Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino — Hotel in Municipality of Pylos and Nestor

I started writing this review during my stay and found that I was flipping anywhere from a 3/5 to a 5/5 depending on my experience on a given day - on reflection, we had a great stay and I think this hotel deserves a 4/5 rating with a point deducted for the service which was frustratingly inconsistent. ||The hotel is located in a largely undeveloped area and it looks a little imposing from afar but from within the resort it is really beautifully designed and feels part of the landscape. The planting throughout is wild and fragrant and the building rooftops are planted with grasses as if they’ve sprung from the ground. The furnishings in both the communal areas and rooms is impressively high end. We stayed in a beach club suite which was spacious and comfortable with wonderful views from the balcony which felt very private. There wasn’t a huge amount of storage (we stayed for 9 nights and we have a toddler - for shorter stays it would be fine). And I noticed a few annoying design flaws in the room e.g. drawers opening into plug sockets. ||The pool and beach area is lovely and huge. There is a slightly generic “resorty” feel but there are a lot of sun beds so I can’t imagine it ever feeling too busy even when the hotel is full. The views out to the sea from across the pool are serene. You’re given a cool bag filled with bottled water and a buzzer for service which is helpful and the service around the pool was consistently good. The only exception was when we left our toddler’s life vest around the pool one afternoon. We reported it missing first thing the following morning and staff confirmed the jacket had been found within an hour or so, yet it took until that evening for it to be returned - given we had one of only two toddlers in the hotel at that time we were shocked at the hoops we had to jump through to have the item returned (which included signing multiple forms and speaking to several different members of staff). I expect staff were just following procedures but for a low value item which belonged to a toddler we felt some common sense would have helped resolve the issue more efficiently. It was disappointing for our little man to miss a whole day in the pool. ||Everyone can take an e-bike to get around the resort throughout their stay. The resort isn’t so big that you need to use one (and there are buggies to get around too) but it’s a nice touch which suits the “wellness” vibe of the hotel. However, I didn’t use mine often as it seemed they only had one adult size which felt too big for me (I’m 5ft2). ||The hotel is very well equipped for small children. There is a beautiful kids club for over 3s with a schedule of organised activities each day. If you have a younger little person you can take them in to play for free or pay a babysitter to hang out with them if you’d like to leave them there. There is a wide variety of lovely toys to play with including an outdoor area with a climbing wall and the staff are very friendly and great with the children. There were other nice touches such as providing us with a bucket, spade and toys on the beach, colouring and kids tableware in all restaurants and kids toiletries on request.||Food quality was really good throughout the hotel as one might expect given pricing. Others have mentioned the breakfasts and I agree they really are very good! The views from Oliveira (where breakfast is served) are spectacular. We also ate dinner at Oliveira, the Brasserie at the golf club and the pool (Tahir) and we enjoyed every meal. ||Service was the biggest let down of our trip. This wasn’t for a lack of trying or caring from the staff and sometimes the service was excellent. However there were several occasions which left us feeling frustrated and at this price point we found this disappointing. ||Our arrival at 9pm was broadly on time (hotel had flight details) but on arrival there was nobody to assist with luggage for several minutes and the reception seemed a little unprepared. A relatively basic soft welcome drink was offered. ||During our first dinner in Oliveira the waitress seemed reluctant to hand over the wine list and insisted we speak to the sommelier first, even though we mentioned we were just ordering by the glass. The sommelier was busy with other guests and it ended up taking so long to get the wine that our food arrived first. Drinks service at breakfast was also inconsistent - coffee service was fine but getting hold of water and juice was more challenging; these were sometimes offered by staff but not always and on several occasions juices failed to arrive and water was not topped up at all throughout breakfast. We felt the issues mostly came down to inexperience and breakdowns in communication. ||We were also a little disappointed with turndown as the service seemed quite basic, timing was random (eg at 6pm, then 10pm another day), and on a couple of nights we had no turndown at all despite being out of the room for most of the evening. Daytime housekeeping service was however generally very good. ||It’s also worth noting that there isn’t really anywhere to walk from the hotel so keep this in mind if you enjoy a holiday stroll. The MO is next to the W hotel and a small newly built marina which has a selection of high end shops and a few restaurants. To get anywhere further afield (or authentically Greek feeling…) you either need to brave walking along the busy roadside which we didn’t fancy with a pushchair or you’ll need a car (which the hotel sorted for us conveniently). The hotel offers a “shuttle” service to Pylos and Gialova but there is charge of €15-20pp for what is a very short journey. At other comparable hotels this type of shuttle service is included so we found the charge a bit cheeky at this price point. ||Overall, this is a very good hotel and most of the time you will get the experience you paid for - it is beautiful, high end, the setting and views fabulous and there are some luxurious touches. The service just needs to be more consistent and for our tastes perhaps a little less corporate feeling. It is still a relatively new hotel so maybe this will come with time as staff gain...

I’ve got to say, our stay at Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino was nothing short of spectacular. From the second we pulled up, We felt right at home - Chris greeted us every day with that infectious smile of his and even drove us around in the buggy, making sure we never had to haul our bags around ourselves 😉. At breakfast, Kim and Beata were always there to brighten the start of our day with their warm hellos and friendly chatter. When it was time to check out, Kathy made even this moment less sad than it might would’ve been without her.||Throughout our entire stay, Nicole was a constant guardian angel - checking in regularly, anticipating our needs (even needs we didn’t even know we had), and ensuring we had everything we could possibly want.||The resort itself is stunning in every aspect: between olive groves and the sea, offering jaw-dropping views and that peaceful vibe you might struggle to find anywhere else. The architecture strikes this perfect balance of modern elegance and cozy warmth - honestly, I felt instantly relaxed the moment I stepped into my room. Every little detail - from the linens to the lighting - was curated for comfort and privacy. Not to forget to mention the amazing facilities provided.||Service across the board was top-notch. Whether I ran into someone at the front desk, the pool (honorable mention here is Johnny) saw the housekeeping team tidying up, or grabbed a bite at one of the restaurants (Christina & Matteo), everyone went above and beyond. Breakfast spoiled us with variety and quality, and dinner at the signature restaurants was just the right mix of refined and laid-back. A special place in the Hotel is Pizza Sapienza. After having heard about “Asias best Pizza and number 3 in the world” back then in MO Tokyo, we got the opportunity here to finally try it (better use it as thousands of people are waiting for the one in Tokyo). |It offers a Japanese Omakase (Chef’s Choice) selection of Pizza, filled with local ingredients (+ Water from Italy ;D). During our stay we even had the honor to meet chef Paolo, who flew in from Tokyo. ||I’d come back in a heartbeat and suggest it to anyone craving a peaceful, indulgent escape in one of Greece’s most stunning coastal spots. Huge thanks to Chris, Kim, Beata, Kathy, Johnny, Nicole and the entire Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino team for making this stay truly unforgettable.||P. S.: If anyones name was spelled incorrectly here I hope you forgive me 😊|Hope to see...

I’ve got to say, our stay at Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino was nothing short of spectacular. From the second we pulled up, We felt right at home - Chris greeted us every day with that infectious smile of his and even drove us around in the buggy, making sure we never had to haul our bags around ourselves 😉. At breakfast, Kim and Beata were always there to brighten the start of our day with their warm hellos and friendly chatter. When it was time to check out, Kathy made even this moment less sad than it might would’ve been without her.

Throughout our entire stay, Nicole was a constant guardian angel - checking in regularly, anticipating our needs (even needs we didn’t even know we had), and ensuring we had everything we could possibly want.

The resort itself is stunning in every aspect: between olive groves and the sea, offering jaw-dropping views and that peaceful vibe you might struggle to find anywhere else. The architecture strikes this perfect balance of modern elegance and cozy warmth - honestly, I felt instantly relaxed the moment I stepped into my room. Every little detail - from the linens to the lighting - was curated for comfort and privacy. Not to forget to mention the amazing facilities provided.

Service across the board was top-notch. Whether I ran into someone at the front desk, the pool (honorable mention here is Johnny) saw the housekeeping team tidying up, or grabbed a bite at one of the restaurants (Christina & Matteo), everyone went above and beyond. Breakfast spoiled us with variety and quality, and dinner at the signature restaurants was just the right mix of refined and laid-back. A special place in the Hotel is Pizza Sapienza. After having heard about “Asias best Pizza and number 3 in the world” back then in MO Tokyo, we got the opportunity here to finally try it (better use it as thousands of people are waiting for the one in Tokyo). It offers a Japanese Omakase (Chef’s Choice) selection of Pizza, filled with local ingredients (+ Water from Italy ;D). During our stay we even had the honor to meet chef Paolo, who flew in from Tokyo.

I’d come back in a heartbeat and suggest it to anyone craving a peaceful, indulgent escape in one of Greece’s most stunning coastal spots. Huge thanks to Chris, Kim, Beata, Kathy, Johnny, Nicole and the entire Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino team for making this stay truly unforgettable.

P. S.: If anyones name was spelled incorrectly here I hope you forgive me 😊 Hope to see...