Riviera Olympia & Aqua Park Grecotel Mega Resort: Mandola Rosa - 4K drone views

Blessed with long swathes of sugar-like sand washed by the aquamarine waters of the Ionian Sea, the northwest Peloponnese prefecture of Ilia has mostly dodged the tourist radar. And that’s probably a good thing.
In early October last year, we had the opportunity to experience this part of the country, and specifically the coastal area of Kyllini, for a few days of much-needed R&R.
We stayed at uber elegant five-star Mandola Rosa, one of four properties that constitute the Riviera Olympia & Aqua Park Grecotel Mega Resort.
Owned by Grecotel, Greece’s largest hotel group, the sprawling resort sits at the edge of a forest and is awash in Mediterranean vegetation.
Inspired by a specific villa in Marrakesh, Mandola Rosa is named after the pink flowering almond trees found at nearby Ancient Olympia. As in the Ionian islands - where the Venetians ruled for four centuries, mandola is the localised version of mandorla, Italian for almond.
Wrapped in eye-pleasing pale pink exteriors, the property comprising 54 suites and villas sits prettily on a grassy slope above a private soft sand beach that stretches a generous 2.4km in length across the entire Riviera Olympia.
Couples, in particular, are drawn to this peaceful sea-front retreat where luxurious surrounds, thoughtful touches and genuine warm Greek hospitality go hand in hand.
We spent hours poring over each one of the carefully-curated curious antiques, including a vintage toy plane that once belonged to royalty, situated in the subtly-decorated foyer, dining room and lounge areas.
Villa 50, our palatial home for three nights, features two bedrooms separated by a light-filled pure white marble atrium which serves as the central focus of the space that blends ancient and contemporary aesthetics.
A spacious living area with ceiling to floor glass windows opens up to a private pool and lush garden, where dreamy sunsets can be appreciated from the comfort of a pair of sun loungers.
There was no elbowing for mirror space or taking turns to shower as we each had our own bathroom and shower, lined in wall to wall marble. The electric toilet, with all its fancy lights and built-in bidet, confounded us so we simply left it in manual mode.
We did share the walk-in wardrobe, which was one of the biggest we’ve encountered thus far.
Mornings were a leisurely, drawn-out affair spent lounging in wicker chairs beneath cloudless skies and tucking into an al fresco buffet breakfast of savoury and sweet treats, smoothies, fresh fruit and egg dishes to order. All that could be heard was the low decibel conversations of fellow guests and chirping swallows.
A grand staircase lined in palm trees leads from the breakfast dining area down to a pool that looks out onto the water and across to Zakynthos island. But, when you’ve got the glorious Ionian at your feet, the choice on where to cool off should be clear-cut.
Down at the beach, where there is plenty of room to move, we kicked back at our own gazebo, exclusively ours for the duration of our stay, which comes complete with an old school trunk to stash our beach gear.
For those with the cash to splash, there is a selection of sophisticated villas situated right on the beach. Our favourite was the five-bedroom Grand Beach Villa, whose master bedroom and ensuite bathroom feature unimpeded views of the sea and sand.
One afternoon we surrendered our urban-weary bodies to an invigorating thalassotherapy session at the Elixir Thalassotherapy Centre, laughing at our inability to counter the force of the powerful jets above and below the water.
The refreshingly cool evenings of early Autumn in the Peloponnese call for long-sleeved resort wear and a shawl over the shoulders at dinner. Of the three restaurants we dined at, we were most impressed with - and pleasantly surprised by - the quality of fare at the resort’s colourful Greek taverna.
On our last day before the drive back to Athens, we popped into the Olympia Aqua Park and regretted not taking the time to test out the slides, so we could relive the thrills and spills of our childhood days.
Looking back now, Mandola Rosa is the kind of secluded resort destination we would feel exceedingly comfortable choosing to return to, knowing that social distancing comes naturally, without a second thought.
Riviera Olympia Riviera Olympia & Aqua Park Grecotel Mega Resort will reopen to guests in May 2021.
*Make sure to dial up the view setting to 4K.
#luxuryhotels #Greece
Videography and editing by Carlo Raciti www.carloraciti.com
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[@FlySoul]

Beautiful view

[@CarloRaciti]

Thank you