If you think that you missed your chance at summer in Greece, well the season is just all a technicality. The weather has never been better, the crowds have cleared and now is the time to get the real essence of why Greece is so many people’s happy place. And there’s a new hotel in Greece – the Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino. We can personally confirm that it’s more than a good reason to hightail it to Greece this early fall.
Overview
This past August, the most luxurious new hotel in Greece opened on the Peloponnese Peninsula with the arrival of the Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino. This is the first Mandarin Oriental in Greece, and what was initially most surprising is that the hotel is on the mainland. It was also in the far western part of the country that is less developed and firmly off the beaten tourist path. So, our curiosity was more than piqued about what makes this part of Greece so special – and why would a) the Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino open there and b) is it worth the trip? This is not a full review of this new hotel in Greece (that’s coming soon) but it is the sounding horn to get there before they close for the season in October.
The Broad Strokes
The Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino is a new hotel in Greece that opened on August 15th. The Costa Navarino is a historic area of Greece that dates back 4,500 years. Up until about two years ago, to get there from Athens was a 6-7 hour drive on local windy roads. However, with the opening of a bridge and a larger highway, it’s now around 4 hours from Athens. The Costa Navarino is a large-scale hotel, residence, and golf course development that is a game changer for this part of previously undeveloped Greece. The Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino is part of a complex of hotels which includes the W Hotel, The Romanos, and The West Resort. Though, it’s by far the most luxurious new hotel in Greece this year.
Rooms
The Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino has 99 rooms, including 48 standalone pool villas that are separate from the main hotel. As you would expect the accommodations are all ultra-luxe with soaking tubs, outdoor space, and views, but the pool villas are next level. The smallest rooms are over 700 square feet and the pool villas span at almost 1500 square feet. Either way the rooms are done up in a neutral zen palate but have local artisan touches in the rugs and decor that best represent Greece. We would go as far as to say that this new hotel in Greece has a sense of place and integrates well into the authenticity of the area.
Dining
There are five restaurants on the property plus two lounges, that include the international buffet of options. There’s a Greek restaurant, Oliviera, that’s the main dining for the resort. Off campus, there’s a French option, Brasserie de la Bay, near the golf area. Tahir is right on the beach and is a unique Levantine offering, which is essentially Middle Eastern food. The beach club Ormos does casual bites around the massive pool complex and is also right on the beach. The most unique dining option though may be the 12-seater pizza-tasting menu by Daniele Cason. Ironically, Pizza Sapienza is a transplant from Japan but is one of the most popular dining options at the resort.
Spa + Gym
Besides the largest pool on the mainland of Greece, the spa and gym are also massive in footprint. The wellness center has over 16,000 square feet and includes a proper gym with professional trainers and a boxing studio. As you would expect from the Mandarin Oriental whose foundation is their unique spa experiences, the Costa Navarino location has top therapists and wellness experiences.
Getting to the Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino
With this new hotel in Greece’s remote location on the southwestern coast of the country, the irony is that it’s easier to get there from abroad than Athens. The local airport is Kalamata, which has direct flights from London and Vienna. Otherwise, it’s a 4-hour drive that runs around 400 euro each way from Athens. Alternatively, you can also splurge on a 10,000 euro helicopter each way. But once you do get there, it’s well worth it just for the Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino.
Our full review of the hotel is to come in the next few weeks. In the meantime, check out our other hotel and restaurant reviews on Galavante.
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