Last June, I took a short break from work and went on a trip to Messenia, a region in the southwest of the Greek Peloponnese. It’s home to Costa Navarino, a luxury travel destination I had already visited a couple of years ago. I can confirm, after staying at a Costa Navarino hotel for the second time, that Costa Navarino has mastered the craft of relaxed and understated Greek luxury. This is probably why the likes of Ronaldo and NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo like this place so much. If you want to know more about my stay at Costa Navarino, the room and the activities: read on!
First of all a note on the location. You may be asking yourself: why bother with the Peloponnese when all the Greek islands are calling your name? To that I say: why not? The Peloponnese can be reached through the airport at Kalamata, which currently boasts connections to ten European destinations. The airport is up for a thorough renovation/expansion, so it ‘s clear to see that Kalamata and adjoining regions are going to be the hot now Greek destination in the coming years. Get in on it now for the ultimate bragging rights. I opted for a flight to Athens with the trustworthy Aegean Airlines, as Costa Navarino can arrange private transfer to get you to the resort in all comfort.
The first time I visited Costa Navarino, I stayed at The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort. This time however, I stayed in The Westin. This hotel is meant to be more family friendly, but as I said before everything the Costa Navarino group does is a beautiful exercise in Greek luxury, so you can definitely banish the images of screeching children, bad poolside entertainment and other horrors family friendly from your imagination. Instead you get kid-safe pools and an entire water park where kids can run free and wild to their hearts desire.
So let’s go over some room specifications before diving into the activities: I stayed in a Deluxe Guest Room with sea view, which is a little above entry-level and already offering 40 m2 of space. The bathroom has both a bath and a shower, and the balcony is larger than average. Great value for money!
You may also be thinking that luxury resorts like Costa Navarino offer nothing but sitting in the Greek sunshine and alternate swimming in the pool and Mediterranean Sea (two activities that I highly recommend!) but Costa Navarino again goes the extra mile. If you are into the water based activities, you can go kayaking, paddle boarding or you can enjoy a hike up to a delightful waterfall for a refreshing (but cold!) dip. You don’t like to get your hair wet but still want to get a sweat on? No problem: there are multiple tennis fields and a world-class golf course.
I couldn’t write a review on a hotel located in Greece without talking about the food. Greek food already has my entire heart and stomach, but this trip has elevated Greek cuisine to another level. Costa Navarino has 14 restaurants, 4 bars and lounges and 3 pool bars so there’s plenty of options. I highly recommend Barbouni for lunch as it is the one of the best ways to enjoy the best fig/honey/feta salad you’ll have in your life (another reason being that this place is obviously INSTA FAMOUS and will get you those likes… but you haven’t heard that from me). Highlight of the trip includes a dinner on top of a hill that boasts a view of both the famous Voidokilia beach and the hotel itself.
