Luxury and privacy go hand in hand, and this couldn’t be truer than post-pandemic travel priorities. Should Corfu be on your radar, a few turns around the bay from the island’s Old Town is Villa 1870, a mansion-style property that offers a discreet hideaway complete with all of the facilities of a five-star hotel.
Villa 1870 is a luxury hybrid, making it an ideal socially distanced destination for friends and families to reconnect in 2021 and beyond. The passion project of the husband and wife team of Dimitris and Nancy Kyriakis, Villa 1870 includes all the facilities you would expect from a luxury villa but taken one step further with added services and experiences. With help from their private local driver and Greek chef, they have lovingly designed a Corfiot haven with statement furnishings that shines a light on the heritage of the property complemented with views over the ocean and dramatic coastline.
Rooms and facilities
Sleeping up to 16 people, the villa with its bright exterior mimics something of a Corfiot doll’s house. Entering via an ancient wooden door, the interior is spread across two floors with five equally colourful bedrooms, three marble-lined bathrooms, spacious indoor and outdoor living areas and a terrace perfect for al fresco evening drinks. This coincides with a fully equipped kitchen (and separate professional kitchen) and a heated outdoor pool with views over the Ionian Sea.
To ensure their guests can enjoy all the benefits that come with a five-star hotel is the variety of VIP services. From the in-house chef, daily housekeeping and private driver Akis, who, having grown up on the island can escort guests effortlessly wherever they desire.
Should you want to push the boat out further, other options include; access to the villa’s carefully curated cellar which is stocked with local and international wines, private swimming and tennis lessons from certified trainers, in-house beauty treatments, as well as a dedicated concierge service to arrange deliveries and any other extra services desired. And for an even bigger get-together, the villa also has access to a separate detached house available on-site to house a further four guests in their own private space.
Food and drink
Food and drink are aligned with the Corfiot theme. Taken care of by the villa’s private in-house chef and served to guests by waiting staff, guests are encouraged to not lift a finger whilst they sample a variety of both local and national Greek homemade dishes, all catered around personal requirements.
Many regional dishes are distinctly different from the rest of Greece, therefore you may see on the table the local ‘bourdouni’ pork sausage and ‘pastitsio dolce’ – an indulgent Venetian style lasagne made with veal, chicken, pork and ham. Breakfasts are presented with vast platters of pasties and eggs, whilst as evening draws in, a bottle of local wine alongside some locally sourced meat or fish.
Location
Both convenient and beautifully set, Villa 1870 is moments from the Old Town, the island’s cultural centre point. A Venetian inspired town woven with elegant Italian architecture, guests can roam the streets of this UNESCO World Heritage Site and enjoy the shopping on offer before wandering over to the ancient old fortress which tells the rich history of the Mediterranean island.
With the assistance of the villa’s local driver Akis, every other corner of Corfu is at guests’ fingertips, from Glyfada Beach for fantastic water-skiing, jet-skiing and windsurfing facilities; Achilleion Palace in Gastouri which was the setting for the 1981 James Bond film ‘For Your Eyes Only’; to Vrachos in Palaiokastritsa Bay, a beach tavern-style restaurant that dishes up a mix of local Corfiot specialities with familiar Greek favourites.
In a nutshell
Villa 1870 is an ideal setting for larger groups in search of both a private and authentic Corfiot getaway. The oldest building on the hillside (built, unsurprisingly, in 1870), details throughout hint at the heritage of not only the building, but the island of Corfu. The villa also allows for guests to meet and engage with locals such as owners Dimitris and Nancy and their driver Akis who can teach guests about the fascinating heritage of this alternative Greek island.
Factbox
Nightly rates are between €800 and €1,400, depending on the season. Rate includes accommodation, daily housekeeping, private mini-van airport transfers and to/from Corfu Town, baby equipment, laundry facilities and in-house private chef. Guests only pay for the ingredients of meals, not for the chef service.
Currently there is a 15% discount on the nightly rate for stays between 1st January-31st December 2021, applicable to stays booked by 31st December 2020.
Address: 35 Spirou Rath P.C. 49100 Corfu
Website: villa1870corfu.com
