Sandy Beach Resort
Sandy Beach Resort is a large all-inclusive family resort set right behind a long, shallow Blue Flag beach at Agios Georgios Argyradon, on the quiet south-west coast of Corfu in the Greek Ionian islands. Families come for the flat, pushchair-friendly grounds, four pools including a waterslide for older children and one of the longest sandy beaches on the island, a few steps from the gardens.
On this page
Is it worth it?
Who the resort suits, who it doesn't and the facts to skim before the detail.
The beach and the flat, easy grounds are what set this resort apart. It sits right behind one of the longest sandy beaches in Corfu, shallow and gently shelving, and the whole site and the area around it are notably flat, which makes it one of the easier places on the island for a pushchair. It's a large all-inclusive, 684 rooms across low-rise blocks in green gardens, with four pools including a waterslide pool, the Blue Flag beach and a children's club for over-fours. Two things shape who it suits. There's no childcare at all for under-fours, who have to stay with an adult, and it's a remote south-west spot where you need a hire car for any day out. Its main market is German-speaking, so some of the animation and pool announcements run in German. Rooms are clean and comfortable but dated. It suits families with children of kids'-club age who want a proper beach and flat ground, and who are happy somewhere quiet.
Best for
You want a long, shallow sandy beach and flat, pushchair-friendly ground, children old enough for the 4-to-12 club and you're happy somewhere quiet with a hire car for days out.
Maybe not for
You have a baby or toddler who needs childcare, you want nightlife or plenty on the doorstep without a car or you're expecting five-star luxury rather than a comfortable large resort.
Best ages
Four and up, once the kids' club and the waterslides come into play. Under-fours have no club and stay with you throughout.
What stands out
The beach and the flat terrain, a rare pairing on Corfu, right in front of a big all-inclusive resort.
What to check
The €15 per room per night climate tax paid at the hotel, whether cots and the beach sunbeds are included and that you've booked the south-west resort, not the same-named one in the north.
Where is it?
At Agios Georgios Argyradon on the quiet south-west coast of Corfu, about 45 minutes to an hour from Corfu airport.
Quick facts for families
What the resort is like
Where it sits, how it's laid out over its flat gardens and what getting around is really like.
Sandy Beach Resort stands at Agios Georgios Argyradon, a quiet stretch of the south-west coast about 19 miles (30 km) from Corfu Town and the airport. It's worth getting the name right when you book. This is the southern Agios Georgios, sometimes written Agios Georgios South, and not the similarly named Agios Georgios Pagon up on the north-west coast. You may also see the resort under older names. It has traded as Aquis Sandy Beach and then Labranda Sandy Beach, and is now Sandy Beach Resort by Rizos Resorts, so reviews you turn up while researching may show any of those.
It's a big resort, 684 rooms spread across 16 low-rise buildings of two to three storeys in green, well-kept gardens. The whole site, and the area around it, is notably flat, which makes it one of the more pushchair- and wheelchair-friendly resorts on Corfu. It's a large site all the same, and the walk from one end to the beach or the restaurants can be a fair distance with a tired toddler or a pushchair. The beach is directly in front of the grounds with no road to cross and no steps down to the sand. Listings and guest reviews mention lifts in the two-to-three-storey buildings, though the resort's own site doesn't confirm them. Some guests mention a golf-buggy shuttle for getting around the longer distances, so ask at reception if the walk is a concern.
It's officially a five-star resort under its Greek licence, though some UK operators, Olympic among them, list it as four-star. Four-star is the fairer picture: a comfortable, well-run large resort rather than a luxury one. Evening entertainment runs in an open-air amphitheatre in the grounds, and listings show an ATM and currency exchange on site, though the resort's own site doesn't confirm these. The resort holds Travelife sustainability certification and runs an opt-in Green Room programme.
What's included, and what costs extra
How the all-inclusive works, what's paid on top and the tax that isn't in your booking.
The resort runs on all-inclusive, and it's the standard basis here. Food and drink are served from 10am to midnight. Included drinks are local beers, house wine, soft drinks, juices and local cocktails, plus tea and coffee. Branded and imported spirits and signature cocktails cost extra, which catches some guests out, so if a particular gin or whisky matters to you, expect to pay for it.
The two specialty à la carte restaurants, Il Gusto and Ammos, are included if you stay at least seven nights, with a reservation. For a shorter stay, check when you book whether you can still use them or pay a supplement. Ice cream and iced coffee at the Gelateria are paid for separately rather than being part of the all-inclusive.
A fair bit sits outside the all-inclusive price. Watersports on the beach are run by independent operators, not the hotel, so they're paid locally. The spa, its treatments and the sauna are extra, as are the pool billiards and arcade games, laundry, the doctor on call, the hairdresser and car hire.
The climate tax to budget for
One cost isn't in your booking at all. Greece charges a climate resilience tax of €15 per room per night at five-star hotels from April to October, paid directly at the hotel. It isn't part of the price you book and it's a common surprise, so factor it in when you compare the resort against others.
Every restaurant and bar
All-inclusive dining centres on one main buffet, with a handful of à la carte and snack options around the pools and the beach. High chairs are available in two of the restaurants, and there's a children's section at the buffet.
Elia is the main all-day restaurant, an international and Mediterranean buffet with live cooking stations and weekly themed nights. It serves breakfast from 7am to 10am, lunch 12:30 to 2:30 and dinner 6:30 to 9:30, with high chairs and a kids' buffet, and it's the easiest room for a family: broad choice, no booking and you walk in when a child is hungry. Reviews on the buffet are mixed, praised for variety by some and found inconsistent by others, with one guest likening it to a school canteen at peak season, so expect a busy, functional dining hall rather than a quiet meal. There's a dress code at dinner: no swimwear, athletic wear or ripped clothing.
Il Gusto is the Italian à la carte, serving pasta, wood-fired pizza and antipasti from 6:30 to 9:30, with a reservation. It's the restaurant guests rate most highly on site. Ammos is the Greek à la carte, beachside, with mezze dishes and Greek music. It serves breakfast from 8am to 10am, a lighter breakfast from 10 to 11, lunch and snacks from 1pm to 4pm and dinner from 6:30 to 9, with a reservation needed for dinner and a no-swimwear, no-athletic-wear dress code at dinner too. Some operator listings show a separate Greek grill under a different name, so there may be a small second Greek outlet, but the resort's own Greek restaurant is Ammos.
For casual daytime eating, Ammos' Snack Restaurant on the beach does hotdogs, chips, pizza and gyros, open roughly 1pm to 4pm, and the poolside Snack Corner at the main attraction pool serves Greek street food, pizza, pasta, pastries and salads from noon to 5. Outdoor venues can shift their hours with the weather and the season.
The bars are spread around the resort. Muses is the lobby bar, open through the day with alcohol served from 9am. Aqua and Navio are the two pool bars, and Kyma is the beach bar, open 10am to 1am, the latest closing on site and the spot for a drink by the sea in the evening. The Gelateria sells ice cream and iced coffee, paid for locally.
How restaurant booking works
The two specialty restaurants, Il Gusto and Ammos, need a reservation for dinner. There's no online booking, so reserve on arrival or by phone once you're there.
Rooms and suites
Every room type with its official size, the four pools and the long beach below.
There are eight room types, from a compact Classic room up to a two-bedroom Family Comfort room and the Junior Suites. Most look over the gardens, with a couple of side-sea-view versions at a supplement, so the choice comes down to how much separate space you need. The table below lists every category with its official size; the guidance after it is which suit a family with a baby or toddler, and why.
| Room | View | Size | Sleeps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Room Garden View | Garden | 25 m² | 3 |
| Classic Room Side Sea View | Side sea | 25 m² | 3 |
| Superior Room Garden View | Garden | 30 m² | 3 |
| Family Room Garden View | Garden | 52 m² | 4 |
| Superior Family Room Garden View | Garden | 52 m² | 4 |
| Family Comfort Room Garden View | Garden | 58 m² | 6 |
| Junior Suite Garden View | Garden | 60 m² | 4 |
| Junior Suite Side Sea View | Side sea | 60 m² | 4 |
For a family, the question is whether you want a door to close on a sleeping child. The Classic rooms, at 25 m², sleep three and are a single space, workable with a baby but cramped once a cot and a toddler share the floor; the Side Sea View version is the same room with a partial sea view rather than garden. The Superior Room at 30 m² gives a little more room for a travel cot in the same one-room layout.
Above those, the family rooms have separate sleeping space. The Family Room (52 m²) has a separate bedroom plus a living area with a sofa bed, sleeping four. The Superior Family Room is also 52 m² and sleeps four, but its layout is one bedroom with a double bed plus a separate room fitted with a double sofa bed, rather than two full bedrooms. For two children in their own proper bedroom, the Family Comfort Room (58 m², sleeps six) is the one to look at: two separate bedrooms and a separate lounge. The Junior Suites (60 m²) sleep four with a master bedroom, a separate sitting area and a sofa bed, in a garden-view or side-sea-view version.
Every room has satellite TV, air conditioning, a mini fridge refilled daily, a safe, a phone, a hairdryer, a furnished balcony or terrace, a shower or bath and tea and coffee facilities. Cots are available in any room category on request, so confirm one when you book. Adapted, wheelchair-accessible ground-floor rooms can be requested, subject to availability.
Rooms are clean and comfortable but dated rather than recently refurbished, and the most common gripe is noise: walls are thin, and sound carries from neighbouring rooms and nearby bars, with the air conditioning and fridge units themselves noisy in some rooms. If an early bedtime matters, it's worth asking for a quieter position away from the bars.
Pools and water features
The resort has four pools. Two are main outdoor swimming pools, open to everyone. A third is the waterpark pool, with four water slides; there's no set minimum age, but slides like these suit older children rather than toddlers, who are better off in the fourth pool, a dedicated children's pool for young ones. There's no separate splash pad, and no indoor or heated pool.
Sunbeds and umbrellas at the pools are included, as are pool towels. Beach sunbeds are less clear-cut: reports conflict on whether they're free or carry a small charge, so confirm the beach arrangement with your operator or the resort. The pools are open roughly 10am to 6pm in season. As at many big resorts, loungers get reserved with towels early in the morning despite the resort's policy against it, and they can be in short supply at the busiest times, so you may need to be out early for a spot near the water.
The beach
The beach is the resort's strongest asset. It's a wide stretch of sand that shelves in gently and stays shallow a long way out, which is about as good as it gets for toddlers paddling at the edge. It's part of the bay of Agios Georgios Argyradon, around 10 km long and one of the longest sandy beaches on Corfu, so there's space even in high season. The water is clear and calm here: this south-west coast sits outside the Meltemi wind that stirs up the eastern Aegean, so the sea is warmer and gentler. The beach holds a Blue Flag for its cleanliness and water quality.
The resort is right on the beach. You reach the sand directly from the grounds, with no road to cross and no steps down. Watersports, including jet skiing, paragliding, windsurfing, kayaking and paddleboarding, are run by independent operators on the beach rather than the hotel, so they're paid for separately.
Babies and toddlers
The club and its age floor, the baby kit and everything else that fills a family day here and beyond the gate.
The most important thing to know before booking with a baby or toddler is that there's no childcare here for under-fours. The official line is that children under four should be accompanied by an adult, and there's no crèche or infant programme, so a child aged nought to three can't join the club and stays with you throughout.
From age four, the MEEPO Miniclub runs six days a week for four to twelve year olds, with a playground, games, a mini disco, kids' cinema, a mini show, tournaments, a mini masterchef session, a treasure hunt, beach volleyball and clean-oceans sessions. The club's hours and any charge aren't listed, so ask when you book.
For the practical baby kit, high chairs are in two of the restaurants, with a children's section at the buffet, which makes feeding a baby or toddler manageable. Some booking sources list babysitting, so ask the resort what's available. The buffet format means there are usually soft foods a baby can eat, though there's no specific baby-food or weaning service. The animation and kids' club run mainly in German, though recent seasons have had at least one English-speaking leader engaging non-German children.
On siteThings to do
Plenty is included on site. For sport there are two tennis courts, free during daylight hours near the entrance, plus a football pitch, a basketball court, beach volleyball, table tennis and darts. Pool billiards and the arcade games cost extra, and bikes can be hired for a charge, which the flat roads lend themselves to. The beach watersports, covered above, are run by independent operators.
The animation team runs a daily programme that reviews rate highly, energetic and good with children. Daytime covers aerobics, water aerobics, waterball, boccia, table-tennis tournaments, beach volleyball and pool games. Evenings move to the open-air amphitheatre for Greek nights, an Asiatic night, live music, dance shows, interactive games and comedy. There's an outdoor children's playground and a games room too.
For downtime, the Aegeo Spa is run by an outside company, with five treatment rooms and a beauty salon for manicures and pedicures; treatments and the sauna cost extra, the sauna open 10am to 8pm. The fitness centre is open 10am to 8pm with standard equipment.
Off resortThe area and days out
Sandy Beach Resort sits in a quiet corner of Corfu, and that's the trade. Agios Georgios village is about a ten-minute walk, with tavernas, bars, mini-markets, bakeries and souvenir shops, but the area has no nightlife or party scene, which suits families wanting peace. For anything beyond the village you'll need a car: there's no public transport link from the resort, and every real attraction is a drive away. Car hire is available on site.
Close by, Lake Korission, a wetland reserve with flamingos in season, birds, turtles and lizards, is a short walk or drive south. The traditional inland village of Argyrades is a few kilometres away, and the beaches of Issos and Marathias are short coastal drives for a change of sand. The flat roads make the area good for cycling, with bikes from the resort.
Further out are the day trips. Corfu Town, about 19 miles (30 km) and an hour away, is a UNESCO-listed old town of Venetian streets, the Liston promenade and museums, worth a full day. The Achilleion Palace, a neo-classical villa with statues and gardens, is roughly 40 to 45 minutes, and Pontikonisi and the Vlacherna monastery near Corfu Town are about an hour. For a full family day, Aqualand near Agios Ioannis, about 16 miles (25 km) and 45 to 50 minutes away, is one of Greece's largest water parks at 75,000 m², with dedicated children's areas and wave pools. The west-coast beaches of Glyfada and Agios Gordis are 30 to 40 minutes if you fancy beach-hopping. For the wider island, its beaches and when to go, see our Corfu guide.
Loves and gripes
What guests rate and what they flag, how it compares with its Corfu rivals, the journey in and the weather by month.
The resort reviews solidly rather than spectacularly. Its main audience is German-speaking, and on HolidayCheck, the big German-market platform, it scores 4.7 out of 6 with 79% of nearly 3,300 guests recommending it. Trivago's aggregate of almost 15,000 ratings puts it around 7.6 out of 10, and TripAdvisor sits at roughly 3.9 out of 5. The picture is consistent: a well-liked family beach resort with a handful of recurring frustrations. Staff speak French, English and German, and while most reviews describe them as friendly, a few flag inconsistent service.
What families love
- The beach, named again and again as the best of it: long, sandy, shallow and clean.
- The pools, and the waterslide pool with children.
- The animation team and the evening shows in the amphitheatre.
- Il Gusto, the Italian restaurant.
- The spacious family rooms.
- Friendly staff.
- The variety at the main buffet.
Common gripes
- Dated rooms, with thin walls and noisy air-conditioning and fridge units.
- Competition for sunbeds, reserved early despite the policy.
- Inconsistent buffet quality.
- Patchy in-room Wi-Fi.
- Animation aimed mainly at the German market, with some announcements only in German.
- The remote location, which needs a hire car for days out.
- The large, sometimes impersonal scale.
- The climate tax that isn't in the booking price, a common surprise.
How it compares
Among Corfu's family resorts, the draw here is the beach and the flat, easy ground rather than polish. Set against pricier, more design-led options like the Domes of Corfu or the MarBella resorts on the east coast, this is a larger, more traditional all-inclusive, less refined and with dated rather than boutique rooms, but with a better beach for small children and flatter ground than most. Compared with other big all-inclusives such as Roda Beach or Kontokali Bay, the pull is the length and shallowness of the beach and the pushchair-friendly site. It's officially five-star but reads more like a comfortable four-star, which is how some UK operators list it, so book it for the beach and the ease rather than for luxury.
The journey in, and the seasonGetting there and when to go
Corfu International Airport (CFU) is about 19 miles (30 km) from the resort, and the drive takes roughly 45 minutes to an hour, longer in peak season. The route runs through olive groves and rural southern Corfu and is winding in places, worth knowing if anyone's prone to car sickness. There's no direct airport bus: public transport means a bus into Corfu Town and then the Green Bus out to Agios Georgios South, which takes far longer, so most families pre-book a private transfer. Book it in advance and specify Agios Georgios Argyradon, or Sandy Beach Resort, Agios Georgios South, so you're not sent to the similarly named resort in the north; the driver meets you at arrivals. UK operators like Olympic and Jet2 include shared coach transfers on their packages, which are usually slower than a private car.
The resort is typically open from April to October, though the exact dates aren't confirmed, so check when you book. There's no confirmed minimum-stay requirement, and while the specialty restaurants are included from seven nights, that's a dining perk rather than a booking rule. Check-in is generally from 3pm and check-out by noon, but confirm both at booking. For weather, late June and September pair a warm sea with fewer people either side of the July and August peak.
Month by monthWeather
The resort's weather is Corfu's: warm, dry summers and a wetter shoulder season, and it's typically open from April to October. July and August are the hottest and driest months and the busiest; the sea is warm from June and the shallow, gently shelving beach is comfortable for paddling even then. September stays warm with a swimmable sea and thinner crowds, while October cools down with regular rain and some pools, bars and restaurants winding down.
| Month | Daytime high | Overnight low | Rain | Wet days | Sea temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April | 19° | 10° | 57 mm | 6 | 16° |
| May | 24.5° | 14.5° | 31 mm | 4 | 20° |
| June | 29° | 18.5° | 19 mm | 2 | 23° |
| July | 32° | 20.5° | 9 mm | 1 | 26° |
| August | 32° | 21° | 27 mm | 1 | 27° |
| September | 27° | 18° | 91 mm | 5 | 25° |
| October | 23.5° | 14.5° | 136 mm | 7 | 23° |
Typical monthly averages from weather-station records. Sea temperature is the open-water figure, so a sheltered bay can feel a degree or two warmer. The resort is typically open from April to October.
Entry, health and practicalities
Passports and healthcare, the facilities on site, then the questions families ask most.
Greece is a standard, straightforward destination for UK families, with no Foreign Office travel warning for the country or the Ionian islands as of mid-2026. UK passports need to be valid for the length of your stay. The EU's Entry-Exit System is being introduced across 2025 and 2026, so biometrics such as fingerprints and a photo may be taken at your first entry and passport control can take a little longer. No vaccinations are needed. The GHIC and older EHIC cards are no longer valid in Greece and there's no reciprocal NHS arrangement, so take private travel insurance with medical cover.
On site there's free Wi-Fi throughout, though reviews note it's patchy in the rooms and strongest in the common areas. Reception is staffed around the clock, there's a car park, and the shops include a supermarket, a gift shop and a jewellery and crafts shop. The official site has a pets policy, so anyone travelling with an assistance or family dog should check the current terms there.
The questions parents askQuestions
Can our toddler go to the kids’ club?
No. The MEEPO Miniclub starts at four, and there’s no crèche or childcare for under-fours, who have to be with an adult the whole time. If you need childcare for a younger child, this isn’t the resort for it, and one with a crèche from six months would suit you better.
Are the à la carte restaurants included?
Yes, if you stay seven nights or more and book a table. For a shorter break it isn’t spelled out whether you can still use them or pay extra, so email the resort to check before you book if à la carte dining matters to you.
What is the climate tax and do we pay it in advance?
It’s a Greek government tax that five-star hotels collect directly, so it sits outside your holiday booking. You’ll pay €15 per room per night at check-in or check-out, so have a card or cash ready and allow for it when you compare prices.
Do we need to hire a car?
For any day out, yes. Nothing past Agios Georgios village is walkable and there’s no bus from the resort, so you’ll want a hire car or you’ll be leaning on organised excursions. If you’d rather not drive at all, somewhere less isolated might suit you better.
Are the beach sunbeds free?
The pool sunbeds and umbrellas are included, and so are pool towels. The beach is less clear: some guests report a small charge for beds on the sand, so check with your operator or the resort when you book.
What are the kids’ club hours, and does it cost anything?
Its opening hours and any charge aren’t published, so treat both as unknowns until you’ve asked. If the club is central to your plans, contact the resort for your dates rather than counting on it being free or all-day.
Can we get a cot?
Yes, in any room category on request. Add the cot when you reserve the room and reconfirm nearer the time, so one is set up and waiting rather than left to chance.
Will the language be a problem for an English-speaking family?
The main market is German-speaking, so some animation and pool announcements are in German. Staff speak English, and recent seasons have had at least one English-speaking leader in the kids’ club, so it’s a consideration rather than a barrier. If the club matters to your children, ask about English-speaking staff for your dates.
See more Sandy Beach Resort photos
Open the Sandy Beach Resort photo gallery →Useful links
- Sandy Beach Resort: the resort's own site for rooms, the all-inclusive and the children's club.
- GOV.UK Greece travel advice: entry rules and safety updates before you travel.
- Corfu with little ones: our guide to the island, its beaches and when to go.
Last updated 17 July 2026.
