Rooms

The 5 cottages are nearly identical in layout, with a living area (including sofa bed, fireplace, kafeneion table and small kitchen) separated from the bedroom by a 3/4 height wall so as to maintain a sense of airiness. Off these is a shower room with spoiling towels and gels; outside is a shaded sitting area where, in truth, you’ll spend much more of your time. All have lovely views rolling down to the sea.

The style is more Cycladic than Peloponnesian, by which I mean white walls with a smattering of colour, bamboo-lined ceilings and flat roofs (apart from one lovely pitched-roof cottage overlooking the pool). Expect a clean, functional design: long cream wardrobes, white-tiled floors, mosquito-netted windows in the bedroom, sliding glass doors in the living area. John's partner Maddy plans to add some softer and more homely touches over time. The kingsize bed is very comfy (A/C keeps you cool in midsummer), the shower reliable and strong - as is the WiFi signal. Sofa beds can be set up in the living rooms if you're bringing the teens (must be over 14).

Features include:

• Hairdryer
• Mosquito net
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

Each cottage has a kitchenette with fridge, oven with hob, pots and pans, kettle, toaster, cafetiere and more. It's quite adequate for preparing breakfast or a light lunch, which you can enjoy on your patio, looking out to a blue strip of sea while the breeze rustles the palm and oleander leaves. For supplies, there are shops and supermarkets within 3km.

For a more substantial dinner, the nearest eateries include 2 seafront options by Peroulias beach, and a simple seasonal taverna in Vounaria village (both 10 mins' walk or a short drive away). Further afield, the handsome harbour town of Koroni (10 mins' drive) has a string of fish tavernas on the waterfront: Angelianos served us a tasty seafood soup with chunks of scorpion fish, oregano-crusted toast, crunchy salad and local wine. On our last visit, we enjoyed a delicious supper at O Nikos hidden away in Vassilitsi village: home-cooked Greek staples served indoors or on the patio.

There's also an honesty bar at BanSala, where you can help yourself to drinks, coffees, cappuccinos and cocktails.

Features include:

• Bar
• Breakfast
• Fridge
• Full kitchen
• Hob or stove
• Oven
• Restaurants nearby
• Toaster

Activities

• Wander down to their secluded sandy cove (5 minutes), with its safe, sun-warmed waters; or further along the coast to Peroulia beach (10-15 minutes), where a few loungers and eateries fringe the endless soft sands
  
• Explore the pretty town of Koroni (10 minutes' drive), with its close-packed, pastel-painted houses spilling down from a clifftop Venetian castle to a fishing harbour lined with bobbing boats
  
• Beyond lie the beaches of Memi and Zagas, perfect for wind- and kite-surfing
  
• Drive to the Homeric town of Pylos, set on the Navarino lagoon beneath another hulking castle; shuttle boats will take you to Golden Beach and the stunning horseshoe bay of Voidokilia, from where you can hike up to Nestor's Cave and a Mycenaean beehive tomb
  
• Stop at ancient Messene, with its stunningly preserved 2300-year-old city walls, theatre and temples; allow at least an hour
  
• Escape into the rolling olive and citrus groves on horseback (a lovely German lady has stables at Hrani) or on foot (ask about the walk to the river pools of Polilimnes)
  
• Rent a 5-metre dinghy with an outboard motor and canopy for some lazy fishing, or a day trip to stunning Sapi cove
  
• Go sailing from Ayios Andreas: the Greek skipperess and her yacht can even take you across to the Mani (middle peninsula), winds permitting
  
• Don't miss Methoni, a lovely laid-back town with 2 sandy beaches and the crowning glory of all Venetian castles

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Boat trips
• Fishing
• Golf
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Horse riding
• Kitesurfing
• Sailing
• Shopping / markets
• Snorkelling
• Swimming
• Windsurfing

Kids

All cottages have a sofabed which can sleep a child - normally over 14s only, unless you take over the whole place. If you know of some like-minded families this could be an amazing option for a shared holiday, combining the independence of separate cottages with time together around the pool or beach by day. As there are no full-time staff on the premises, you would need to keep an eye on the children - especially near the unprotected drops by the pool and car park - and have a sensible adult-to-child ratio.

Best for:

Teens (over 12)

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

BanSala is in the Messinia region of the southern Peloponnese, about 9km north of Koroni and 40km southwest of Kalamata. It's about 3 hours' drive from Athens, and a little less from Patras.

By Air:
Kalamata (35km) has some direct flights (mostly charters) from the UK and other European countries, as does Patras (210km). Athens (295km) has a much wider range of scheduled flights. Click on the links below for a list of airlines.

From the Airports
From Kalamata airport you could get a taxi, but realistically you will want a hire car to explore the area and buy supplies etc - see our car rental recommendations.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com

More on getting to Greece and getting around