The Best Places to Stay in Lefkada
If you came across this article, then you are looking for the best places to stay in Lefkada, or this is a sign that it is time for a new trip. Either way, welcome!
I know that finding the best accommodation that is compatible with your needs and requirements, while staying on a certain budget can be a very difficult task.
Depending on your requirements, the search for a place to stay can take hours and sometimes days. But it’s important to take your time and don’t settle for just any accommodation, because the truth is that a bad one can ruin an amazing trip, no matter how amazing the destination is.
I feel like most people associate a good place with paying a ridiculous sum of money. They spend time looking for the best option, but they end up compromising the location or other things that matter to them.
However, finding a great accommodation doesn’t mean you need to pay a lot of money or to make a lot of compromising decisions. The key is to have patience, have an open mind and maybe let your favourite travel blogger help you out (hehe).
Just to let you know… This post (probably) contains affiliate links, including Amazon Associates links, and I may receive a small commission when you click on the links. This is at no extra cost to you and allows me to keep running this website. How cool is that?! I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own.
Table of Contents
Discovering the charming island of Lefkada
Lefkada is one of those places where you will find the perfect combination of stunning beaches, small and enchanting villages, memorable views and delicious food. There are so many things to do, from sunbathing on some of the most glorious beaches I have ever seen, hiking to a surprisingly beautiful waterfall, witnessing unforgettable sunsets, to kayaking, snorkelling and other exciting water sports.
If you want to read more about all the amazing things you can do in Lefkada, then I highly recommend you check out this article here. This is one of the most popular reads on my blog and you will see why. I’m sure that after reading it, you are going to get even more excited about your trip to Lefkada.
If you want to know how many days you should stay in Lefkada, to have time to enjoy all the experiences that this island has to offer, I suggest you plan approx. 2 weeks.
Finding the best places to stay in Lefkada
Finding the best accommodation in Lefkada can be a challenge, especially if you are looking for a specific experience.
Lefkada is quite a big island with many beautiful villages and it can be quite hard to pick a location. Before getting into the details of finding the best place and the tips for doing so, I must say that I find renting a car necessary during your trip in Lefkada.
As I already said, there are a lot of things to do and experience and it will be a shame if you miss out on them due to the big distance. Of course, you can book a private tour (or several), to see the highlights of the island, but having a car at your disposal is gold!. You will have freedom of movement, you can decide your itinerary and you can change it along the way.
Howerer, if you don’t like the idea of renting a car, or don’t have a licence, then you should consider searching and booking organised tours that will take you to all of your top destinations.
If you are interested in that, you can start with the ones that I found below. The best part, you can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of your booking and get a full refund.
Now, let’s get back to the main reason that made you click on this article, and that is finding the best place to stay in Lefkada. I’m more than happy to help you with this exciting task.
In this article I will give you a detailed review of the place that we picked while planning our trip to Lefkada. In addition, I will also provide a list with other accommodations that can fit several requirements, such as: family-friendly places, luxury accommodations, resorts or budget-friendly options.
I feel like before we get into all of that I need to specify that my goal here is to help you out with your research and give you a starting point. Who knows, maybe a place from this list will be the one for you.
In Lefkada there are so many places to choose from, and the selection and research can take hours and I know how frustrating the whole process can be. This is why this article came to be. You can think of me as your lovely travel assistant that is doing your research for your trip. And the best part, it’s for free!
In order to book the best accommodation in Lefkada, you need to follow several steps:
Establish your budget and priorities
If you don’t want to lose yourself in pages with dozens of accommodations that can vary prices like crazy, then you need to set your budget. I suggest that you establish a maximum sum depending on the location, accessibility and perks.
If you have a budget you can apply this filter and start from there. For example, we knew that we wanted to experience luxury accommodation and we set our budget accordingly.
Consider location
The location is a very important factor in choosing a place to stay. If you are renting a car, then you can be more flexible with the location and accessibility, but if you don’t have one, then you should consider picking a location where you are the closest to your must-see bucket list items.
For example, there are a lot of organised tours that leave from Nidri port. Plus, if you want to also visit Kefalonia, you can take the ferry boat from there. If you want to do a lot of water sports, then you should choose Vasiliki and so on.
Read reviews and compare rates
One of the best ways to pick a place to stay in Lefkada (or any other place) is to read reviews and compare ratings. It’s true that the opinion of other travellers can be subjective, because it really depends on their expectations and requirements.
Nonetheless, there are some things that can paint a very clear picture of a place in terms of the level of cleanliness, the personnel attitude or if they speak english.
From experience, I notice that it is hard to communicate your needs to a person who doesn’t understand or speak any level of english. In addition, no matter the subjectiveness of a review, if you have 8 of 10 reviews with a negative vibe, then you should probably search for another accommodation.
In Lefkada there are a lot of places that look amazing in photos, because the landscape helps any villa or hotel to look good, but if you read the comments you will see that the reality is different.
Book in advance and read the conditions
If you want to get the best deals, then you should start looking for accommodation in advance. In fact, as soon as you buy the plane tickets, you should start looking for a place to stay.
Even more, by making reservations in advance you have a better chance of getting a great deal. Especially in the case of a luxurious place, a discount can make a big difference on your budget. For example, we booked our accommodation at least 3 months ahead of time and we got a pretty nice price.
Detailed review: Drakatos Villas
Location and accessibility
Drakatos Villas is located in Vasiliki and it’s accessible easily by car from the main road. This is a complex of several villas each offering a panoramic view of the Ionian Sea. Each villa has a private parking spot.
Accommodation features and interior aspect
We booked a villa called Aria that was suitable for two couples. Our bedrooms were located upstairs, each with a private bathroom. Downstairs we had a big living room, another bathroom and a spacious kitchen that opened onto the outdoor terrace.
The bedrooms were amazing, with gorgeous views over the Ionian Sea and the Vasiliki shores. The only two downsides were the bathrooms, which were too small (ridiculously small in a way that was difficult to move inside of it) and the fact that the walls were too thin. Even if we were traveling with friends, privacy is important.
The kitchen was very well equipped. We had a coffee machine and free coffee that lasted us in the beginning of our holiday. We had a stove, pans and anything that we needed to prepare snacks or breakfast.
The terrace had a big table where we served our meals and it continued with a deck that had bar chairs and high tables. Watching the sunset from the deck area was one of our highlights and also taking lots of gorgeous golden hour shots.
From the deck we could go down to our private pool where we had everything that we needed, from sunbeds, umbrellas, small tables and towels.
Services and facilities
The service was great, we had a lady that came every day to make sure we had fresh towels and provide other requests.
On our first day a guy came to welcome us. He was our designated luxury manager (yep, this is a thing apparently). He made sure we were content with the villa and that we had everything we needed.
After that he sat with us with a map and explained our surroundings and made us a list with all the things that we needed to see. He even helped in making a plan for each day and gave us recommendations for the best tavernas and best beaches.
He left us with a very clear itinerary and also with discounts cards to some of the most top rated tavernas in Lefkada. If you want to read more about the best places to eat in Lefkada, then check out this article.
Overall experience and highlights
Aside from those two inconveniences regarding the rooms upstairs, our experience in Villa Aria was amazing. We loved the vibe, the view and intimacy of having a private villa with a pool. We even planned to spend a day relaxing near the pool, swimming, reading and eating snacks. We took many Instagram-worthy pictures and enjoyed the beautiful breathtaking view each day.
Best accommodation in Lefkada
Before I get into the list I made for you, I need to make some clarifications. In my travels I always use Booking.com. This is a platform I trust because in all the years I booked my accommodations I didn’t have problems or big ones (to be more specific).
Almost every place has a lot of quality photos. Well, there are exceptions, of course, I mean who finds it necessary to post photos of a vase, or a lamp, or the handle of the bathroom’s door or other ridiculous item?! I feel like sometimes the hosts test their graphic and artistic skills.
Aside from photos, every accommodation has a general description and a detailed one for each room or villa or whatever they are offering for booking.
I like the fact that people leave comments and feedback on the platform and together with the rating it paints a good picture of the place itself.
Their customer service is good and always is trying to help you out with any problem.
Most of the accommodations offer cancellation until at least 2 weeks prior to your trip, which I find very helpful and even if you cancel after that, you can discuss with them and with customer services to help you out without paying a fee. We had to cancel a few times and each time we didn’t pay any additional fees.
Without further ado, let’s get to the list with what I think are the best places to stay in Lefkada:
Luxurious accommodations
- Located in Sivota
- Private pool
- Sea view
- Located in Paleros
- Outdoor pool
- Sea view
- located in Nikiana, at 12 km from Lefkada Town
- breakfast included
- outdoor swimming pool and a sun terrace
- suites with views over the pool, the garden or the Ionian Sea
- located in Nydri
- sea view
- located in Tsoukaladhes, at 5 km from Lefkada Town
- sea view
- private pool
- located in Ayios Nikitas, at 2,4 km from Kathisma Beach
- sea view
- pool
- located in Marantochori, at 900 m distance from Amouso Beach
- sea view
- private pool
Budget-friendly and family-friendly accommodations
- located in Vasiliki, at just a 10 minute walk from Ponti Beach
- bay view or garden view
- seasonal pool
- buffet breakfast
- located in Nydri
- beachfront
- close to Dimosari Waterfalls (200 m)
- located in Lefkada Town
- some rooms have views of the beach
- located in Mikros Gialos, at 12 km distance from Nydri
- seasonal outdoor pool
Final tips on finding the perfect places to stay in Lefkada
Here are my final thoughts on finding the best place to stay in Lefkada:
- always book in advance if you want to get the best deals;
- views are everything in Lefkada, so try to find a place with an amazing sea view (there are some that are on the budget-friendly category)
- if you are spoiling yourself with a luxury experience, then make sure the accommodation you pick meets your expectations (contact the hosts if you have any questions)
- if you don’t have a car, then make sure you book a place that is accessible to the closest beach or close to your must-see destinations (or pick-up points, if you want to book tours)
- read the conditions of each booking, make sure they have a cancel policy that is comfortable for you (we all know plans change all the time)
- if you can, book a place with a private pool and a beautiful sunset view (you are going to thank me for this one)
I hope you find this article with the best places to stay in Lefkada useful. Let me know if you want more articles like this in the future. I would love to help you out with your planning in any way I can.
Happy traveling! 😄