Mandarin Oriental makes Greece debut at Costa Navarino
Costa Navarino in the Peloponnese has announced a raft of new additions for 2023, including this summer’s opening of Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino, the brand’s first property in Greece.
Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino will join three existing hotels – The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort; The Westin Resort, Costa Navarino; and W Costa Navarino – at the destination in Messinia, a sustainable 1,000-hectare area comprising a number of mixed-use resorts.
In addition to the hotels, the four resort areas at Costa Navarino feature four signature golf courses, spas, state-of-the art conference facilities and high-end private residences. There are 40 dining venues across the destination, ranging from street food fare to fine dining, all using locally produced ingredients and offering wine from the resort’s own vineyards. A fifth site is currently under development.
Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino comprises 48 earth-sheltered villas with private pool plus 51 suites, all with views of the historic bay of Navarino, plus a spa and fitness and wellness centre boasting a 25-metre indoor to outdoor pool. Guests will have the choice of a lounge/bar, five restaurant options plus a private dining venue.
The hotel will also offer guests a range of watersports including kite surfing, paddleboarding, surfing, sailing and fishing, along with land-based activities such as golf, biking, hiking, rock climbing, beach yoga and tennis.
A vision realised
The Costa Navarino project was the brainchild of Greek shipping magnate Vassilis C Constantakopoulos, who was born in Messinia and whose vision was to establish the area on the global tourism map and create opportunities for people to visit, live and work there.
To that end, the destination also features freehold villas, from three to seven bedrooms, and the first branded Westin apartments in Greece, for those who want to live permanently in the area or use their property as a second home.
At a press event in London, Valia Vanezi, communications director for Costa Navarino developers TEMES, outlined the resort’s commitment to responsible tourism, saying ‘sustainability isn’t just a trending word for Costa Navarino – it has been working towards achieving it for a long time’.
On-site initiatives include sustainable water management via reservoirs plus a food waste reduction programme and a pledge to become carbon neutral by 2030. Guest experiences include cookery classes with women from the local town of Pilos plus helping with the traditional olive harvest or joining a philosophy discussion group. Highlights later this year include a retreat hosted by world-renowned wellbeing and spiritual guru Deepak Chopra.
‘Complementing, not competing’
Vanezi added the current four sites were “complementing, not competing” resort areas, and that 2023 would see Costa Navarino’s biggest client choice to date with the opening of the first Mandarin Oriental in Greece. In addition, the W Costa Navarino has just celebrated its first year at the destination and has introduced an extended offering including three-bedroom villas and two-bedroom suites.
This summer also sees the introduction of the Navarino Agora, a vibrant hub featuring retail outlets and artisanal street food plus an open-air cinema and a range of pop-up cultural events, musical performances and dance. This area will be open to everyone, whether a guest at Costa Navarino, a local resident or a tourist visiting the area.
Elsewhere, activities include summer football camps by Bayern Munich and the 16-court Mouratoglou Tennis Centre. Costa Navarino is also Europe’s biggest golf resort, with four courses – designed by the likes of Ryder Cup legends Jose Maria Olazabal and Bernhard Langer – within a maximum of 13km.
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