Ippocrates Hotel Apartments & Restaurant

Ippocrates Hotel Apartments & Restaurant is built around a simple idea: give you more room than a standard hotel room, keep the beach close, and put food on the same address. The atmosphere is informal and practical, with a garden, terrace and balconies providing places to sit once the day has become mostly sun, sea and wet towels.

The apartment format suits divers who prefer a little control over their evenings. You can eat at the restaurant, make coffee in your own kitchenette, or put something cold in the fridge and call it a night. Families are welcome, and the larger apartments give groups more space to spread out without turning the room into a gear-strewn obstacle course.

Air conditioning, free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel and soundproofing cover the useful basics. Pets are also allowed on request, with no extra charge.

You are in Acharavi, on Corfu, Greece, with Acharavi Beach about 0.03 miles away on foot. The hotel has a beachfront setting, and the beach offers golden sand, sun loungers and parasols. In other words, your first decision of the morning can be made in sandals rather than through a transport timetable.

The surrounding area gives you a few alternatives when you fancy changing the view. Roda Beach is about 1.1 miles away, while Almiros Beach is roughly 1.8 miles away. The Roman Baths of Acharavi are about 0.5 miles from the hotel, and the Temple of Apollo is around 1.1 miles away.

For an evening out, Istros Cafe is about 0.4 miles away and Fabric Bar about 0.5 miles away. Harry's Bar & Apartments is roughly 0.7 miles away. You can also reach Nikos Family Restaurant in about 1.4 miles on foot, although the route is not the sort of distance that demands a medal after a full day in the water.

The useful distinction here is not a long list of room names but how much evening space you want. The studio with balcony is the straightforward choice for two people, with twin single beds and a compact layout. For a couple who wants room to sit, make coffee and keep the day’s essentials in order, an apartment with balcony is the more comfortable step up.

The two-bedroom apartment is the one to look at when three, four or five guests need to share without everyone living on top of everyone else. It has two bedrooms and a balcony, making it the sensible family or small-group option. There is one bathroom, so a little morning diplomacy may be required; diving holidays have survived worse conditions.

Every apartment has air conditioning, a kitchenette with a stovetop, refrigerator, coffee machine, electric kettle and kitchenware, plus a dining table and seating area. That fridge matters when you return hot and thirsty. The balcony gives you somewhere to sit with coffee or a drink, while views may be towards the garden, pool or mountains depending on the accommodation.

A private bathroom includes a shower, towels, toiletries and a hairdryer. Mosquito nets, heating, wardrobes and non-smoking rooms cover the less glamorous but genuinely useful details. Flat-screen television, satellite channels and a streaming service are there for the evening when your legs have voted against any further activity.

Ippocrates Restaurant works in Mediterranean territory and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner on the terrace. Breakfast is a buffet, which is convenient when you want to assemble a proper plate before heading out rather than negotiate with a single carefully arranged croissant.

The restaurant offers Greek and Mediterranean dishes, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices. Cocktails are available as well, so the move from table to evening drink does not require finding another address. The setting can be modern or romantic, depending on how much energy you have left and whether your companion is still speaking to you after the fourth discussion about who lost the camera cover.

The property has two restaurants listed, together with a bar and a pool bar. Kids’ meals are available. With outdoor dining, a terrace and poolside drinks, you have several ways to handle the post-dive appetite without turning the evening into a logistical exercise.

The seasonal outdoor swimming pool is the obvious place to cool down when the sea has been the day’s main workplace. A pool bar keeps the practical business of obtaining a drink agreeably short, and the garden, patio and terrace give you alternatives when you have had enough of both chlorinated water and sand.

The beach is close enough for a second swim, a walk or a long stretch on a lounger. Sun loungers and parasols are available on the beach, while balconies and outdoor furniture offer a more private place to sit. No elaborate programme is required: a book, a drink and the ability to remain horizontal will do most of the work.

For couples, the arrangement is particularly easy to use. One of you can take the pool, the other the beach, and both can regroup at the restaurant. For families, the apartment layouts, family rooms and children of all ages being welcome make the property easier to share than a single compact room. Car hire is available if you want to explore further along the coast, and free Wi-Fi lets you deal with the outside world only when absolutely necessary.

Corfu International Airport is about 20 miles away by road. An airport shuttle is available and can be arranged with the hotel. Car hire is also available, and free public parking can be found nearby without reservation. That gives you two workable arrival options: organise the transfer and leave the driving to somebody else, or collect a car and use the hotel as a base for the north of the island.

Check-in runs from 14:00 to 23:00, with check-out from 00:00 to 10:00. You need to show photo identification and a credit card at check-in, and the hotel needs to know your expected arrival time. A late arrival is therefore something to organise rather than discover at the airport.

The upper floors are accessible by stairs only. That is worth bearing in mind when choosing an apartment, particularly if you are travelling with heavy luggage or prefer to avoid stairs after several days of diving. The hotel also provides free Wi-Fi, a safety deposit box and valet parking. Parties and events are not permitted, while children of all ages are welcome; children aged three and above are charged as adults, and cots depend on the accommodation selected.