MANNA

Manna Arcadia Hotel Review | Hotels Above Par

"Perched at 1,200 meters in the fir-lined mountains of Arcadia in the Peloponnese, Manna — a member of Design Hotels and Marriott Bonvoy — felt like Greece’s refined take on an alpine retreat. Built in the 1920s as a tuberculosis sanatorium and lovingly restored by owner Stratis Bayatas with K-Studio and Monogon Office of Architecture, the hotel balances monastic stone walls and a storied façade with velvet armchairs, oak furniture, wool throws and sculptural lines; I loved how the space manages to be luxurious yet unpretentious and immediately slowed my pace. Thoughtful design moments — moss-green velvet seats, a glass walkway linking the two wings where I watched mist curl through the firs at dawn, curated art such as Diane Alexandre’s clay bust of Pan, and lighting by Eleftheria Deko that animates the stone — pull the forest inside. The 32 rooms and suites mix raw stone and soaring ceilings with bronze, velvet and marble finishes; my suite had a soaking tub overlooking the fir forest, shelves lined with novels like Zorba the Greek in Greek and English, and Greek herbal teas from Symbeeosis that I loved sipping on the stone balcony. Dining, led by award-winning chef Athinagoras Kostakos, is hyper-local and excellent: I loved Manna’s signature sausage (local pork stuffed with frumenty, tomato sauce and fried leek), and mains such as grilled seabass and a wild-mushroom fricasse with ginger, herbs and Avgolemono showcased meat from mountain herders, nearby cheeses, foraged greens and Arcadian honey; breakfasts of warm tsoureki, mountain honey and fresh eggs became a daily indulgence and evenings by the firepit with an aperitivo were idyllic. The Wellness & Spa leans on the forest too — I enjoyed the Aromatherapy Mountain Massage with signature fir-and-cedarwood or fir-and-sage oils and floating in the ‘cave’ pool before lazing in a hammock — and the boutique stocks high-end skincare like Augustinus Bader. Children above 11 are welcome, making it especially suited to couples or those seeking a quiet, peaceful retreat, and its location makes exploring nearby Kapsia Cave, Vytina, Lousios Gorge, local monasteries and Dimitsana’s Open-Air Water Power Museum effortless." - Rebecca Hall