Anna Studios | Apartment in Marathias, Ionian Islands

Positive: The airport transfer by Spiros is very good and he could also be depended on for transport to Corfu City and to the ferry at Lefkimmi. The staff was friendly and helpful enough, very welcoming on the first night, serving us dinner and drinks without cost. The half-board was included. The drinks are not which is totally acceptable. On another occassion when we had to wait one evening for information, they also provided the after dinner drinks we had ordered free for waiting. That was a nice gesture. The location is a 20-25 minutes from the village, but one minute from the beach. The apartment we got was not what was pictured in Booking, but it was comfortable, especially the bed, and spacious enough. My partner enjoyed the balcony with a table and two chairs. The drying rack for clothes is also a positive. We bought a citronella candle from the local store, operating everyday from 6pm to 10pm. The candle, lit on the balcony, helped to keep the few mosquitoes away. The electric socket mosquito tab which is provided doesn't help that much, but the air conditioner does, although the nights were cool and the air conditoner wasn't really necessary. The only downside was the small shower. An alternative should be found for the shower curtain. The water pressure of the toilet was solved with waiting for the tank to refill and flushing a second time. No big deal. Castro Maduvala Restaurant Bar at the beach was a positive for us because the food/drinks (wine) are good there. We enjoyed the seafood there and the pleasantness of the staff. They also had less sun recliners and umbrellas than the other bar/restaurants around. The others appeared too congested and less private space.

Negative: Breakfast was monotonous. There was always white bread, tomatoes, salami, cheese, butter, honey, jam and eggs by choice as well as morning drinks. It would be better if they made a breakfast buffet adding yogurt, cornflakes, muesli, cucumber, ham and fruit. Then, the guests would have a variety and choice of what they eat. Unfortunately, I booked half-board. The food was not bad because it was Greek traditional food - souvlaki, moussaka, gyros... We really enjoyed the night we had fish. Our problem was with the service. For half-board everything should be prepared and come quickly because the kitchen knows how many guests have half-board. That wasn't the case. We also observed that when we came to dinner, there were guests who came after us, but were served before us. For the moussaka, we waited almost 30 minutes before it was served. On the gyros night, my gyros came lukewarm to the table and my partner waited 15 more minutes before he got his. I don't know if it was because we were the only interracial couple or not, but something was not quite right there. My partner, whose temperament is mild-mannered, even noticed this. He even tipped them every evening for the drinks. I wouldn't have done that. We had the same experience with the brother-sister Greek dancers on Saturday evening. I was not really interested in the dancing because I have seen it before. I thought it would be interesting for my partner to see. The dancing pair went to every table but ours to pose for a photograph. I don't take pictures, but I think my partner would have taken a nice vacation photo with them. Then, there was a point when they asked first the ladies and then the men to come to the dance floor, the sister looked at me as if distantly asking me to participate. I ignored her just as they had ignored us.

Positive: The family were very welcoming and even though we were late arriving due to flight delay a hot meal was available to us. Beach on the doorstep with nice beach restaurant sunbeds comfortable. Our 2 bed apartment was spacious bed was comfortable. Cleaned daily Food was good

Negative: Shower had no attachments to wall so had to hold shower head while showering Apart from fridge and kettle a cup and a glass nothing else in the room Meals were ok however no vegetables available apart from salad with meals

Positive: We stayed at Anna’s studios and apartments for 9 nights in Villa E and whilst the weather and critters did their best to get in the way, we were looked after and felt like we were welcomed into their family. All the guys working there are very kind and generous. We don’t typically do half-board but honestly we are so glad we did as their food is incredibly delicious, and all their vegetables are from their own garden. There were plenty of options each day and night for food, we loved it every single day. My wife is coeliac (cannot eat gluten) and they accommodated that nicely with different options and amendments to dishes. They also host a Greek dancing night on Saturdays which is a lot of fun and gets you out of your shell, so would definitely recommend attending. The location is fantastic as it is in a small village, and only a 2 minute walk to the beach via a number of beach bars - so you can take your pick! We also made use of their taxi service to/from the airport which was reasonably priced and a comfortable 50 minute drive. Lastly as an LGBT+ couple we felt safe staying here and cared for. Overall a really lovely experience and definitely on the horizon for another visit ☺️

Negative: Nothing to fault the accommodation but just be mindful of the critters (wasps, mosquitos, centipedes). Come prepared with repellant! Also because it is a village there isn’t a huge variety of supermarket options (and opening hours of markets) - renting a car may help with that however.

Positive: We had an amazing time. The property is really close to the sandy beach. The bed was comfortable. The Greek food we've been served was super tasty. Kosta and Anna are great hosts. Everything was great.

Negative: The shower curtain.

Positive: We spent 12 days at Anna Studios, and I can only recommend the place. The family-run accommodation was ideal for us. I travelled with my nearly adult children and we had plenty of space and privacy. The large, shaded terrace was a true oasis where we spent a lot of time. In front of it there is plenty of greenery and you can see the sea. The beautiful sandy beach is less than a minute’s walk away. A pleasant surprise was the included housekeeping — comfort like in a hotel. A parking space was available in front of the accommodation, which was great since we had a rental car. We had half-board at the taverna Vrachos (by Dimitris), run by the same family as the studios — the food was excellent, all homemade and from their own garden. Anna, Kostas and their sons made us feel like part of the family. Thank you for a wonderful holiday!

Positive: Although it was a very short escape (only 5 days) we enjoyed every minute of it. A beautiful quite place just perfect for an escape. The accomodation was lovely, clean and we had everything what we needed. The beach is just a 5 min walk which is a big plus, not too crowded perfect for families and little kids since the water is not deep, gently shelving and very clear. We had our breakfast and dinner at the Vrachos Taverna by Dimitris, the food was very tasty, the atmosphere is welcoming and the family is very friendly and helpful. We felt really comfortable, relaxed and spoiled. Thank you very much for everything, we hope to come back next year. :)

Positive: The studio and its location are a perfect choice for everyone looking for an authentic and peaceful experience in Corfu. Kostas and his family are incredibly friendly and helpful people. They helped us with all our questions and concerns. In addition, the food was delicious and freshly prepared each day!

Positive: Everything is OK. Very friendly host. 50 meters from the beach - really. We had a dinner included, that was just fine. No TV set in the studio - thanks for that, 'cause switching TV channels is going to be the last thing you might want to enjoy when came over there. "Mavroudis Olive oil" is just 15 minutes driving and very recommended to visit.

Negative: Mosquitoes, but it's in no way a host's fault.

Positive: It’s a very nice place with very good owner who helped with any of our needs. Breakfast and dinner are very good too.

Positive: Close to the beach, quiet place with not many people, everyday another greek meal (which is very tasty and big portion), amazing householder