Akti Barbati Studio

The room looked just like the photos, and the bar staff were friendly and nice. The pool came with amazing views, and the beach was only a two-minute walk away, with sunbeds free to use.

We were wary after reading negative reviews on booking.com and elsewhere, but we stayed 19 nights with a toddler and had no problems. We visit Corfu every year, and this has been the best place we’ve rented so far. We’re glad we gave it a chance and would definitely stay again. The pool and surrounding area were very clean and well kept, with plenty of sunbeds, a shower, and clean toilets. We spent most of our time there. Verde blu is a rather posh spot for food and sea views, and the staff were mostly friendly. The beach gets very busy, and we struggled to find sunbeds because most were reserved. Our studio was much larger than it looked in the pictures, with a spacious balcony. We could see the sea and passing ships from there, and even from the bathroom, lol. Other places we’ve stayed had water coming up during showers, but the drains here were well maintained. If tourists clog them with beach sand, that’s not the place’s fault. Breakfast was included and decent. We ate there on 18 mornings without complaints. There are only three choices, as some reviews say, but toast, butter, and jam are available too. Buying breakfast from the restaurant menu gives you three or four similar choices, with a few extra items. Kelly is an unbeatable manager, proactive, flexible, and easy to communicate with. She tried to help with every reasonable request without fuss. She works hard to maintain the place and keep guests happy. We saw her around from early morning until late evening, even though she doesn’t live there. The cleaners and other staff were friendly too.

I was looking forward to the holiday when I booked, but the stay ended up being a big disappointment. The apartment wasn’t as clean as I’d hoped, and they only cleaned it once after I asked. The iron smelled very strongly of mold, and we also had trouble with water coming back up from the sewage.

We stayed the first week of October 2022 and got plenty of use out of the lovely pool and outdoor area. The villa has what you need for a holiday, and the location in Barbati is hard to beat, with spectacular sunrises over the bay. Restaurants and shops are a short 10-minute walk away, and the mini market is five minutes off. It’s a great base for exploring the island, though the WIFI can be hit and miss. I’d recommend it for a relaxing stay.