228 days ago
Another day and another reservation arrives. That means that there are now just eight weeks unbooked this year between May 1, when the pool opens up, and November 2 when it shuts for the winter. A number of those renting are return visitors. If you fancy a holiday in the Greek countryside, two miles from the nearest house in a luxurious poolside villa, I can help you. The Eco palace we have restored over the past decade, in the Mani will be 100 years old this year and has, as you can see below, been completely renovated. The pool will be warm by May and will stay warm until late October so the smart holidaymaker still has five weeks of off peak bookings available and here are direct flights to Kalamata throughout that period. As of now there are still three weeks unbooked in May, two weeks in June and a week free in both August and September with 12 days unbooked in October.
258 days ago
I designed what was a hovel in the Greek mountains to be an eco palace, a house with sleek lines, vast amounts of clean air in vaulted ceilings and a place of quiet where you can forget about the horrors of the outside world. As you can see below what I have created is just that. If you want, you can sit there all day by the pool or inside looking at the view outside or at long lines of bookshelves and traditional stone walls. It is, as you can see below, an ideal retreat.
268 days ago
The last day was, of course, back in December. But for some reason these photos slipped down my mental rabbit hole. So here goes, the memory has not gone completely.
274 days ago
If you fancy a holiday in the Greek countryside, two miles from the nearest house in a luxurious poolside villa, I can help you. The Eco palace we have restored over the past decade, in the Mani will be 100 years old this year and has, as you can see below, been completely renovated. The pool will be warm by May and will stay warm until late October so the smart holidaymaker still has six weeks of off peak bookings available and here are direct flights to Kalamata throughout that period. As of now there are still vacancies in May, two weeks in June and a week free in both August and September with 12 days unbookedin October.
329 days ago
If you fancy a holiday in the Greek countryside, two miles from the nearest house in a luxurious poolside villa, I think I can help you. The Eco palace we have restored in the Mani will be 100 years old this year and has, as you can see below, been completely renovated. The pool will be warm by May and will stay warm until late October so the smart holidaymaker still has six weeks of off peak bookings available and here are direct flights to Kalamata throughout that period.
461 days ago
I shall recount more about the strange life of my friend P pictured below as I recall more about the changing life in the Square in the local village of Kambos. Suffice to say, he owed me a day’s work and so was dropped off by his girlfriend this morning with his strimmer. After my heroic battles with the snake last night, I was more than glad as he cleared all the weeds and grass around the pool, around my water tank and for yards around the house on all sides.
600 days ago
The next guests at the hovel, c/o Airbnb, insisted that the pool be opened up for them from Saturday. And so it is. I have warned them it will not be warm. In fact it is very cold indeed but they insist that they are hardy souls.
613 days ago
In four days time, the advance party, myself and Joshua will be in Greece ensuring that a third proper loo is fitted at the hovel and that the last bad bit of road on snake hill is mended. We will take out a few more books although the library there is extensive and have to buy some loungers for the pool before the arrival of the Mrs and Jaya. The house is then, near as damn it, complete. There may be a picture or two to take out and hang and a few more books and DVDs but it is a place I could now live in all year round. I wish. There is good news and bad news from Kambos.
628 days ago
Next year we must do something special as the Greek Hovel will be 100 years old. Maybe I shall build a stone wall as an add on up by the house. I shall consider my options. This year, between the start of April and the end of October, the place will be busy.
687 days ago
We now have two trips planned to the Greek Hovel for this spring and summer and I cannot wait. Admittedly, at Easter, the pool will not be up and running yet ( it opens on May 1) but we will have time to put the last finishing touches to the track up to the house, but a second clothes hanger and put up a couple more paintings, replace a few light bulbs and install a third lavatory. What a holiday! The Eco palace will then be complete.
780 days ago
The last guests of the year arrive at the Greek Hovel today. It is October but the sun has kept the pool warm and it stays open until the end of the month. Then it shuts down until April. But you can still swim in the sea in November and it will be a lot warmer than Whitby in August. In fact, the best time to visit Greece is about now. For starters, everything from air flights to hotels (and hovels) are so much cheaper.
855 days ago
The Mrs and I have worked hard this summer on upgrading the our luxury Greek mountain retreat with pool but a late cancellation means that it is still free to rent for three weeks between now and the end of the swimming pool season. Full pictures and booking via AirBnB can be found HERE but as a reader of this website if you want to book contact me direct and we can cut out the middleman.
1240 days ago
Finally, fifteen days after our arrival, the pool man said we were ready to go. There were dark clouds over the mountains so the swimming pool does not look as blue as it does this morning, but Joshua and I went for our first swim here of the summer. The water was lovely and warm, though not too warm. It was perfect! Today, our first guests for swimming arrive, the Guardian-reading loons L&G. Joshua enjoys splashing L who seems to take it well so that should be a highlight of his day.
