Hotel Elena Ermones

Family-run and deliberately away from Greece's busier resort areas, Hotel Elena Ermones suits you if your ideal evening involves a swim, something cold from the bar and very little organised entertainment. The setting is quiet, outdoorsy and close to the sea, with a garden, a pool and views that do the talking without requiring a themed slogan.

You are also well placed here if you are travelling as a couple or with older children. Family rooms and two-bedroom apartments make the layout more flexible than a standard double, while the hotel's English- and German-speaking team keeps everyday conversations straightforward. The atmosphere is simple rather than showy: a place to come back to, not another attraction to tick off.

You stay in Ermones, on Corfu, in a coastal area near the beach rather than in Corfu Town. Ermones Beach is about 0.03 miles away on foot, with golden sand, sun loungers and parasols. That is close enough for a pre-breakfast swim or a post-dive wander without turning the walk back into a second surface interval.

The hotel sits on the island's quieter western side, while Corfu Town is about 9 miles away. Corfu International Airport is roughly 4.3 miles away, making the arrival straightforward by road. For a change of beach, Antipsos is about 0.7 miles away and Mirtiotissa about 1.3 miles away; the latter is around 2.1 miles on foot.

You can also reach the Corfu Golf Club, with its 18-hole course, in about 0.6 miles. The Kaiser Observatory is about 2.5 miles away, so the area works for a day that mixes sea air with a little island history. The nearest bus station is about 8 miles away, which is worth bearing in mind if you plan to rely entirely on public transport.

Sea views are the obvious choice if you want the day's last look to be blue rather than blocked by another building. The sea-view doubles and twins are aimed at couples, while a triple room gives three people separate sleeping arrangements. The family room uses a double bed and bunk beds, making it more useful for a family than trying to squeeze everyone around one large bed.

For longer stays or two couples travelling together, the two-bedroom apartments are the practical step up. They have separate bedrooms and two bathrooms, which matters in the morning when everyone is trying to get out of the door at roughly the same time. The ground-floor apartment is particularly easy if stairs are not your favourite part of the holiday; a lift is also available in the hotel.

Rooms have private bathrooms, air conditioning and heating, with towels, linen, slippers and a hairdryer included. Sea-view rooms come with balconies, while a mountain-view double gives you a different outlook. Refrigerators are available, useful for keeping water cold when you return hot, salty and hungry. Daily housekeeping, free WiFi throughout the hotel and non-smoking rooms keep the practical side pleasantly uncomplicated.

The Main Restaurant covers breakfast, lunch and dinner, with an international buffet rather than a menu built around one particular island tradition. Breakfast is also served buffet-style, so you can keep the morning efficient when the day starts early. The hotel's half-board formula gives you a clear structure for the stay, while lunch remains available at the restaurant when you are staying in for the day.

There is one bar: the Pool Bar. It serves cocktails and snacks beside the outdoor swimming pool, which is exactly where you want a drink when the alternative is putting proper clothes on and going anywhere. The garden bar mentioned in the hotel's description gives the grounds another place to sit, but the named bar is the Pool Bar.

The restaurant is indoors, and the pool area supplies the more relaxed setting for a drink between swims. With other restaurants and bars several miles away, having the hotel's own table and bar is useful on evenings when your legs have had enough adventure.

The outdoor swimming pool is surrounded by sun loungers and umbrellas, with pool and beach towels available. It is a sensible landing zone for a non-diving afternoon: float, dry off, read a few pages and let the day's exertion stop being your problem. The garden and sun terrace add quieter places to sit, while a shared lounge with television is there when you want company without a full evening out.

The coast supplies the more active options. Snorkelling, kayaking, paddleboarding and boat excursions are available, and equipment rental makes those activities possible without bringing an entire second holiday in your luggage. Horse riding, hiking and fishing are also offered, while bicycle rental is available for an additional charge.

You can use the tour desk for excursions, car hire and cultural outings around the island. The hotel also has a children's playground and a children's menu, so families have something to do between beach time and dinner. For a more competitive afternoon, tennis equipment is available. There is no need to turn every day into a programme, though; the pool, garden and nearby beach cover the quieter version rather well.

Corfu International Airport is about 4.3 miles from the hotel. An airport shuttle is available for a charge and can be arranged with the hotel; car hire is also available. If you drive, free private parking is provided on site and does not require a reservation. The hotel also offers luggage storage, a wake-up service, concierge assistance and a tour desk.

The booking check-in window runs from 15:00 to 23:00, with the latest arrival time at 23:00. Check-out is from 08:00 to 11:00. Keep that closing time in mind if your flight is late, because this is not an arrival-at-any-hour sort of place.

Children older than 10 are welcome, and cots and extra beds are not available, so choose the room or apartment around the beds already provided. Pets are not allowed. Payment is by cashless methods, with Visa and Mastercard accepted. Free WiFi covers the hotel, and the property also provides laundry and dry-cleaning services, a reception safe and luggage storage.