Upon disembarking our cruise ship, we entered Athens for the second part of our Greece vacation. We traveled south through the Peloponnese region of Kalamata to the beach town of Stoupa, an oceanside oasis destination for travelers from all over the world, and where we would spend the next few days.
My father, being the adventurous planner, usually makes this trip in September after the high time of tourist season has ended in Greece. However, this year, coordinating a seven-day cruise with his wife and two daughters, he had no choice but to plan during August. He’s accustomed to finding overnight accommodations on the fly, but we were in for a surprise. There were no rooms to be let in the beach town of Stoupa.
Dad, despite his friendly connections at certain establishments, found they could not accommodate us, as we had arrived in the thick of the vacation season.
After checking with the local travel agency, the only thing available was a two-bedroom villa. We decided to look even though it wasn’t located directly on the beach as we had hoped. It was located in the middle of the mountain, with a very steep drive. The idea of walking down to the beach was not very appealing to us until we stopped at the reception desk.
We were pleasantly surprised to find that the Kolokotronis Hotel and Spa is not what we expected. Upon entering the property, an in-ground swimming pool greets guests as they approach the reception area. The views of Stoupa beach below are spectacular. However, there was still that uncertainty about that steep drive to get to the villa. Once again, when we reached the top of the winding driveway, we were greeted with our own in-ground swimming pool and a private stone villa.
The views from the swimming pool overlooking the village are even more spectacular than from the first swimming pool. Upon entering, the uncertainty we had about staying vanished. We knew we would make do with the walk or drive for my Mom. The trade-off of staying in the side of a mountain, rather than on the crowded beach side, was paramount.
Stone arches on the veranda overlooked our swimming pool, and the views mountains of the Kalamata region and the beach town of Stoupa were breathtaking.
Of course, I was curious to explore the interior of the villa. The home was furnished in mountain style. The interior of the first floor was all stone. The living room was furnished with two solid wood sofas both, with trundle beds underneath for extra sleeping, a beautiful stone fireplace and a built-in niche for books.
The veranda doors opened to beautiful views. The efficient kitchen was perfect for a family if cooking was planned, or just for a wine and cheese indulgence.
I was fascinated with the bathroom on the first floor. Built into the mountain, the wall of field stone was the perfect focal wall. Bathroom fixtures were antique brass with a verdigris Verdi patina that has aged with time.
The bedrooms were furnished with simply styled furniture of solid wood. Nothing here was ornate, rather simple and perfect for the mountain setting. The ceilings in the bedrooms were also constructed of solid wood — a simple and perfect style for a mountainside villa.
With a complimentary bottle of wine left on the marble-top dining table, we enjoyed the most beautiful sunset by our private pool our first night. Just amazing.
With breakfast and dinners offered at the main patio and pool area, we opted for the Greek barbecue the second night of our stay at Kolokotronis. The traditional Greek salad, with olives, feta, tomatoes, peppers and onions, was delicious. Souvlaki, chicken, beef and lamb chops were also very tasty, and, of course, all the vegetable garnish one could eat.
Dining on the patio offered more breathtaking views of the mountains, turquoise ocean and the most beautiful Greek sunset.
If you’re traveling in Greece through Kalamata to the beach town of Stoupa and you’re interested in taking advantage of the most beautiful views, consider Kolokotronis Hotel and Spa (www.gmkhotel.gr/).
Now we are off for more adventures to come as we head toward my father’s homeland in the mountains of Sparti.
