Stayed there last June and returning this year on 10th June, so concerned to see your comment. I can imagine where such a development is possibly being built as the hotel is down a tarmac path off the main road with an overgrown field each side of the track. The track is just wide enough for the coach to get down, and it turns at the bottom outside the front doors of the hotel. If you have a side or sea facing room you will be fine, but rooms above the entrance and bar will probably overlook what ever is going on.

However, having said that this is our 7th time to Corfu in 8 years, and the first time we have ever returned to the same place - it really is a lovely little hotel. Read some of the reviews on
holidays-uncovered.co.uk to see what I mean.

Hope you like it as much as we did.

Meant to ask, which Tour Operator are you travelling with? I rang Thomson's who we are travelling with and they say they have no info about any building work.

Thanks Gill10

Its Thomson we are going with! After getting the letter my partner checked with them via the travel agent and they confirmed it is going on. Sounds like left hand and right hand don't know what other is doing.

Booked this hotel from good reviews on this and other sites. Pleased to read your comments that seaview room will not be affected, thats what we have booked. Do you think the pool area will be?

We come back 27th May so I will give you a firsthand report

Hi, Pool view/sea veiw rooms (same thing) will be fine. (Now wish we had, too late - none left). Definately get the air con, because the sun will be on the balcony all afternoon, and room will get really hot for the evening preparations!

If you like boat trips go to http://www.steftrav@otenet.gr which is San Stepanos Travel in the village and you can look at the trips available. The 'harbour' is actually a 15 min walk from The Athina, and really more of a jetty where boats land, than a traditional harbour. This is our 3rd time to San Steph and on our first visit we missed the harbour totally!.

Car hire is a must if you really want to see the island, but a scooter from the chap at the end of the drive is fine to pop over to Ag Georgias (west) and Arillas or even Sidari if you have the urge, (personally, not recommended unless you need a chemist - it is the nearest). That is about as far as we would go on scooter, but if you are young and keen, then I am sure you would be fine travelling further!! Best of all, is Sunset Beach, leave San Steph going left out of hotel, and follow road through Avliotes, (nice bar/restaurant on right as you head through - always looks empty so we always feel we should stop! with nice views over countryside) to Peroulades, where you will see 'sudden' signs for SunSet Beach. Bar/Restaurant at cliff top is OK but comes into it's own at sunset, (as good as hotel - but out in the open with a drink!)). Below is a nice unspolit beach if you can face the steep walk down. No sunbeds for hire (well not in 2004) and there is nothing when you get down there so take lunch etc with you, but it makes a nice change from the hotel pool and pool bar or beach.

Will stop now for fear of becoming a 'Corfu anorak' -- enjoy!! and look forward to a report when you return.

Gill 10

It sounds really good. Thanks for the info about places to go. Will be in touch when we get back.

Anyone who knows San Stefanos and ate at Jazzmines Restaurant last year might like to know that Dimitri and his chef, Nicky, have moved back up the hill behind San Stefanos Travel to Elpidas Bistro. We stay at Nondas (INVALID URL where the bistro is located so we are delighted - arguably the best food in San Stef on our doorstep and not too far to stagger after one too many Metaxas!

Had a brilliant holiday here - Gill 10 can see why you've come back 3 times.

Hotel really good, huge pool and loads of sunbeds, friendly staff and great atmosphere. Rooms well equipped with enclosed walk in shower cubicle - never seen that before in Greece! Beds a tad on the hard side though.

We liked the resort , the perfect balance, nice and quiet but with just enough restaurants and bars.Drinks about UK prices but food really cheap and excellent quality. Downside is the long transfer time over mountain roads - in the dark , we had 3 hour delay on flight out, pleased I wasn't driving! Corfu airport is the pits,far too small to deal with the volume. only two baggage carousels and 4 flights arriving at the same time. Had to queue for nearly an hour going home just to get in the terminalbuilding!

Building work near the hotel was not a problem. Hotel is set at the end of a track off the main street and there are actually 4 half finished buildings along the track. 2 of which looklong abandoned. The other 2 had the occasional chap doing a little bit on them whilst we were there but they are on to the cosmetic stuff now so no noise etc. even if you had a back facing room.

Gill 10 have a great holiday, wish I was going back with you!!

All in all I would thoroughly re

I will be pleased to hear how you get on in May, bunty. My wife, 2yr old son and I are due to make our first visit to Corfu staying here at the beginning of sept. We have booked the accomodation direct with Thomson but flights separately so don't expect to be told anything abouth any building work from Thomson.
Having read such good reports of the resort and hotel I hope we have not poicked the wrong year to go.

Bobo

Hello all.

Having been to San Stefanos 15 times (Going back for 16 at beginning of September) I can tell you that the idea of building work in San stefanos is not the same as you can expect here. They are all so laid back that it very rarely affects anyone, every year I have been and building work has been going on but never really affected us.

Hope you have a great holiday.

Ian

Hi everyone
I have read with some interest some comments about building work at the Athina Hotel. We are going there on 26 August this year and wonder if the problem is bad enough to cancel and book elsewhere. We have booked a seaview room - does anyone know if we will be affected in this part of the hotel? Also we like to use the swimming pool area a lot - is this area likely to be affected.
Would be very grateful to receive any updated news on this - the hotel seems to have a brilliant write-up.

Thanks in advance.

Hi there,
Hubby and I (age 34 & 27) have just returned from San Stefanos and stayed at the Athina Hotel. I am going to give you all the latest run down in no uncertain terms, so here goes . . . (and if anyone has any questions I am happy to answer them on my e-mail address at: **email removed** as I can't always get logged into this site for some reason).
There are two small buildings being built either side on the same driveway as the hotel, but the remaining work is plastering etc so there was not any noise whatsoever during our two week stay there, and this driveway is before you reach the hotel main entrance so it doesn't affect the large pool area at the back of the hotel at all.
The hotel is large, lovely and clean and the staff are extremely friendly and helpful - the food was lovely every day and the rooms are kept clean daily by the friendly cleaning ladies. Katerina and Olga are the two young reception girls and they will help with anything. There is also a gym downstairs underneath the hotel!
Having met a couple of families there who have children, I would advise on their behalf there is nothing for children to do in San Stefanos except use the pool at the hotel or use the go-karts at the top of the village. It is a nice quiet place for couples who want to be isolated in a very small village with nothing to do every day and night, but for those who want to see a little more and do a little more, then this really isn't the place for you. I advise you to get a bus (from the top of the village outside the last restaraunt/bar where there is a timetable shown) into Sidari town (15 mins) or pay 13 euro for a taxi. We did both and both services are very good and reliable. Also, Corfu town is a MUST! It is absolutley gorgeous there with so many shops and eating places and not what you'd expect, NOTHING like the village - it's all tall venetian buildings and cobbled little streets - so pretty it looks like a mixture of Paris, Italy and France - huge lovely harbour and the locals are so friendly. It takes an hour by local bus (which are all air conditioned) and it's cheaper at 3 euro pp than booking it with Thomson or the travel shop in the village for 11 euro pp as you only get a set time there and it's the same bus. The boat trips are worth booking at the travel shop at the top of the village too - they can take you to Kefalonia island, Kassiopi, Albania etc, and believe me, - if you are going for more than a week, you will definately need to book some trips out of the village!!! There are a handful of bars and restaurants and a couple of shops/supermarket, but you get bored of seeing the same thing every day so trips are recommended!
The beach is fantastic - soft sand and clear green sea. They charge 7.50 euro's for using the sunbeds and umbrella's per day! So go to the local shop and get your own for 5 euro's! There's also paracending, donut rings, banana boats etc, and a cafe van on the beach which sells a variety of lunches - but the lunch bar at the hotel poolside is much nicer - though the guy who runs it could so with smiling from time to time!!
Everyone's opinions differ, but everyone we spoke to said they couldn't understand why people go back year after year - I think it's a personal choice and depends on your age and requirements.
There was no live entertainment at the hotel - only bingo on a wednesday night at 10pm! Yani behind the bar is a great laugh - all he ever says is Yammas and Yassu!
All the other hotels had live traditional dancing and entertainment so we took a walk after dinner and watched theirs instead.
We also booked a sea view room and got a very Limited sea view room which had a nasty pong of sewage for the entire duration as it's too hot to shut your doors and the stench is from their sewage system outside the balcony- a few people complained about this though we didn't and it was quite strong - especially in the evenings. There's a lot of plantation around so that's why it's quite pongy too. We had a lovely holiday because of the beach and our visits to other towns but we wouldn't go again - we much prefer Crete (Platanias) where we went last year and are definately going there next year!! We'd rather highly recommend Crete for all ages and families with children too. Hope you all enjoy San Stefanos!! The weather there at the moment is scorching hot and sunblock is needed for lips and a high factor suncream as I am not fair skinned but I burnt my lips and eye even on factor 15! Enjoy!
Best Wishes, Maxine.

**Email address removed as per the terms and condiitons of the site - Kath HT Admin**

Hi Remy,

Maybe you were a little to young for a place liKE San Stefanos. My hubby and I are a few years older than you both and we absolutely adore the place - we can't get enough of it. Maybe in a good few years time you will appreciate the village more when you may want a totally relaxing holiday.
Jules

I'm with jules t, me and my husband have never felt tempted to go back to the same place a second time, let alone a 6th time which is what it will be this August. Our children are now 11 and 14 and so have been going since they were 5 and 8 and are more than happy to go back each year and spend their time on the beach or by the pool; we hire a car for a few days and go to Aqualand, into Corfu town and Kassiopi and everyone is more than happy. I guess everyone is different though - if everyone who visited San Stefanos felt the same it would either be impossible to book accommodation less than two years in advance by now or the place would have grown to the size of Sidari and be ruined!

Hi Remy

Thanks very much for your post on the Athina. It seems that there is not too much trouble from the building works but the sewage seems to be a problem. We have actually paid a supplement for a double room with a seaview and requested a top floor room overlooking the pool - do you think these rooms will be affected by the sewage smell or do you happen to know if we should request any specific room numbers to escape the smell. Your other comments are very interesting. We have stayed at San Stefanos before the Athina was built and like it quiet so that aspect will not be a problem. Would appreciate your comments in due course.

Many thanks
Malcolm