It’s no shock to say that we’re large followers of Greece – in 12 years, my daughter has managed to go to 10 completely different areas throughout the nation, together with our newest keep at Cora Lodge and Spa in Halkidiki.
evaluation keep/incorporates affiliate hyperlinks*
However whereas we’ve ticked off various Greek islands throughout our travels, it’s solely this 12 months that we’ve correctly explored the mainland collectively, having fun with a metropolis break in Athens, in addition to a brief keep in Thessaloniki, the closest worldwide airport for Halkidiki.
And simply an hour or so from town and its airport, our go to to Kassandra, the primary prong of Halkidiki’s ‘trident’, was one of many best – and most indulgent – methods to discover, as our evaluation of Cora Lodge and Spa close to Afytos exhibits.
Cora Lodge and Spa: Very important Statistics
Set only a few minutes from the gorgeous village of Afytos, on the northern tip of Kassandra in Halkidiki, Cora Lodge and Spa manages the trick of getting loads of amenities on website with out the resort feeling too unfold out (or too crowded).
With a complete of 182 rooms and suites, we stayed in a Junior Suite with sea view and personal pool within the centre of the resort, a stone’s throw from the resort’s different swimming pools – the most important principal pool, not removed from the reception and principal restaurant, and the infinity pool close to the smaller Apiro restaurant.
An extra on-site Italian restaurant Delizia is deliberate to open earlier than too lengthy, whereas a meals truck can be on the playing cards for the non-public seaside,
Plus there’s the spa (which may do some therapies for youthful youngsters), a small fitness center with day by day stretch and Pilates lessons, in addition to extra energetic choices.
Whereas the resort did beforehand cater to all ages, it’s now for friends 12+ solely – in actuality, it’s someplace which is more likely to enchantment extra to households with older youngsters in any case, though youngsters are by no means lower than welcome.
For extra tips about household holidays in Greece, take a look at my information to Greece with youngsters
Assessment: Cora Lodge and Spa
As we embrace the tween years, it’s attention-grabbing to see what appeals to my daughter aged 11/12, versus what she wished just a few years in the past.
Swimming pools are nonetheless a should, setting herself the problem of swimming in every of them throughout our three-and-a-half-day keep (in addition to the ocean, which was classed as an honorary pool). A plentiful provide of ice cream continues to be one other important.
However she’s additionally now sufficiently old to benefit from the concept of a spa therapy (additionally enabling her to take a dip within the spa’s leisure room pool), in addition to to pose at sundown by the infinity pool, strive a mocktail by the ocean, and uncover among the Peruvian-Japanese fusion dishes within the a la carte restaurant.
And impressively, Cora Lodge managed to tick all her bins (to not point out mine).
The room
The primary thumbs up got here after we stepped into our room. Inside was extra spacious than some flats I’ve lived in, with a separate dwelling space, big comfy mattress with squashy pillows, and semi-open bogs (although the bathe and bathrooms have been fortunately tucked behind doorways).
Storage had loads of hangers, plus hairdryer, protected and iron tucked away, in addition to a espresso machine (Illy, with some capsules supplied, as I realised those I’d introduced myself wouldn’t match). There’s additionally a small minibar, with two small bottles of water supplied free (and limitless provide when you keep on an all-inclusive foundation).
The room additionally had its personal small patio with chairs, a lounger mattress and its personal pool. With shade on our terrace within the morning, we bought into a really relaxed routine of breakfast, adopted by some lounging till it bought too sizzling (temperatures have been within the low 30s, sometimes larger), earlier than a swim.
Then on to lunch by the pool or at one of many eating places, earlier than extra swimming and dinner – plus one exercise every day at the very least to combine issues up.
The seaside
Sooner or later, that meant heading all the way down to the seaside. A walkway takes you over the street operating previous the resort, with a elevate main all the way down to seaside degree (there are half a dozen flights of stairs you probably have power to burn).
The seaside itself is non-public, though there’s a piece additional alongside which is utilized by the children’ sports activities camp simply up the street – with dozens of them crammed and splashing right into a small roped off space, I’ve bought to confess I felt faintly smug at having my decide of the loungers in addition to the ridiculously clear water of the Aegean to ourselves.
One phrase of warning: it’s effectively price taking water sneakers or flip flops to get all the way down to the water’s edge. Some elements have cabinets of slippery rock, and elsewhere there are some sharp stones to bypass, so your ft will thanks. Having forgotten to convey mine, I did remorse that, though nothing was stopping us moving into to the ocean.
It’s so translucent, you possibly can see the fish simply by peering in, and essentially the most scrumptious temperature for a swim – throughout our keep, it was additionally barely quieter than the swimming pools, though we by no means actually had any bother discovering a lounger across the resort at any level.
The spa & fitness center
One other day, we fitted in a spa therapy – a candle therapeutic massage for me, utilizing jasmine-scented sizzling oil and being massaged nearly head to toe. My tween, however, had a mild physique scrub adopted by chocolate physique butter (which smelled divine), all excellent for youthful pores and skin, earlier than kicking again within the leisure room.
I even made it into the fitness center subsequent door briefly, for one of many 45-minute morning stretch classes. Billed as happening outside with a view of the ocean, mine was very firmly indoors with a view of the cardio gear, however on condition that there was air conditioning, I wasn’t complaining about being cool and never having a lot of an viewers!
A fitness center session will not be often excessive on my listing for an indulgent vacation, however I got here away feeling by some means each relaxed and energised (and considering I actually wanted to begin doing yoga extra recurrently once more). There are additionally Pilates classes and different extra energetic choices if you’d like them.
The eating places
Given the potential for indulgence, it wasn’t a nasty factor to have loads of swimming and a stretch session to stability the scrumptious meals on supply.
Breakfast is a buffet, at Ertha restaurant subsequent to the principle pool, with an enormous array of breads, pastries, truffles, sizzling dishes, eggs, chilly meat and cheese, jams, Greek honey straight from the comb, fruit, yoghurt, cereal and possibly just a few issues I’ve forgotten.
Nevertheless choosy your youngsters, there may be simply one thing to tempt right here.
Lunch was a alternative of a la carte at Apiro, with fashionable Greek meals on the menu at lunchtime, together with some nice dips and salads, plus loads of fish, or the snack menu accessible at some few tables and loungers by each the swimming pools.
Snack isn’t fairly the precise description although – there are sizzling canine, burger and pizza in addition to a complete string of different selections together with sandwiches, so that you undoubtedly gained’t go hungry.
You would additionally tweak issues – to take away cheese, for instance, in my daughter’s case – and there are some vegetarian/vegan dishes on supply though they’re restricted.
Dinner was a alternative of Peruvian-Japanese meals at Apiro, together with some fabulous fish, however the menu is greatest for extra adventurous older youngsters or mini gourmets.
In any other case the night buffet at Ertha was extra family-friendly, with loads of altering choices every day, together with Greek specialities, and a large collection of starters, sides, cheese, fruit and dessert (together with ice cream).
Sadly our keep was somewhat too early to take a look at the deliberate Italian restaurant Delizia, though that’s because of open earlier than too lengthy and sounds prefer it ought to be one other family-friendly various.
You’d must journey into Afytos for meals when you don’t eat on website, as there’s nothing else in strolling distance – it’s round a five-minute taxi trip, so doable though it relies upon whether or not you wish to make the journey recurrently. In any other case, I’d counsel wanting on the all-inclusive fee because the extras (not least water!) can mount up shortly.
What else is there to do?
I’m usually the primary in line to get out and discover – and clearly we did do some – however between the seaside and the swimming pools, the Greek sunshine and an opportunity to indulge and calm down, it’s not exhausting to spend days recharging your batteries.
Afytos
In case you do wish to enterprise additional, Afytos itself is simply round 5 minutes away by taxi (which the resort can organise) – it’s a fairly white-washed assortment of streets with tempting memento retailers, cafes and bars with nice views out over the ocean and a few tavernas to eat.
In case you’re visiting in summer season, as we have been, it’s price timing your go to for the morning or late afternoon, so it’s not too sizzling to walk round, though there’s nonetheless a very good excuse to cease for a drink and soak within the sights.
Boat journey
Take a boat journey from Paliouri – that is additionally one thing the resort may help organize, however depart loads of time to journey down the single-lane street to the port close to the southern tip.
On paper, it’s round half-hour, however at weekends when everybody heads to the seaside from Thessaloniki and through peak season, it could possibly take twice that. It’s price making certain your taxi is prebooked too, because the restricted quantity are in excessive demand when you’re planning an extended journey.
But it surely’s definitely worth the occasional visitors jam to move out throughout the water from the primary peninsula to the second, stopping at little coves to snorkel, swim and paddleboard. The waves are calm sufficient that it’s straightforward for youthful youngsters or paddleboard novices, and straightforward to identify the fish swimming across the rocks.
Some snorkel gear is supplied, but it surely’s greatest to take your individual when you can, in addition to snacks/lunch – the journey ran from round 12-5pm, and there was water (and a few espresso/juice) included however no meals.
There are different boat excursions from completely different areas in Kassandra too, corresponding to this non-public sail expertise in addition to this half-day crusing journey, which incorporates snacks, plus a sundown yacht journey.
Thessaloniki & historic websites
For individuals who need some historical past of their journey, you’re round an hour from Thessaloniki, so it’s straightforward to take a look at the museums (in addition to the opposite household points of interest) right here.
Or when you’re completely satisfied to journey additional, you’ll find the outdated palace of the kings of Macedonia at Vergina, in addition to the birthplace of Greek thinker Aristotle in Stagira – you possibly can nonetheless uncover the ruins of the traditional metropolis, in addition to Aristotle’s Park, a novel ‘theme park’ with big scientific units and sculptures close by.
What would I alter?
Truthfully… not lots! If we’d stayed longer, I ponder if I may need wished extra selection within the meals – though the buffet did change each night time, and the brand new Italian restaurant may even give extra alternative.
If we’d stayed longer, I believe we’d have carried out extra days out which might have combined that up anyway, and as all the pieces was scrumptious, my largest drawback was not having sufficient abdomen area!
I used to be additionally somewhat stunned that our room was solely cleaned as soon as throughout our keep. It was glowing clear after we checked in, and cleaned half-way via, so it wasn’t an issue for us – and I’d favor to not make additional laundry by having pointless adjustments of towels and sheets anyway.
It was straightforward to get clear pool towels from the pool itself, and swap our moist ones at any time when we wanted to (you can even get separate seaside towels down on the seaside), and once I ran out of espresso capsules, replacements have been shortly despatched down. Not an enormous concern, simply sudden.
Cora Lodge evaluation: my verdict
Halkidiki famously has just a few large family-friendly resorts, however I cherished the extra intimate expertise of Cora Lodge and Spa than a sprawling resort complicated – nonetheless with greater than sufficient to maintain us entertained, child-friendly however with extra of a grown-up vibe that my daughter (and I!) cherished.
Having our personal non-public pool was an actual spotlight: whilst you gained’t be in need of locations to swim, it was a beautiful bonus so I’d undoubtedly advocate selecting a type of rooms when you can.
Ticking the bins for practicality, fashion, indulgence and sheer leisure, it’s simply what you want for a household vacation in Halkdiki with tweens and teenagers.
Test the newest charges for Cora Lodge on Reserving.com – or for extra tips about household holidays in Greece, take a look at my information to Greece with youngsters
Disclosure: My keep at Cora Lodge & Spa was free for the needs of evaluation. All opinions on this Cora resort evaluation are my very own (and my daughter’s) This submit incorporates affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I could obtain a small fee
Afytos picture courtesy Depositphotos, all different pictures copyright MummyTravels