Villa Orea Elena

The first glimpse of the sea from the roomy terrace overlooking Kalamata Bay is unforgettable. There’s always somewhere shady to eat together, stretch out on a deck chair, or watch the sun go down, and on hot days we loved rinsing off under the two outdoor showers in the garden. Villa Orea Elena is tucked away among olive groves in a large garden, where we were even welcome to pick figs, lemons, and grapes. Its distinctive architecture makes the house feel airy and spacious, and the tasteful furnishings gave us an immediate sense of home. The three bedrooms are on different levels, each with a sea-view balcony and its own bathroom, so everyone had privacy. The kitchen is especially well equipped, with an ice maker, espresso machine, juicer, washing machine, and plenty more. Despite the quiet, green setting, Santova beach is only a few minutes away on foot and wasn’t crowded, even in high summer. There are several restaurants and beach bars nearby, as well as a small supermarket open around the clock. Kalamata and many other places are easy to reach by car. We liked that the area hadn’t been overrun by tourists and still felt authentically Greek. Nico greeted us warmly and was friendly, prompt, and helpful throughout, answering questions and dealing with any concerns. We had a really relaxing holiday and would love to return.

Niko was incredibly kind. He waited for us until 11 pm, even though we’d said we expected to arrive at 5, and later helped us with great generosity when we left a suitcase behind in Athens. I hope to come back to this house. It’s a few minutes’ walk from a lovely, relatively quiet beach with places to sit and eat. The house itself is cozy, spacious, and arranged in an unusual way. Every room has a private sea-view balcony, while the living room opens onto a large balcony with a dining area and an outdoor kitchen facing the sea. The kitchen inside is exceptionally well equipped with electrical appliances, and fig trees and olive trees grow around the house.

We had two lovely, relaxing weeks here, with trips to Olympia, Sparta, Mystras, Voidokilia, and other places. Thanks for a wonderful time. We’d love to come back.

Amazing!