Approaching Costa Navarino Resort by helicopter.

A weekly series featuring luxury hotel expert Mary Gostelow’s hotel pick of the week.

When traveling from Athens, Greece, book a helicopter for a memorable 50-minute journey to what is arguably Europe’s best destination resort: Costa Navarino. Alternative transport is either a nearly four-hour drive from Athens, or a flight that takes you straight into Kalamata airport, which is only 45 minutes’ drive from the 2,500-acre resort. Costa Navarino is the brainchild of the Constantakopoulos family, who have spent two decades buying parcels of land near Messinia, in the Peloponnese, an area known for its idyllic turquoise waters and sandy beaches. Today, the land hosts two luxury hotels, The Romanos and The Westin, and two golf courses, Langer and Trent Jones II. You can find every other sport imaginable too, along with a massive Thalasso spa, a 19th century chapel and a modern market square. The grounds also have over 40,000 olive trees which are harvested every October through December.

Looking out to the Mediterranean from The Romanos Resort.

The Romanos Villa 1307’s pool and private beach, all in one.

For a stay worthy of the Gods, book one of the six The Romanos villas closest to the Ionian Sea. Villa 1307 has its own pool and a private beach sheltered from the main sand just beyond- so perfect you actually feel like spending all your time there. But if you venture out you share, with the rest of the 321-room hotel, an outdoor and an indoor pool, and an excellent indoor pool next to the 24/7 Cybex gym. The Romanos, a Luxury Collection hotel, shares facilities with the adjacent 445-room Westin, so in all you have 22 restaurants, including an outstanding steakhouse in the golf club where all dishes, even salad, are each served on a unique olive wood platter.

Yes, Costa Navarino is olive heaven – try its signature olive oil martini– it’s seasonal, helps with the olive harvest, and is really calorie-consumptive! On a whole, Costa Navarino is heaven for those who love fresh air and sensational sunsets.

A typical sunset for Costa Nastrino.

Mary helps with the olive harvest- great exercise too!

Read last week’s Hotel of the Week here.