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Post by janiemou on Apr 24, 2019 11:20:56 GMT 2
Roda is at that time of year, that if you stop, for whatever reason, you will be sanded down or hosed off and painted. The village is in a flurry of activity with the new season almost upon us. There have been a few changes over the winter, with Pixida (Compass) Italian restaurant moved from its original site at the crossroads to further down into the village. It has taken over the premises next to NSK close to Lord Car rental. All the inside work seems completed and the table and chairs are stacked ready. Yiannis from Big Ben is opening a tourist shop next to the ice cram parlour. The stock is in and all seems ready to go. In the last couple of days travel agents, NSK and Corfu Best Travel are open for business. The Dolphin is unwrapping itself after winter alterations. The kitchen has been completely rebuilt. Roda Park opened yesterday; Pirates have all their sunbeds in place on the beach. Crusoe’s has had the decking varnished and the sunbeds readied. Work is ongoing in the Harbour Bar. Skouna and Roxannes are a flurry of activity. On the main road the newspaper shop affectionately known as Arkwrights has moved to opposite Xpose and the chemist. The Coral had all its lights on last night and the furniture in place. Roda Oasis is now to be found with Jet2 after being with Thomson or Thomas Cook for as long as I have been coming here. Theodoros has its pool filled after its winter paint, and is looking spik and span just missing holiday makers. It will be interesting to see how the extra blocks of accommodation at Robolla which have added an extra 3000 beds to the resort will affect the village, being as it is next to already large Roda Beach Resort. All that is left to be done is to clear the beach of the winter seagrass accumulation and the white washing of the kerbs. Everything will have to be done by the weekend as everything stops for Easter.
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Post by janiemou on Jun 30, 2020 10:03:03 GMT 2
During the last week there has been a definite stirring in the village. The summer businesses are shaking the dust off and generally painting everything in sight. Tourist shops are being stocked in preparation for whatever the 2020 season brings. Restaurants and cafe's have got their tables and chairs laid out with social distancing in mind, and the council have been round and filled in some of the worst potholes. At the moment Roda is all dressed and ready like a prom queen waiting for their date to turn up. The beach photo was only taken three days ago but already the sunbeds are back in their allotted places. Walking from home towards the village these are what is open or closed:- Evaline, doing some preparation Ammos, doing some preparation Coral, opening 1st July as is Elizabeth Apartments Boathouse, painted and ready, Jon as always not too sure when he will open Valentino's doing some preparation Makris has guests Makis is getting ready Harbour Bar is open Crusoes is getting ready El Mar is ready Newport is ready Alexandros (village) open but not for food Alexandros on the Beach open Pirates never close but open with food until 6pm La Luz still closed Dolphin is open Roxannes is open Skouna opens on Wednesday Big Ben is prepping the beach area Afrodite is getting ready to open Nemo never closed Petrino's is getting ready Panorama restaurant is getting ready Mexican is open at weekends Pixida is open at weekends Indian open at weekends and for takeaways Both grill rooms never closed Oscars open and doing food two night and Sunday lunch Yummies is open Drossia is open Roadhouse at the crossroads is open as is Tropicana which never shut Pegasus not opening, neither is Silverbeach and there is some doubt about Nino's on the Beach
Think most of the apartments around the village are opening Also a couple of tourist shops are open.
The new builds are on the ground beside Nemo and the Coral although they are hardly a hive of activity with no more than a handful of people working at any one time. Theodoros has been ready for a few weeks now, but they did have a family celebration there earlier in the month.
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Post by lisydaly on Jul 1, 2020 9:56:09 GMT 2
friends are booked into the Silver Beach for September and have spoken to the hotel as they are doubtful as to whether they will be going to Roda - the Silver Beach said there is a possibility that they will open on 20th July - so no firm 'closed this season' as of yet.
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Post by daveh on Jul 2, 2020 7:09:53 GMT 2
1st flights arrived yesterday on Corfu.............several from Germany. A lone transfer bus was spotted on its way to Robella. No sign of tourists on the beach at Roda which was busiest I have seen it...........lots sunloungers in use at Roxannes and a large group of us at Alexandros.
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Post by janiemou on Jul 2, 2020 11:06:41 GMT 2
Those tourists arriving will be spread quite thinly. I saw a lone German family buying supplies at Demetra in Acharavi, the give away being masks and two beach parasols. Some more tourist shops have opened in Roda along the beach front, being hopeful. Skouna are delaying opening until there are more visitors but are still hard at work making sure everything is perfect for when they open.
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Post by janiemou on Jul 3, 2020 15:49:20 GMT 2
I have had it confirmed that the Fiona apartments won't open this year, however the main part of Theodoros resort will be open, and looks ready for the first customer.
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Post by janiemou on Jul 4, 2020 11:17:14 GMT 2
What a difference a day makes. The village was definitely busier last night with quite a few tourists walking around and going for meals. It was the first nighttime that carried a hint of normality and was all the more lovely to see. Roda Beach is running a mini bus into the village in the evenings. Alex at Crusoe's is just about ready for opening. i was talking him the other night and he said only the final clean and putting the tables and chairs in place was all that he had left to do. As I walked past last night on my way into the village he had been true to his word. The harbour bar was all lit up, and New Port taverna was serving food, Pirates is doing food until 6pm, but I would image that will chane any day now if the tourists continue to arrive. The new apartments over Yiannis's (Express Supermarket) tourist shop look amazing. The back lane has been relaid as has the one behind Agas jewellers towards the Palia Skouna nightclub. Will wander down the main street and see what's happening along there this weekend.
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Post by janiemou on Jul 15, 2020 14:11:54 GMT 2
A quick round up of Roda getting ready for the British tourists. There has been a rush recently with the last of the businesses finishing off their preparations. The vast majority of places have opened or are on the point of opening. Afrodite is still closed, but like the Oasis is expected to open imminently, with the Oasis opening on Sunday. All the travel agencies are open, and most of the bars stroke café’s/ restaurants with the exception of La Luz and El Mar and Ammos, but they are almost ready. There has been a general air of normality even if the numbers of tourists are far fewer than you would expect at this time of year. It looks as though Nino’s and Silver Beach are the only places not opening this season.
I would like to add a few cautionary notes First please observe the correct social distancing and use hand gel. There is plenty around the village. Also, there are plenty of face masks available in the shops, both medical and cloth ones, also hand gel. The Greek for mask is ‘maska’ with the plural ‘maskes’.
Secondly, we have been getting several wildfires on the island, so if you are round and about in the countryside, the grass is tinder dry. So, take care with disposal of cigarettes etc.
Thirdly if out and about please take your rubbish back to the hotel or apartment for disposal or put it in the appropriate waste bins. Let’s keep Corfu clean and tidy for everyone to enjoy.
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Post by janiemou on Jul 16, 2020 9:24:30 GMT 2
Another update. Pegasus Hotel is also not opening, but I've been told that Nino's is getting ready, the pool is filled and the family children have been having a great time using it. They say they will open when they get guests. Ammos grill room opened last night, so I will be visiting them soon. The Boathouse will open when Jon eels there are enough visitors.
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Post by janiemou on Jul 17, 2020 11:52:05 GMT 2
We have a new entry for Airbnb. The Kind Hearted Place has been advertised as a maisonette available now, being advertised by Daphne. It is up the metal stairs beside the entrance to La Luz, which by the way is just about ready for opening. The Afrodite hotel has opened now. Also the Panorama pool and restaurant have been undergoing a transformation by Spiros and look very inviting. I will take a photo of the restaurant as I have forgotten its new name, but, again, it looks very attractive.
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Post by daveh on Jul 19, 2020 7:36:23 GMT 2
The new name of the Panorama Restaurant is Agrilia.
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Post by janiemou on Jul 21, 2020 11:13:47 GMT 2
A walk into the village yesterday found that everywhere was now open except for El Mar and La Luz, and they both look ready to open at anytime. The Boathouse and the Brandy shop are now both open, as is Spiros's supermarket, and the recently opened Ammos was doing a good trade. I will walk down the main street to Afrodite tonight and check what is , but I think only the Panorama pool was still closed last time I was passed. The travel companies are all open with most of the usual trips. The only ones that seem to be missing are the boat trips out of Kassiopi with Cosmic travel. The tribute acts have started with Elvis on at the Drunken Sailor on Thursday, and Oscar's is now serving food in the evening and their quiz and bingo continue (they have been going all winter). There are enough tourists now to feel that the season is starting slowly.
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Post by janiemou on Jul 25, 2020 11:17:17 GMT 2
There was an announcement that the Metallinos apartments and studios (which for a while had be sold under the Kosmas banner) are opening from the start of August, it is lovely to see them back and I will wander up and say hello. The news about Roda Park is that it will open this weekend or Monday at the latest, again I will go and confirm this. El Mar opened yesterday as did La Luz, the Brandy shop have put up very different Victorian style parasols, so quirky, it was too dark to take a photo. There are a lot more tourists round the village, making it feel like the season is really starting.
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Post by trevor on Jul 25, 2020 19:46:40 GMT 2
Thank you very much for taking time to post these updates. We have been coming to Roda for the past 16 years, always stay at Afrodite which is an exceptional hotel. All booked for 28th August, everything seems ok at the moment, so cannot wait to come to Roda.
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Post by janiemou on Jul 26, 2020 9:58:03 GMT 2
No problem Trevor, this year more than ever I have tried to keep up with what's open. I'm wandering up to Oasis tonight so will check if Spiro's supermarket opposite Kosmas is open as I know everything else is around the crossroads with the exception of O Arabas. I don't know about the nightclubs I will check with my younger friends as they tend not to open until 11pm!
La Luz is definitely open now and serving food. The Indian Red Chilli is open for takeaways everyday and the restaurant is open at the weekends.
Last night I noticed that the sign at Nino's on the Beach was lit, so it looks like they have decided to open. I am certain that many who visit there will know Danny. Well, he was involved in an accident on his bike with his daughter, I'm told a car went into them. She escaped with minor injuries but he has broken several bones and was transferred to Larissa hospital on the mainland as the injuries were too complex for Corfu hospital and Ioannina was busy. We wish him a speedy recovery.
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