Rou Estate – Thyme

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.

Thyme is a beautifully positioned three-bedroom house (sleeps 6 + infants) with its own private infinity pool. The house is the latest addition to the estate and has an added sense of privacy. Inside there are beamed ceilings, an original fireplace and elegant interiors which wouldn’t look out of place in Country Living magazine. There are three terraces outside which are designed to make the most of the views across the Straits of Corfu to Albania. There’s a wisteria-draped dining terrace which is also good when guests fancy a break from the sun. The infinity pool is one of the largest pools on the Rou Estate and a big hit with mini guests (worth noting though that the pool isn’t fenced and is located adjacent to the villa doorway). We especially like the outdoor seating area on the lower ground terrace as it’s a great spot for an evening cocktail and the table tennis table helps keep children entertained.

Inside the house has a comfortable open plan living/dining area with French doors leading down to the lower terrace. The kitchen is well equipped with a large hob, oven, fridge-freezer, dishwasher and washing machine. The kitchen leads to the covered dining terrace which has a BBQ. The living room has comfortable sofas, a TV (limited satellite channels), DVD, CD player and iPod dock. There are two double rooms and a twin room. All three are en-suite. One double has a bath and shower while the other bedrooms have a shower room. 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 grounds. The property is unsuitable for those with mobility issues and parents with rambunctious children may want to consider that.