Thalassa Suites, Corfu
This year, 2020 has sucked. Big time. Every single plan I had of getting away had gone down the toilet. Holidays have been cancelled for many others and had been forgotten about by almost everyone else. Those that took a punt to travelled during Covid times, had a chance of getting away but it was still a gamble. This year has been like no other, but I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. This years reason was for me to book a holiday in Greece and I ended up at the Thalassa Suites in Corfu, I was glad I did.
I would not have considered Corfu for a holiday in August but, finding photos of Thalassa Suites on the TUI website, I was sold. I booked it on a whim expecting things to get cancelled but before I knew it, I was on the plane and travelling to there with my family. Getting on the transfer bus, we were going to be the last stop, so I got a chance to see all the other hotels and destinations that the others were staying at. There were a few stops that made me worry, these places looked terrible and I wondered if Thalassa Suites were going to be a lemon as well.
An hour in and the coach stopped outside a pristine, long white wall. The buildings lined up behind it, glowed in the sunlight. Standing in the sun, there was an instant relief. I knew I had chosen well. Making my way through the buildings, I followed the signs to the reception area. There I was met by one of the owners, who quickly took our cases and then took us up the the bar, where some welcome drinks were being served.
Check In
My first impression was positive. Everything looked new, clean and modern. Thalassa Suites has a tranquil and calm feel about it and it was just what I was after to forget about things back in the UK. The bar is a seperate building, located at the bottom of the complex, next to the beach. It is open on all sides, and in the centre there is a large bar, with happy staff, ready to look after us. Stood in the bar, looking out across the beach, the blue sea made all of my life worries and concerns start to melt away, the view was perfect.
After travelling all day we decided to get some food, and ordered some burgers from the bar menu. Whilst we waited, the reception staff brought out paperwork so that I did not have to go into the reception area (with all the Covid concerns) it was an easy check in. Left in the bar, with a beer in hand and the heat warming me, I was loving the feeling of peace, as I scribbled out the residential forms and popped the forms back to reception.
The small room
The food was delivered and as we took the first bite, it was obvious that the lunchtime menu would need to be revisited. The burgers were juicy and tasty with loads of chips to baulk out the meal. Food done, the staff were happy to charge it to our room. Collecting the room key we went off to check out the place that we were to call home for the next 10 days. The entrance looked great, opening the door the room was cool and first impressions were good.
Being that we are a couple, with a 15 year old in tow, I had asked for separate rooms. It was obvious that there were two adjoining rooms but with no wall or door separating them. Popping back to the reception, and explaining our plight. The staff were great, an offer of an upgrade and we were shown a similar standard of room but it was in a different league.
The room upgrade
The new room upgrade was superb, there was an upper level of suites on either side of the pool, all of them are dual floored. Our request for separate rooms had been upgraded to having different floors. Getting into our new room, we all knew it was going to make it a perfect holiday. Check out the Youtube video above for a full room walkaround.
First the upper suites are accessed by an external staircase, then onto a large enclosed veranda, with the main door to the suite.Entering the suite it has an instant feeling of cool, calm and freshness. Tiled floors and white walls, a spiral staircase to the left, going up the top floor. The lower floor opening up to large bathroom behind the stairs and a living room with kitchen area to the right. The kitchen has everything including a small hob, sink, fridge and cupboards full of kitchen utensils and plates. A large sliding door opened onto the first patio area that overlooked the shallow river part of the swimming pools.
Going straight ahead from the main door, was the master bedroom. A huge bed in the centre, large TV and plenty of clothing storage space, and of course the room safe hidden in the dual wardrobes. Behind the bed was another set of sliding doors that opened onto the second balcony/patio area, this time with a set of table and chairs.
Going up the spiral stairs, a glass door gave complete privacy and it opened on to the next level floor. The room had two single beds, lots of storage, with its own bathroom, a large TV and plenty of space. Then we found the secret area.
Out of a small glass door by the side of the stairs, we found our own private, secluded roof terrace, with deck chairs and table waiting for us. This was a perfect sun trap and with the solid walls, it guaranteed no peeping toms. This area was an area that had ‘Do Not Disturb’ written all over it.
Returning to the main room and none of us could believe what we had been offered, this really was the deal breaker for our holiday. We had just gone from potentially having a good holiday to having a great holiday. We were unpacked and settled in, patting ourselves on the back for having asked for the upgrade.
Eating out
It was getting late, so it was time to eat again. Due to the Covid problems, The Sharki restaurant was not open so we had to find evening feeding venues, which was actually really easy. With free Wi-Fi, I had found plenty of places to eat locally (Mythos Taverna is a must) and all within easy walking distance.
The town is a short walk away. My tip is to head towards the back of the complex, and turn right (through the long car park) and out the sliding gate at the end. Turn left and follow the road up away from the beach. This is a quieter road to walk along, it has a few bars and restaurants along it (although I never got to try them) it also cuts out some of the main road at the top. About a half mile up, at the main road turn right and another half a mile (passing the petrol station on the right) you will reach the town. We were doing it in about 20 minutes, often eating in the town during the evening and wandering back. We had torches so the trek back to Thalassa Suites in the dark was much easier and safer, as we went along the main road.
The other option was to walk along the beach, it was harder work walking in the soft sand but the views are simply superb. Facing the sea from Thalassa Suites turning left and walking for about 25 minutes we started to hit a number of restaurants at the bottom of town. We ate in Maitro’s and watched the sunset, another beautiful evening.
We also went right along the beach and followed it for about 15 to 20 minutes. There were a few restaurants to try, all of them are reasonable and the food was tasty. One spot for lunch was so stunning to sit, it was right on the beach. I wanted to go back but just ran out of time (check out their waffles when you find it).
Breakfast
The first night sleep is always the worst, but with the air conditioning running gently and bed sheets cool and crisp I fell asleep quickly and slept like a baby. The following morning I was feeling refreshed and ready for a day of sunbathing. First was breakfast! Food was served around the decking area by the reception. They offered a limited menu and the staff were happy and cheerful. The greek yogurt and honey, with the fruit was delicious and I had this pretty much every day that I was there. The English breakfast was nice, but in the heat, a cooler breakfast suited my stomach much better.
Pools and Beach
Once full, it was off to find a sunbed but first the beach towel. A quick visit to the reception area and a towel was supplied with a €15 deposit, per towel that was charged to the room. There were the early risers, who had snagged a bed around the bottom pool, but there were still plenty of beds at the top pool. Getting comfy, with a good book was the order of the day. Pool and bar staff wandered around every so often, and made sure that everyone was well looked after.
With each hour sat by the pool, I could feel the cloud of Covid lifting and I was beginning to feel like myself again. Putting the book down, the view were stunning. With the ability to pop in and out the open-air bar, drinks were easy to get and it guaranteed some movement from the bed. I finished my book and I had already seen the small bookcase in reception. It was a simple, free, book swap. Most books that were there were my kind of reading so I was happy for the whole trip.
Another day and a chance to try somewhere else to sit and read. At the back of the bar, by the beach, Thalassa Suites had made a small sandy area with more sunbeds and umbrellas. Wanting to be by the sea, this turned out to be my new favourite spot, few people chose to use them so it was very quiet. The views were better from here. Looking out over the sea, with the mountains on the horizon and the sun beating down, it was just what I needed. With the bar at my back and the sea right in front of me, there was nothing else I could want.
The beach was clean and sandy, but as I got closer to the sea it got a little stoney. The sea was calm, clear and warm. The sea bed was shallow and I could wade out about 30 to 40 meters before I could not longer touch the bottom. Hours splashing around and enjoying the refreshing salt water, just washed away even more of the stress. Returning to the sunbeds, there were two showers located on the side of the changing rooms. A quick rinse off and back on the beds to allow the sun to dry me off.
The bar
Each night, I ended up in the bar ordering a night cap and maybe had a cocktail or two. Soft music and comfy seats allowed my family and I to relax and watch what wild life was around. There was loads of cats, all good natured and friendly, which the 15 year old loved to call over and stroke. The evening barman kept us topped up and looked after our drinks when we needed them. An hour sat watching the world go by was perfect before going back to the room.
Final thought
There are few things to be grateful for with all things Covid, but this was one of them. It meant I was able to book a fantastic location and have a great time away. Our 10 days went by so quickly. Before I knew it, I was packing my bag and getting ready to return home.
The trip had been absolutely, perfectly timed. Had Covid not have affected so many travel plans, I would have never booked a holiday to Corfu and would never have found Thalassa Suites. As I said, it all happens for a reason.
