Romanos, Costa Navarino Hotel

Navarino Dunes, Costa Navarino, Messinia

The west coast of the Peloponnese is chokka neither with sunburned tourists or rip-off package resorts. Instead, Messinia seduces with its kalamata olive groves and swathes of beautiful emerald ruggedness. It has genuine history, too – the perfectly preserved stadiums and ruins of ancient Messene are here, as well as medieval castles – while a delectably creamy half moon of sand nudges Nestor’s Cave, ripe for an afternoon’s exploration. Unbelievably, tourists never used to come here much – but Costa Navarino, a four-part, eco-friendly development, is changing that. The first phase, Navarino Dunes, has got the lot: a sensational spread of golden beach fringed by turquoise Mediterranean waters and a private vineyard producing excellent wine. There are also two swanky golf courses to play (there are only three in mainland Greece, believe it or not). From the herb garden adjoining the spectacular Anazoe Spa to the vast expanse of olive groves, the whole place feels deliciously edible; meanwhile a clutch of restaurants turn out spot-on seafood, alongside the resort’s own-brand tapenades and preserves made by local villagers. It’s very much a community affair. The Romanos, one of two hotels on the property (the other is a Westin), has a gawp-worthy lobby opening over the sea, and rooms that are all dark woods and lush fabrics with outrageously comfortable beds and exceptional linen. An extra £64 per night gets you a private plunge pool on your terrace, though the hotel’s enviable network of pools – including a swim-up bar – more than suffices if you’d rather save your cash. There are other ways to spend it on site though, don’t fear: cooking courses to learn to make hilopites (handmade pasta) taught by local ladies is a payable extra, or diving day trips including lessons are available at ancient pirate haven, Proti Island. AM. Doubles from £177, romanocostanavarino.com