Corfu Holiday Palace

The Corfu Holiday Palace scores a double whammy on the location front. It’s tucked among gardens of pine trees overlooking the Ionian Sea and Mouse Island, and comes with its own stretch of private beach. The bubbly seafront resort of Kanoni is a couple of minutes’ drive away, and cosmopolitan Corfu Town is just a little further on.

This is a contemporary high-rise property set among immaculately manicured grounds. The buildings give way to a good-size swimming pool, which comes complete with swimming lanes, and is surrounded by sunny terraces decked out with loungers and parasols. You’ll find an extra pool inside the spa, along with a lengthy menu of massage treatments. And if you like your holiday days to be more active, there are tennis courts and a fitness centre to take advantage of, plus a playground for smaller guests.

The food and drink scene is really varied, with an international buffet eatery, a couple of a la carte restaurants (poolside and beachfront), and two speciality eateries serving Japanese and gourmet cuisine. A handful of bars take care of snacks, cold drinks and ice-cream. And the lobby bar is the setting for the lively night-time entertainment programme, hosting karaoke sessions, DJ sets and live music until late. 

This hotel is just a 10-minute taxi ride from the airport, so it's ideal if you want to get your holiday started ASAP after landing on the island. Just so you know, some rooms have views over the trees of planes taking off and coming into land – perfect for embracing your inner aviation geek!