Review of Bassa Maina Villas & Suites: A dreamy Greek retreat

The Mani peninsula, in the southern Peloponnese, is the sort of place you might go when either a) you want to avoid the tourist crowds in popular Greek destinations like Santorini or Mykonos or b) you already experienced the Greek highlights and want some peace and quiet.

I recently visited Mani with my sister. Believe me, it’s the kind of place where you feel like you’re in on a closely-guarded secret. As we drove southward, we passed through a series of lovely little villages of stone buildings and tiny churches. Each time we rounded a curve, we came upon one astounding view after another, out over the sea and the rocky coast, or the equally rocky inland mountains.

While we did spot the occasional hotel or souvenir shop, it was nothing like the more well-known parts of Greece. We could pull over by the side of the road, turn off the engine, and hear … nothing, except the wind and birdsong.

Our destination was Bassa Maina Villas & Suites, near the little seaside town of Limeni, on the west side of the peninsula. Turning off the main road onto a driveway between olive trees and shrubs, we didn’t really know what to expect. We had spotted several stone villages high above the sea but nothing that looked like a hotel. It turned out that, from a distance, they look the same.

Bassa Maina Villas & Suites and its sister property, Aria Estate Suites & Spa, are both part of the Aria Hotels Group, a collection of upscale boutique hotels and villas based in Greece. Their properties are scattered all across the country and its islands, and they’ve expanded into Colombia and the Dominican Republic as well. This was my first Aria stay.

What is Bassa Maina like?

The dominant vibe at Bassa Maina Villas & Suites is restfulness. A stay here is a soothing experience: the quiet, backed by the distant sound of the waves and sometimes the wind; the cool, quiet design of the indoor and outdoor spaces; the way the guests keep their voices down over dinner and by the pool. Walking the stone paths, I brushed against the borders of thyme, lavender and sage and their delicate scents added to the mix. I’m not a person who relaxes easily, but here I couldn’t help feeling the calm. My sister’s word for it was “dreamy.”

Bassa Maina sits alone except for its sister resort right next door. The buildings of both resorts, all designed by the same architect, Manolis Tripodakis, and completed in 2018, are ranged along a slope above the sea on the western side of the Mani peninsula. Built of simple stones, it reflects the traditional stone villages all over the peninsula; this is a local requirement for all new buildings. So outwardly, the architecture is traditional, and so is the way the structures form a cluster. Around it: only native shrubs and olive trees, and, high on the hill behind the complex, a few houses on the edge of a nearby village.

Inside, the aesthetic is just as simple, but less traditional. The reception, bar, dining areas, indoor and outdoor lounges as well as all the villas and suites are furnished in shades of stone, sand and wood, with lots of windows making them light and airy. Some walls are unpainted exposed stone; others are plastered in white. Upholstered chairs and sofas are textured in shades of white and sand. Chairs and tables and beds are of wood, in very simple designs, and lighting is, in many places, indirect.

What are the accommodations like at Bassa Maina?

Bassa Maina offers only ten villas and suites, ranging in size from 37 to 110 m² (398-1184 ft²), each accommodating two to five people. Each villa or suite has a private terrace, with gorgeous views over the sea and along the coast. Seven of them have private jacuzzis on their terraces.

I only got to see the two-bedroom villa my sister and I stayed in, called Villa Sogno. With 75 m² (807 ft²) of space indoors and another 97 outdoors (1044 ft²), it can sleep up to five people: two in each bedroom and one on the sofa. It was far more than we needed, and it was a luxury to each have our own room.

To enter the villa, you open a gate, which leads into a small, walled outdoor space, paved and walled in stone. Ours held a large and comfortable hammock on a wooden frame.

Entering the house itself brings you into a large living room. It has a kitchenette at one end, but not for any real cooking: just a sink, a fridge (with drinks inside for sale), some snacks (also for sale), and everything you might need to make coffee (via a Nespresso machine) or tea.

The rest of the living room holds a round wooden table with four chairs around it, a sofa, a coffee table and two poufs. It’s decorated with a few tasteful touches: a plant – live, not plastic – and some carved wooden objects. The floor surface is large sand-colored tiles, cool on your feet.

At the far end, a French door opens onto the upper patio, furnished with four cushioned chairs. It offers the best view of the sunset over the sea each evening.

Up three wooden steps from the living room is a small nook with big throw pillows opposite a large wall-mounted tv. Passing through the nook you enter the first bedroom.

This was where I slept. The four-poster bed, draped in sheer white fabric, was incredibly inviting the afternoon we arrived: how the light fell in the room across that bed was enchanting. From the bedroom, a double door leads to a small balcony, not big enough for chairs. Nevertheless, I still felt drawn several times a day to go admire the view from there.

The en-suite bathroom had everything I could want: huge towels, high-quality toiletries, a magnifying mirror, and so on. The walls carry the same sand-colored tile as the living room floor.

From the living room near the front door, a stairway, lit by low indirect lights, leads down to the second bedroom for two. The bathroom here is the same as the one upstairs. The ceiling is lower and, instead of a balcony, a window opens out over the view.

From this lower bedroom, French doors lead to the largest of the three outdoor patios, paved in stone. It holds a swinging chair and four loungers as well as the private jacuzzi. It felt incredibly decadent to pour ourselves a glass of wine, get into the jacuzzi and watch the sunset from there. The high stone walls dividing the space from the neighboring villas, besides ensuring privacy, serve as an effective windbreak. One of the complex’s resident cats – there are three – visited briefly as we soaked.

The windows and doors have a well-thought-out feature that I appreciated. Besides the glass, they all have shutters on the inside, which makes them easy to close if you like absolute darkness when you sleep. All but the upper patio doors and the front door have screens too, so if you want to leave the windows open, the bugs can’t get in. I loved leaving the doors open to my little balcony at night, with just the screen across it. I could hear the waves all night, and yet it was private because it faced the sea.

And speaking of sleep, it was so quiet at night! When the sea was calm, I heard very little. On our second night, the wind picked up, and we could hear the waves below. Occasionally we also heard a spooky howling in the distance: the local golden jackals.

The villas and suites have both air conditioning and heating, but when we visited in mid-May, we didn’t need either one. The light duvet on the bed was just right.

What amenities does it offer?

The beds are wonderfully comfortable, with several pillows to choose from. There are sockets and lights by the beds on both sides. A hairdryer, slippers, robes – even big enough for me! – are provided.

I found plenty of fluffy towels in the bathroom, and the bedroom downstairs had an extra basketful of large towels for taking to the jacuzzi or pool. The shower gel, shampoo, conditioner and bar soap are all olive-oil based and very high quality. I may have taken what remained of the bar soap when I checked out. It was just too good to risk it getting thrown out.

Can you swim at Bassa Maina?

While you can see for miles out to sea, across to the tip of the westernmost peninsula in the Peloponnese, there is no way to reach the water straight below Bassa Maina. In any case, the coastline below it is too rocky and steep for swimming. To swim in the sea, you’d need to drive or hike down the road to the little village of Limeni, which has a pretty bay.

However, at Bassa Maina, the pool is just as elegant as the rest of the place, and with only ten accommodations, it’s unlikely to get too crowded. (The adjoining Aria Estate, with only 15 accommodations, has its own separate pool.) Along the sea-facing edge, it’s an infinity pool, so I can imagine, if it’s hot out, spending lots of time in the water, leaning on the edge and staring out over the Mediterranean Sea.

What facilities does Bassa Maina offer?

In the main building where the reception is, breakfast is served only for the hotel’s guests, so it’s a small operation. Guests can choose to eat indoors or outdoors with the outdoor tables either under a shade or in the sun. There’s also a bar and a lounge area with a fireplace and comfy-looking chairs. There is no room service.

Upstairs above the bar, lounge and reception is a game room, with a few board games, a shelf of books, and even a guitar. If you traveled with a larger group, it would be a pleasant place to spend time together.

The complex also includes a gym and a spa. My sister, who normally works out every day, was happy that the gym has a TRX. Besides that, it has good quality yoga mats and steps and also several machines – a rowing machine, a stationary bike, an elliptical, and a treadmill. All of the equipment was in perfect condition.

I only saw a bit of the spa, located next door at the sister property, Aria Estate. The indoor pool isn’t big, but it is slightly heated, so it would be a good choice if you came here early or late in the season. It’s set up for relaxation more than exercise, with lounge chairs around it, half in the water. The spa offers various massages and facials, but I never saw a price list.

While it’s not really a “facility,” I should also point out how attentive the staff is. With only ten villas and suites, the staff has time to get to know the guests a bit. I saw this in action as the manager approached guests to check in with them briefly and make sure they were happy.

How is the food at Bassa Maina?

Breakfast is included in the room price, and the menu offers plenty of options. All of the ones that my sister and I tried were excellent, with small portions so you can choose more than one item. I loved the Greek yogurt with honey and nuts, and also the pancakes, served with a raspberry sauce. My sister very much enjoyed the omelet with feta cheese. The orange juice is fresh squeezed.

In the afternoon there’s a “snack” menu, but in reality it’s full lunch fare. I had a wonderful steak sandwich and my sister loved the pasta with pesto sauce. The prices are pretty comparable to what I’d pay in the Netherlands.

During our stay in May, breakfast was served at Bassa Maina’s main building, but “snacks” and dinner were served next door at Aria Estate in its Horizon Restaurant. I don’t know if this is the case over the summer. They’re essentially a single complex, so I didn’t experience this as an issue.

The dinner menu is more elaborate and more expensive than “snacks,” but it’s interesting and inventive. It is, according to the menu, “inspired by the culinary philosophy of 1890 Restaurant and crafted under the direction of Chef Chris Sidiropoulos.” The 1890 Restaurant is in Athens inside the Athens 1890 Boutique Hotel. Like Bassa Maina, it’s part of the Aria Group.

The starters are creative takes on salads and other appetizers, with an emphasis on using local ingredients and flavors from Greek cuisine. For the main course, there’s a “catch of the day” option, some meat dishes, and a few vegetarian items. My sister, a vegetarian, enjoyed combining a salad – for example, the salad of “chickpeas, cucumber, spring onion, Florina pepper, herbs & Aegina pistachio” – with a starter – like the “Vegetable mille-feuille, basil oil & fresh Messinian mizithra cheese” – and skipping the main. I had the lamb chops one night, served with carrot puree and roasted carrots – wonderful! – and the “catch of the day” another night. It’s so easy for fish to come out tasting rather bland, but this was remarkably flavorful. Again, the prices were comparable to what I’d pay at a good restaurant at home.

My review of Bassa Maina: would I recommend it?

Yes, definitely! It’s a beautiful place to stop and relax: a restorative break. You could just stay here for days, moving between soaking in the sun on your private patio, taking a swim in the pool before a leisurely meal, napping in the hammock, and watching the sunset from the jacuzzi or from a lounge chair by the pool, drink in hand. On the other hand, there are various things to see not too far away: scenic coastline, charming little villages, tiny beaches, and a range of activities like boating and other water sports.

The fact is: I didn’t really want to leave. I never got tired of the view from our upper terrace: of the other villas, the coastline, or the sea. I felt so privileged just to be able to spend time there. The weather varied over our three-night stay, but it was always beautiful. Even though all the villas and suites were occupied for our first two nights, it was marvelously quiet.

Any negative points about the place?

I pride myself on writing honest and authentic reviews, whether anyone is sponsoring me or not. That means that even when I’m wowed by an accommodation, as I was by this one, I keep a critical eye open for anything that’s less than perfect. The truth is I couldn’t find much that was wrong, but here are a couple of remarks:

While the food was consistently excellent, the service on our first morning at breakfast wasn’t good. I don’t know if our waiter was just new, but she kept getting orders wrong or leaving them out completely; not just ours but also other guests’. Whatever the problem was, she and the rest of the staff had fixed it by the next day’s breakfast. At the Horizon Restaurant next door, where we had “snack” one day and dinner twice, the service was always attentive and accurate.

The wifi is rather inconsistent. At times, it worked almost instantly for me. At other times, it cut out entirely. Most of the time, it was somewhere in between: a bit on the slow side. But then, this would be a great place to go offline and read a good book instead!

This is more of a suggestion than a criticism: it would be good to see more attention given to environmental sustainability. The kitchen does seem to lean into local ingredients, which is great, and the architecture and interiors seem locally-made as well. The plantings on the grounds are native – no imported palm trees in sight. It looks they’re watered frugally, using drip irrigation, if at all, and the gardeners leave plenty of uncultivated space for wildflowers to grow.

Nevertheless, I would have liked to see more evidence of attention to sustainability. Even small things like using large pump bottles for shampoo and conditioner instead of small disposable bottles, or replacing towels and sheets less often can make a difference. Solar panels to supplement all the air conditioning they must need in the summer would make sense too.

If it’s so good, why is it a 4-star instead of 5-star?

It surprised me to read that the property has a 4-star rating. I looked up what this means, since it seemed to me that its overall excellent quality should rate five stars. After all, I’ve stayed at 5-star hotels I didn’t like nearly as much as this one.

Apparently, the stars are based on what equipment is in the rooms and what the property’s facilities and services include. Points are assigned based on these, and the sum of the points determines the star rating. That means that, for example, Bassa Maina would need to do things like keep its reception open all night or offer room service to get more points.

In other words – and this was news to me – the star rating is not based on quality, but rather quantity of services and amenities. This place, in my view, offers 5-star quality.

How much does it cost to stay at Bassa Maina Villas & Suites?

It’s pricey, and only open from early April until the end of October. In the spring and fall, prices start between 200 and 300 euros for two people per night, with a minimum stay of two nights. If you’re looking to book in the summer months, it’ll likely be more than twice that, and the minimum stay is four nights.

Book Bassa Maina or Aria Estate here.

How do you get there?

If you intend just to stay there for some rest and relaxation, you could hire a driver from Athens or the Athens airport to take you there, which would take somewhere between three and five hours, depending on traffic. For most people, though, I’d recommend renting a car. It’s not very expensive, and it would give you the freedom to stop and see some things on the way there or back. Mycenae, for example, is worth a stop, as is Nafplio. And a drive around the Mani peninsula is definitely worth doing. During a longer stay at Bassa Maina, you might want to go to other restaurants for some variety and to taste more traditional cuisine.

If you’re planning to spend time in Athens at either end of your trip, though, arrange to pick up the car on the day you leave town, since you won’t need it in the city. Public transportation is much easier than driving and parking in Athens, take my word for it!

Is Bassa Maina wheelchair friendly?

Two of the villas are labeled as “disability-friendly.” However, the buildings are arranged amphitheater-style on the slope, with stairs connecting the different locations. It looks, though, like you can avoid the stairs by using the paths meant for cars or service vehicles. The stone paving of the paths and roads is very tidy, but it’ll be a bit bumpy and sometimes steep.

Can I bring my kids along?

Kids are welcome, but if your children tend to be noisy or bore easily, I’d say this probably isn’t the place for them. There is a ping-pong table in Aria Estate’s main building next door, and some board games in both main buildings. Other than that, there’s just the pool and the jacuzzi, if you book one of the seven accommodations that have one. Besides, having to keep kids entertained would detract from your own ability to relax and enjoy this exceptional setting.

Did you land on this review of Bassa Maina because you’re considering going there? If you have any questions I haven’t answered, add them below and I’ll do my best to answer them!