Perivoli Country Hotel & Retreat, near Nafplio, Peloponnese, Greece - Explore & Book

"Perivoli means ‘orchard’, and this terracotta-coloured hotel sits right among the orange and lemon groves, high on a hill above the handsome and historic town of Nafplio, with the Argolid Gulf sparkling behind. It’s the perfect setting for a taste of Greek history – besides neoclassical Nafplio, you’ve got ancient Mycenae, Epidavros, Nemea and Tiryns all within easy reach – combined with lazy days on the beach, exploring the region’s rolling Tuscan-like hills, or just chilling on the hotel’s sunny south-facing pool deck. Whether as a self-contained minibreak - it’s only an hour from Athens – or as a stopover en route to the southern Peloponnese, we can’t recommend it enough. As for the hotel itself, it comes with an airy lobby bar with table football and comfy sofas, a superb virtual breakfast buffet (to cut back on food waste) boasting homegrown or local ingredients, great eco credentials and super-friendly staff. Its 12 bedrooms – spacious, comfortable, perhaps not the height of chic – are spread over two levels, with a choice of direct garden access or better views. There’s also a separate two-bedroom apartment, perfect for families wanting extra independence for a few days. A really great find. Highs The big, sunny pool deck is a wonderful place to laze and graze, or to refresh after sweaty sightseeing Kids will love it here: not just the pool, but also the generous staff and most rooms can fit an extra bed It’s family-run, and it shows: owner Vangelis and his staff greet returning guests like old friends We loved having a secluded hilltop bolthole to escape to, after the (relative) crowds of Nafplio and Mycenae Great value, too Lows It’s perched at the top of some steep narrow lanes, well signed but fiddly They no longer serve lunch and dinner, but there's an all-day snack menu, and no shortage of eateries in nearby Nafplio We found the corridors rather echoey The bedrooms and bathrooms are on the functional side" - Michael Cullen