Citta dei Nicliani

Rooms

Tania was responsible for the interior design, and the result is impressive: a rustic-chic look with total respect for the historic building, along with contemporary comforts. Each of the 8 rooms is different in terms of layout and furnishing, but all have exposed stone, wooden beamed ceilings, subtle lighting and floors of either wood or terracotta tile. You also get wooden antique furniture, white bed linens by Guy Laroche, and framed etchings on the walls.

Ensuite bathrooms have exposed stonework too, plus tiny mosaic-tile shower spaces, marble washbasins and decent mirrors. The windows throughout are small, which is typical of the Mani, so there's not much natural light, but it means your room stays cool and fresh in summer. Some rooms have terraces.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Hairdryer
• Minibar
• Mosquito net
• WiFi

Eating

Breakfast is a treat: each guest gets a platter of traditional Greek dishes, which might include yoghurt with honey, homemade rice pudding with cinnamon, omelette, syglino (Maniot cured ham) and lalaggia (Maniot fried bread). You can eat outside on the stone patio, or in the small dining pavilion - a light and airy space with floor-to-ceiling glazing, stone and brick details, and a wooden beamed ceiling.

Other meals are available on request, prepared by Ilias. The menu changes daily, depending on what's on offer at the morning market, but firm favourites include lobster and lamb tenderloin. We had a lovely pastitsio (oven-baked pasta with minced beef and bechamel) and a bottle of Symmetry red wine from the Zacharias winery in Nemea. The hotel keeps an excellent wine cellar, stocking over 100 quality Greek wines, as well as highly prized vintages from some of the top French estates, such as Domaine Romanee Conti, Château Margaux and Château Lafitte. Panagiotis can advise on wine pairings.

There are good local restaurants; staff can advise.

Features include:

• Breakfast
• Dinner by arrangement
• Lunch by arrangement
• Restaurants nearby

Activities

• Hike in the mountains - over 20 marked trails lead to isolated villages and remote Byzantine churches, and there are 2 challenging canyons
  
• Borrow mountain bikes and cycle to the windswept Tigani peninsula to explore the ruins of a Frankish fortress
  
• Explore the region's medieval tower houses - some of the most notable are in Vathia, midway between Gerolimenas and Cape Tenaro
  
• Swim at Porto Kagio, a deep horseshoe bay of emerald-blue water with a fine pebble beach
  
• Don't miss Diros Cave near Areopolis (19km) - you enter by boat to see a huge cavern filled with stalactites and stalagmites
  
• Panagiotis can arrange a wine-tasting tour of the Nemea region in the north Peloponnese

  Activities on site or nearby include:

  • Boat trips
  • Hiking
  • Historical sites
  • Mountain biking
  • Swimming
  • Wine tasting

Kids

Children are welcome, though the ambiance is restful, romantic and sophisticated, and so the hotel is better suited to adults. There are no special facilities for kids, but there is a small plunge pool.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

Premiums have a double bed and a single bed, plus space for a baby cot. The Grande has space for a baby cot.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available, Family Rooms

Distances:

• Airport: 2hr 15m

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

The hotel is in Koita, in the Deep Mani. It's in the southern Peloponnese region of Greece.

By Air:
Kalamata Airport is 100km (a 2-hour drive) from Koita. Alternatively, fly to Athens (300km; a 3.5-hour drive). Although the hotel offers airport transfers, we'd recommend you hire a car upon arrival as this will give you flexibility to explore the region. See our car-rental recommendations. You can park for free at the hotel.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.

More on getting to Greece and getting around