MAKING A SPLASH AT MARBELLA CORFU

From airport chaos to public tantrums and food aversion to sunburn, holidaying as a solo parent can be more effort than it’s worth. But in all my years travelling with a child (eight and counting), I’ve found a few things that can turn a holiday from a ‘why-didn’t-we-just-stay-at-home?’ experience to ‘when-can-we-go-back?’. These things, in no particular order, include a kids’ club, a splash park and children of a similar age. If you find all three, you’ve struck holiday gold.

Amazingly we found them all at MarBella Corfu, a five-star, stylish, award-winning, family-friendly resort that, despite its size – think 388 rooms and suites, five restaurants, four bars, three pools, a kids’ club, tennis courts, a spa, a private beach and a shop – feels more like a Greek village than a sprawling hotel.

Despite arriving in the twilight hours, one look at the stripy slides from our huge balcony had my daughter rummaging through her suitcase to find a cossie, flinging everything out with excited abandon despite it being closed. Luckily a splash about in the huge tub, a tasty burger delivered to our room (my Greek salad was super fresh and tangy) and a good night’s sleep in the over-sized bed – lulled to sleep by the sound of waves splashing against the shore – managed to avert tantrum #1.

I barely had time to shove breakfast down me each morning – a delicious hot buffet with ‘wake-me-up’ coffee and fresh, fresh juice served at the main restaurant (pictured below) – when cries to head to the splash park would begin. But a happy child is a happy parent; three hours on a lounger with a good book is holiday Narnia after all.  

The beauty of this particular pool is that it’s small enough to be able to see your child at all times, shallow enough to ensure they don’t drown if you take your eyes off them for two minutes and filled with so many children they’re bound to make friends.

There’s an American diner on the other side of the pool (pictured below) for ice-creams, beers and chips, and a lifeguard at the top of the large green slide to make sure nobody comes to any harm.

Cleverly, the kids’ club is positioned right behind the pool making it easy to convince kids to head there with their newly-made friends, skipping off hand-in-hand for three hours of fun while you escape for some ‘me’ time.

I was so happy swimming refreshing lengths in the adult-only infinity pool (pictured below) before collapsing on a lounger with a beer that it was several days before I managed to find the beach.

And what a beach… During the final hour of Lily-Jane’s kids’ club time (and for the rest of our time at MarBella Corfu) you would find me sitting on one of the grey deck chairs beside the water, moving only top up my cold drink and grab a bowl of spicy nuts from the Dolphin Beach Bar.

The more active can try their hand Stand-Up Paddle boarding or grab a snorkel (sold at the hotel’s quaint boutique) and climb down the metal steps directly into the sea where colourful fish await.

The resort also organises trips to Corfu Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site ruled by the Byzantines, Venetians, Brits and French in its time - expect a melting pot of architectural wonders including the Church of St. Spyridon below.

Dining options at MarBella Corfu are vast with a buffet restaurant for a quick bite (a good option for fussy kids), as well as Italian, Greek and seafood restaurants (pictured in order below).

The most memorable evening was bumping into a girl Lily-Jane had befriended and dining with her parents. With the kids heading to the buffet for more spag bol, chips and, eventually, ice-cream, I was able to enjoy some much-needed adult conversation, a decent Greek white wine going down nicely as we chatted.

After dinner, we all migrated to the photo-worthy lobby to enjoy a cocktail, spilling out afterwards onto the terrace for a nightcap, with its open fires and large area for the kids to run around.   

As this was our final night, we swapped Facebook details and promised to keep in touch. Six months later, Lily-Jane still talks to her holiday friends, while she and I regularly talk about one of the best holidays we’ve enjoyed together as mother and daughter. Bravo, MarBella Corfu. Bravo.

One night in a superior sea view room on a half board basis starts at £182 per person based on two sharing.
www.marbella.gr/marbella-corfu