-story Venetian town house centrally located has been used as a hotel since the 1800s and remains one of the nicest small hotels in town. The elegant lobby, with its marble floors, rich polished-wood ceiling, and chandeliers, is furnished with sofas covered in metallic-hued brocades. The high-ceiling guest rooms are small but have been furnished with simple, contemporary furniture. A buffet breakfast is served in the lovely gardens at the side and back of the hotel. There are no views, but it's wonderfully quiet and just a short walk from the Esplanade.

Three generations of the same family have owned and managed Zefiros, the longest established hotel in Paleokastritsa. The love shows: everything is kept beautifully up to the minute, with light and airy public areas and bedrooms decorated in sunny pastel blues and grays.

This hotel-bungalow complex opened its doors in 1971 with a clean, modern look on a smallish sandy beach—all the guest rooms and bungalows have balconies, but the least expensive have garden rather than sea views. Family rooms all have a bay view and come with larger bathrooms. The grounds here are lovely, with splashes of red bougainvillea and big cypress trees next to the two beaches, one lined with an extravaganza of tiki-style umbrellas. A spa offers all kinds of pampering treatments, from facials and pedicures to massages, for both singles and couples.

Some say this small boutique property can feel a bit elitist; it certainly emphasizes its aristocratic Corfiot heritage tradition in the setting of an old family mansion—the house was built for the family of current owner Nikos Velianitis and is lovingly set amid 50 acres of olive and cypress trees. In addition to the main house, which has the dining room and "presidential suite," bungalows and studios have been created in former olive-press buildings, stables, and warehouses. All of them are richly decorated with family heirlooms from England and Russia; all have large verandas overlooking the gardens or meadows; and all have kitchens.

To stay in this family house is to experience the lifestyle of Corfu's Venetian aristocracy—built by the owner's ancestors in 1782, it has been passed down through members of the Manesis dynasty ever since. Replete with antique portraits, furniture, decorative items, and books, all belonging to generations of the family, it imparts a veritable history lesson, and the beautifully coordinated color schemes are a delight to the eye. Odd domestic details scattered throughout the house reveal that, when not occupied by guests, the residence reverts to its parallel role as a family home. The strawberry-hue mansion, generally regarded as an architectural gem, is set on a rock overlooking the sea, at the center of its demesne; it is not a surprise to discover that the house has performed as a fashion shoot venue, and provided the setting for an episode of popular TV series The Durrells of Corfu. The accommodation, with its five bedrooms, spacious and elegant salons, and enormous kitchen with many original features, has been upgraded to cater for visitors in comfort, whilst retaining its traditional layout and character.