14 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 paradisical 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.

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 (and therefore caters to a lot of business travelers). The building began life as the 17th-century palace of Count Flamburiari and was among the first of the luxury hotels to open in Corfu in the mid-1960s. 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 the most glorious view in town, ranging from the Esplandade (Spinanda) park at your front step all the way out to the deep blue sea.

Built in 1950 as the island's first resort hotel—and these days showing it—the Corfu Palace is a grande dame in bad need of a face-lift, albeit 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 sweetly decorated with old-fashioned Louis XIV–style furniture. Even better, the hotel is but a couple of minutes' walk from the town center and overlooks Garitsa bay. 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. You can book a tennis court at the nearby Corfu Tennis Club and hire facilities at the Corfu Yacht Club. The hotel, one of the few in Corfu to remain open year-round, caters to many older visitors and families who don't want to stay in the busy center of town. The island's only casino is located just off reception and operates 24 hours a day.

The charming suites and bungalows at this small hilltop lodging are built into and around a 17th-century stone-and-mortar Venetian storehouse; each has been turned into a comfortable hideaway. The common room–bar still contains an original huge olive press and an old stone mill. You can imagine life hundreds of years ago and at the same time enjoy modern baths and kitchens. The villas are a short drive inland from the Paleokastritsa beaches.

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.

The old, no-frills Hermes was always popular with backpackers, but since an upgrade it has more appeal for budget travelers in general. It's a good, inexpensive choice for a short stay in Corfu Town, but not the best choice for a longer summer holiday if you value creature comforts, views, and being near a beach (the hotel is in the center of town).

This hotel-bungalow complex opened its doors in 1971 with a clean, modern look on a smallish sandy beach with a more relaxed feel than its primary competitor a few miles to the north. 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.

Located at the top of Pelekas Hill, next to the Kaiser's Throne lookout, this small hotel offers balconied guest rooms with breathtaking views (and sunsets) across silver-green olive groves to the shimmering Ionian Sea. Built in 1989, the Levant has a subdued, neoclassical look enlivened with touches of traditional Corfiot style. The guest rooms are comfortable and rather plain, but that's part of their charm. Breakfast is served on the main terrace; the restaurant is also open for lunch and dinner.

Some say this small, luxury hotel can be a bit snobbish; others insist that it lets you experience true Corfiot tradition in a unique setting: 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 (French president François Mitterand stayed here during an EU conference), 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.

Right in the heart of Corfu's historic center and just a minute's walk away from the Liston, this grand mansion was built in 1823 by the aristocratic Metaxas clan and, happily, its conversion to a hotel succeeded in preserving 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 some new delights: the personalized service is the nearest you'll find in Corfu to a B&B. Named in honor of a Metaxas ancestor, 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.

Owners Mark and Saskia have created their luxurious B&B from one of Perithia's former ruins, with a sensitive and stylish renovation of the old stone structure. The location in Old Perithia, a once-abandoned Byzantine settlement, is a heritage-protected village deep in the mountains and far from anywhere else, but the surrounding mountains are ideal hiking country, and there are nearby tavernas that serve traditional food. As much as possible, furnishings and fittings have been sourced from around Greece, and most of the breakfast foodstuffs come from the immediate vicinity. Accommodations are mostly in spacious suites, all with separate entrances direct to the garden; modern amenities include Wi-Fi, an in-room coffeemaker and air-conditioning. Breakfast, featuring local honey and homemade jam, is served on the terrace overlooking the lower part of the village.