Steeped in history, sandy beaches and lush hills, a family holiday at the lti Louis Grand Hotel in Corfu is the perfect escape from modern-day life.
Called ‘Kerkyra’ by locals, Corfu’s history is nothing short of magical. It’s a place still brimming with mystery; even its Greek name has a solid mythological origin. As the myth goes, Poseidon fell in love with the Nymph Korkira, kidnapped her, and brought her to the island. Ever since, the island has been a tribute to the Nymph by name, still being called ‘Kerkyra’ in 2020.
Located just off the west coast of Greece, Corfu is only about 40 miles long and 18 miles wide. The island enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate with wet winters and hot summers, making it a lush green paradise for holidaymakers from all over the world.
Some travellers want to experience Corfu for the nightlife; some want total relaxation and quality family time. If you’re part of the latter group, the lti Louis Grand Hotel on Glyfada Beach might be just right for your island holiday.
Hotel
Located about 25 minutes from the airport, the Louis Grand is situated in one of the most exclusive locations on Corfu, with rolling hills surrounding it on all sides and a picture-perfect sandy beach a stone’s throw away.
Walking through the hotel, you’ll notice a rich collection of antique furniture and decorative collections adorning the public areas. There’s plenty of space both inside and out to relax, whether you fancy a quiet evening in the warm and cosy lounge, or a lively night outside by the bar.
The Louis Grand offers every service you’d expect at a luxury resort, from car and bicycle hire to porter service, laundry service and fresh towels for your many dips in the pool.
Speaking of the pool, the Louis Grand’s is simplistic perfection with views overlooking the bay, and never has that too-crowded feel you get at many all-inclusive resorts.
Not only has the hotel won a variety of awards, including HolidayCheck Awards, Certificates of Excellence from TripAdvisor (with a consistent 4.5-star rating from travellers), the hotel has also been awarded a prestigious Travelife for Hotels & Accommodations Gold Award for its performance in managing their social, environmental and economic impacts.
Room
With 247 guest rooms, including a large proportion of seaview and family rooms, the hotel is a decent size, but not so big that it loses its personal touch. The seaview rooms on the upper floors feature balconies with fantastic views of the Ionian Sea, and some family rooms feature swim-up rooms (our room of choice). It’s easy to waste away your mornings lying in bed with the sliding doors open, letting in the warm sea breeze while the kids swim just outside.
Our room was ideal for our family, with mum and dad able to get some quiet time in the breezy bedroom, or enjoy an evening drink on the balcony. The kids loved it too (there’s nothing worse than a family holiday in a cramped single-space room), and spread out in the living area with their games and snacks, or took a dip in the swim-up pool, when we wanted some time to chill out.
All rooms are air-conditioned with private bathrooms, mini-fridges and satellite TVs (in case you get sick of the beach, if that’s possible).
Food and drink
The Louis Grand offers all-inclusive packages where you can enjoy unlimited food, drinks (soft and alcoholic), activities such as archery and aqua-aerobics, and tonnes of fun for the kids. The hotel will even pack you a lunch box if you fancy a daytime exploratory adventure.
Dining at the Louis Grand is an experience not to be missed, with a sumptuous selection of local fare at every meal. Corfiot cuisine is a fusion of tastes with both Greek and Venetian roots. Some of the most well known dishes are sofrito (sliced veal with vinegar, parsley and garlic), and pastitsada (a meat and pasta dish). The olives and tomatoes are to die for (after all, there are more than two million olive trees on the island), the feta cheese is indescribably good, and the hot dishes are bursting with local flavours and ingredients.
If you’d rather stick with what you know, the Louis Grand always has plenty of familiar foods on offer that the kids will love, including chips, pizza, pasta and of course, full American breakfasts.
To do
The beach is quite possibly the Louis Grand’s greatest asset, with plenty of space for all its guests, soft sands and glorious views. If the salt water gets to be too much, the large swimming pool with views of the beach and hills, neighboured by the pool bar where you can enjoy one of the tasty all-inclusive cocktails (or two), is the perfect remedy.
On site, you can get in a match or two at the flood-lit tennis court; let the kids burn their energy at the animation clubs; try your hand at table tennis, volleyball or shuffle board; have a relaxing massage in the treatment room; and dance along at the evening entertainment.
Off site, you can take a quick 15-minute drive to nearby Aqualand Water Park for a fun-filled day of wet-and-wild thrills; play 18 holes at Corfu Golf Club; or go horseback riding along the Corfu coastline or countryside.
Factbox
Rooms at lti Louis Grand can be booked from £260/night for a family of four.
Address: Glyfada, Pelekas, 491 00 Corfu Island, Greece
Phone: +30 26610 94140-5
Email: grand@louishotels.com
Website: ltilouisgrandhotel.com
