You’re in luxe: Discover Corfu’s luxury villa scene

The great swathes of trees are so vast, it’s as if the  island has been covered in a thick emerald blanket. 

The greenery gives way to a small pocket of ocean  dotted with impressive yachts and small sailboats, the mountains of Albania towering in the distance. 

This is the northeast coast of Corfu, an enchanting  corner of the island where the towns most favoured by affluent visitors can be found nestled along the  coastline. Kassiopi and St Stephano are two particular  favourites, home to pristine ports, charming tavernas  and hundreds of luxury villas, owned primarily by  private accommodation specialist CV Villas.

Since the company was founded on the island more  than 50 years ago, CV Villas has grown its portfolio of fivestar properties and mastered the art of luxury hospitality,  which we get a taste of during an afternoon on the water.

Sojourn at sea

A flotilla of five rib boats bob gently on the waves, waiting  to whizz us from port to port as we glimpse luxurious villas burrowed in the hillsides and watch the turquoise water glisten beneath us. Halfway through the boat ride, we stop for a chilled glass of rosé at picturesque dining spot Oliva in Nisaki, a favourite among CV clients.

In the late afternoon, we leave the boats behind to climb into taxis that take us deep into the hills above the bay of St Stephano. We’re deposited at Electra, one of the flagship properties in CV’s Above range – its portfolio of high-end villas that come with additional services – where the set-up for the most epic of parties awaits.

On an elevated patio to the left of the pool, a DJ has transformed the deck into a dance floor that looks out across the hills, while the main seating space has become a buffet area, with bite-sized caprese salads, slow-cooked meats and sumptuous desserts on offer, accompanied by hand-picked wines and signature cocktails. As evening turns to night, an infectious sense of happiness fills the air, the type of tangible joy brought about by good music, food and company.