Hotel Aquis Pelekas Beach

The Club Eldorador Aquis Pelekas Beach stands on the west coast of the island of Corfu in the town of Pelekas, just under 7 mi from the capital and the airport, both of which are around a 30 minute drive away. Do bear in mind that traffic jams are quite frequent in the mornings. The little village of Pelekas is just over a mile away.

Wi-Fi access is available throughout the hotel but the best place for getting a signal is at reception. If you don't have your own computer you can hire one here.
The hotel operates on an all-inclusive basis.
There's no point getting up at the crack of dawn to reserve your deckchair for the day either, as the staff go around removing any abandoned towels every half an hour. Beach towels are also available free of charge from the hotel and can be exchanged every three days.
Given the stepped architecture of the establishment, it is not recommended for those with reduced mobility.
The hotel doesn't have a spa but if you fancy a massage you could always head to the one at the Aquis Agios Gordios, which belongs to the same group and is around a 10 minute drive away.

The Aquis Pelekas Beach may have been built in the 80s but it certainly doesn't look it, largely due to the latest bout of renovations and the attentive ongoing maintenance. The steep slope leading to the hotel is easy enough to handle when you're going down but coming back up is another story. In any case, this is a small price to pay as the hotel is certainly worth the climb. You'll be greeted at reception with a big smile, and the lovely, bright lobby, complete with modern furniture, affords breathtaking views out to sea. Take advantage of this by relaxing while quenching your thirst at the Orpheus lobby bar. The other facilities at the hotel are located just below but if you don't fancy taking the stairs down you could always use the funicular to give your legs a break! The long solarium terrace runs right to the poolside, which is furnished with deckchairs and even incorporates a children's paddling pool. It has to be said though, that the pool really could do with being a little bigger given the number of guests the hotel can accommodate. The terrace at the Laguna Bar is just perfect for relaxing with a cocktail as you admire the amazing sunset over the sea.

The 181 guest rooms at the hotel come in various categories, according to whether they offer a sea view or a mountain view. All of them have a balcony of some proportion and needless to say the sea view is the one you want. Inside, the rooms are spacious enough to accommodate a large double bed as well as a lounge area furnished with a comfortable sofa and a coffee table. The modern, light wooden furniture and sandy colour scheme make for pleasant surroundings. The minibar can sometimes be a touch noisy, unlike the air-conditioning unit, which you'll hardly hear at all. Just as well, really, as it's pretty essential on hot summer days when the sun filters easily into the rooms. Having said that, the cool tiled floors provide welcome relief for burning feet in the morning. Bear in mind that safe deposit boxes are provided but will incur an additional charge should you wish to use them. As for the bathrooms, they feature lovely wash basin units and bathtubs, both equipped with a soap dispenser.

All of the meals are served at the main restaurant, the Pergola. The entire inside part of the restaurant is taken up by tables, to such an extent that it can be tricky to navigate your way in between them. Meals are served as a buffet, with the majority of the buffet stations located together for easier access on either side. Show-cooking demonstrations are even put on at one end of the buffet area. The menu here consists of a selection of international dishes, with a different theme every evening, including Italian and Greek nights. There is very little in the way of decor within the restaurant, although we did notice the original light fittings in the shape of birds. The hotel also has two other restaurants but these are only open in the evening. Both of them are à la carte; the first, the Olive Tree, serving Mediterranean cuisine, and the second, the Ku Ku Tsi, serving a very generous selection of high quality sushi dishes. Do bear in mind that there is an additional charge for dining here, since only non-alcoholic drinks and house wine are included in the all-inclusive package in these restaurants. Located opposite each other below the reception area, both of these restaurants have a lovely terrace directly overlooking the sea.

The Pelekas Beach is located close to the beautiful Kontogialos beach, which, along with all of the beaches in Corfu, is public. Fortunately though, it is long enough and wide enough to accommodate large numbers of bathers. Bear in mind that deckchairs and parasols are available to hire only. The shoreline is made up primarily of sand and the gradient of the seabed is perfect for swimming. Having said that, the sea can sometimes get a little choppy due to the fact that it is exposed to the wind, but this shouldn't stop you going for a swim. After all, the water is too crystal clear to resist! There is a water sports club on the beach offering a wide variety of activities including pedalo boat hire and parasailing, but it does not belong to the hotel.