Rou Estate – Papaver

The BFB sisters are BIG fans of Corfu and we’ve been on the look-out for baby-friendly holiday gems there ever since our first visit.

We recently stayed in the exclusive north east and have rarely been so taken with a location. Pine-clad hillsides trickle down into pretty, harbourside villages and beaches all fringed by the brightest of blue seas. Restaurants are plentiful and although we’ve always loved Greek food, the tavernas in this region seem a cut above too. We enjoyed many long and lazy lunches by the water devouring plates of delicious mezze while sipping from carafes of delicious and wonderfully reasonable, local Rose. It was our little slice of holiday heaven and we’ve now found the perfect place for BFB families hoping to experience it for themselves.

‘Rou Estate’ a dreamy and luxurious village cluster with a host of awards and accolades, including a feature in The Times top 100 places to stay list. Sound special? We like to think so!

Nestled in the foothills of Mount Pantokrator, Rou is the vision of British architect and Norman Foster protégée, Dominic Skinner and his Dutch wife Claire. Together, they have transformed it from a ruined hamlet into an elegant estate of 14 luxurious villas that combine local charm with contemporary style and family-friendly touches. There’s also a central swimming pool, onsite restaurant, spa, nanny service, gym and Mediterranean gardens, so pretty that they’ve garnered their own awards.

The estate’s restaurant has a reputation almost as impressive as its sea views with its chef, Mikalis, known to serve amongst the best, local cuisine on the island – the perfect ‘date night’ location..

For other meals, the staff are always on hand to help by arranging a delivery from a local taverna, supermarket, bakery or butcher, or even a private chef to cook ‘in house’ at the villas for a special occasion. On the subject of food, fitness fans will find the estate gym a welcome aid in burning off some of that delicious food. A cool and contemporary space, it has a range of equipment and the staff can help arrange personal trainers, yoga instructors and more on request.

In need of a little extra relaxation? There’s a wonderful spa onsite which offers a choice of treatments rooms, sauna, steam shower and hot tub. Treatments can be booked in advanced and enjoyed in the spa or in the comfort of your own holiday home (perfect for fitting in a massage while little one’s nap).

Don’t let the properties rural location fool you, although it’s wonderfully tranquil, the property is just a short drive from a choice of pretty villages and tasteful, taverna-backed coves (often pebbly so bring beach shoes). Agni (6km) is unmissable as it is home to one of the area’s best beachfront restaurants and has a brilliant little boat hire office allowing for memory making days out exploring coves and villages along the coast. No trip to the area would be complete without a visit to The White House in Kalami. Once home to the Durrell brothers, the house is now a small hotel with terraced restaurant, where the food and view are hard to beat.

From lazy lunches by the water, fuelled by little carafes of local rose and freshly caught seafood to hiring your own little boat for a day exploring and picnicking on the water, a holiday to Rou Estate is bound to memorable. You could simply hole up by the pool for the majority, littles one contentedly playing while you sit back and soak up the views. Whatever you choose to do, it will be impossible not to fall in love with Corfu.

Accommodation Overview
The estate has 14 houses varying in size from 2-5 bedrooms. Each house is expertly equipped and come with their own pools, air conditioning (bedrooms), private terraces, a BBQ and complimentary Wi-Fi.

Papaver is ideal for families travelling with grandparents or child-free friends in tow. It comprises of a three bedroom villa and a further, adjoining cottage suitable for two. Despite its traditional exterior it offers a bright, spacious and comfortable interior whilst benefiting from wide-ranging views of the mountains, olive groves and sea beyond. The properties roof terrace is especially good for soaking up the view.

The ground floor of the house is home to an open plan living area with comfortable lounge and dining area. There is a small balcony off this room which has stairs leading down to the pool terrace. The kitchen is welcoming and well equipped. There is a large hob/oven, American-style fridge, dishwasher, breakfast bar and doors which lead onto a rear terrace with barbecue and outdoor dining area. A set of stairs (stairgate at top) leads down to the lower ground floor which has a further sitting room with a TV and DVD player along with the three bedrooms. There is a master double bedroom (150cmx200cm bed) with en-suite bathroom and access to the garden and villa plunge pool. There are two twin bedrooms (90cm x 190cm beds) one of which is en-suite with access to the rear courtyard and the other although not en-suite has access to the pool. There is a family shower room on this floor.

The adjoining guest cottage can accommodate two adults in a one bedroom There is a cosy open-plan lounge with sitting and dining area. French doors lead out onto the patio and the property has a wall garden with private plunge pool. The bedroom is spacious with an en-suite shower room. The cottage has a large roof terrace where guests can congregate for sunset drinks once little ones are tucked up in bed.

An iron, ironing board, hairdryer, pool and bath toys are provided.

Please note: The village gardens and the properties themselves may have small sets of stairs, inclines or steps throughout the interior and the grounds. The property is unsuitable for those with mobility issues and parents with rambunctious children may want to consider that.