Corsica/Med - what to look for in villa/apartment with toddlers

[grannyslippers]

I'm looking at Corsica for a week in September, since it's late in the season, I thought we would chance it with a last minute deal. We have been once before but that was in independent backpacking days!

Have not been on any sort of proper holiday with the children before, what is worth looking for in choosing a villa/apartment? The DS's will be 2 and 3 years old.

Any comments on

Outside space e.g. terrace or garden?
Separate bedroom of their own?
Washing machine?
Walking distance to beach?

We will probably not be looking at villas with pools but would one be a liability or a bonus?

Perhaps not making myself clear here but any ideas welcome. We are not really into Mark-warner type holidays (DH found Center parks too institutionalised for him!).

would totally recommend: here

V quiet lovely beach for kids 150m walk away, small basic villas but all with outdoor eating space, shady setting, shared pool.

We usually get around quite a lot on holiday but just didn't feel the need to here.

can book direct or through corsican places (where you can get flight and car hire deal included).

Corsican Places are definitely the best agent for the island IMO but I do wonder if you will be lucky with them re last minute deals.
If you want a pool, get a property with a fence or a lockable gate between your villa and the poolside.
With such little ones, I WOULD go for near the beach - all over the west coast of the island, the roads inland tend to be twisty and, erm, quite an interesting drive. So you have all these gorgeous villages up in the Balagna above Calvi/Ile Rousse, and a free theme park ride to get down to the beaches...
Hoxtonchick went somewhere great like that though, loved it. Possibly Lamia - and she had even littler ones with her.
Washing machine or access to one essential in non-serviced accommodation IMO. Even if they aren't vomity at home, you just never know when abroad

hmmm we were with corsican places last time, but near ile rousse which we adored. But actually we loved everywhere we went from Ajaccio to Bastia. However our apartment was inland in a village which meant driving endlessly and also only had a small dark terrace.

Will go and consult CP website now. Thanks!

(fancy meeting you on a corsica thread marina!)

CP has some nice stuff further down towards Calvi
Hoxty was in LAMA which I think was up a twisty Balagna road (but she is young and fearless and didn't care )

aDad
That lot should pay us commission!

yes free flights to corsica would do it!

Sigh, I wish

Did someone say free flights to corsica...

We went when ds2 was 3 some years ago. Agree with Marina that nearness to beach is good, as IME any paths are likely to be rocky and uneven so you'll end up carrying toddlers or having to push pushchairs over very bumpy ground.

Also, regarding villas - sturdy furniture, nothing too antique or spindly, washable bedding, non slip mats (or remove them) and good curtains in bedroom to block out as much light as possible at bedtime.

Yes I will never forget those twisty roads in the Renault Clio!

Any ideas for north of the island as ideally we would fly from Birmingham international and that goes into Bastia?

The best place to head north from Bastia would be Cap-Corse and maybe St Florent?
You could drive round from Bastia to Ile Rousse, but I wouldn't want to
Or you could head straight inland towards Corte and the mountains

I have looked into this a bit more and we think we would like to go for 2 weeks as we are free from restrictions of work and school holidays this year.

aDAd the Residence Isula looked perfect, do you think the "residence" type places are a good idea for children (outside space but a bit more confined). We could perhaps do one week north and one week south...