Elies Hotel

Secluded stone cottages with stylish interiors, tucked among gnarled olive trees a pebble's throw from Kardamyli's lovely beach (each sleeps 2-5)

With so much coastline in Greece, you'd think it would be easy to find a stylish little cottage by a secluded beach. But it's not. Most islands have rows of cheap identikit pensions, or a busy road between you and the water, or both. But this isn't an island; it's the southern Peloponnese, a 4-hour drive from Athens, way off the island-hoppers' radar. And the beach is pebbly (though the waters are gloriously clear). Both of which go some way to explain how it comes to be the only accommodation on this lovely sweep of azure sea, fringed by those famous olive groves and backed by snow-capped Mt. Taygetos.

But it doesn't explain the wonderful, unexpected, almost Scandinavian chic-ness of the interiors - classy pastel shades, gleaming kitchenettes, comfy contemporary sofas, brilliant rugs on bleached pine floors. That's down to owner Stavros' obsessive quest for the best: it took him 5 years to build 10 cottages, stone by stone, and another 8 were finished in 2010. He and wife Fani also run the taverna by the beach - which, unsurprisingly perhaps, is among the best in the region.

Highs

• The privacy: tucked among shady olive groves, each cottage has a secluded terrace, some with glimpses of sea
• It's 2-3 minutes' walk to plunge into some of the cleanest seas in the Med
• If you don't feel like cooking, Elies' restaurant serves superb Greek food
• There are fantastic hiking trails on your doorstep
• And the pretty fishing village of Kardamyli, 1km away, is a long-standing favourite of ours: I've been coming for 15 years and have never tired of its peaceful, friendly charm

Lows

• It's hard to reach: a 4-hour drive from Athens airport or an hour from Kalamata airport, if you're happy with a Sunday sunrise charter from the UK
• The beach is pebbly, but there are sandy beaches at nearby Stoupa for the kids
• The restaurant only serves lunch (no dinner) outside summer
• The completion of 8 new cottages in 2010 means that in high summer it could get quite busy, with up to 50 guests (plus non-resident diners)