Designed by , MANNA is a new mountain retreat in the forest of Arcadia in Greece’s Peloponnese region, unlike anything Greece has seen before.
Since ancient times, Arcadia, just two hours southwest of Athens, has been known for its infinite natural beauty and healing powers. In Greek mythology, Arcadia, which takes its name from the mythological character Arcas, was the home of the gods Hermes and Pan. This healing feeling is tangible when you are out in Mount Mainalos’ dense fir forest. At an altitude of 1200m, fresh air is abundant, and there is a strong sense of nurture and calm.
For owner and first-time hotelier Stratis Batagias, MANNA is the realisation of a long-standing childhood dream. As a child, Stratis spent his summers out in Arcadia. He remembers being entranced by the abandoned building deep in the forest, empty for 80 years. He was only 12 years old at the time, but he dreamt that this enchanted building would one day become a hotel. After acquiring the property in 2014, Stratis’ dream is alive many years later, with MANNA opening its doors in August this year.
Preserved grey limestone, wood, and mosaic flooring features throughout the hotel, paired with newly added, locally sourced stone, terrazzo, and chestnut panels.
Patience was certainly required in making this dream happen. After the purchase of the building back in 2014, it took four years for permits to be approved for MANNA and four years for construction. Stratis engaged renowned Greek design studio K-STUDIO and Greek architects Monogon Office for Architecture, in collaboration with CS Architecture, to revive this 20th-century heritage-listed building. In collaboration with archaeologists and paying homage to the original architecture and its past, they have breathed new life into this building of neoclassical influences, converting it into a contemporary sanctuary in the mountains.
The original building was constructed in 1929 by local craftsmen from the nearby village of Lagadia, known for their stone craftsmanship, and designed by the architect Xenophon Angelidis. Back then, it operated as a sanatorium, a place for sufferers of tuberculosis who hoped to heal from the benefits of living within the Aracadic woods, run by a woman named Anna Mela, who devoted her life and fortune to treating these patients and wounded soldiers. It was the clean mountain air of Arcadia that made the location so perfect for healing. With the introduction of penicillin as a treatment against tuberculosis, however, by 1938, the sanatorium was closed, ransacked, and then abandoned. It had sat there empty ever since.
MANNA is named as a tribute to Anna Mela, and the Greek word for Mum, Mama; a place of calm and healing — a place to be held.
The welcome area features large windows and streams of natural light, where guests enjoy a welcome drink by the open fire. The lounge area has a beautiful, all-wooden apothecary-style bar, referencing the building’s healing past.
An abundance of preserved grey limestone, wood, and mosaic flooring features throughout the hotel, paired with newly added, locally sourced stone and terrazzo (from nearby mines), as well as chestnut panels brought directly from the woods. Many of the original, timeless elements and interiors have been kept as well, including the high ceilings in the guest rooms, some of the original terrazzo and floor tiles, the iron doors with ornate muntins, and the original staircase which was extensively preserved with the precast terrazzo pieces that interlock in compression. Local craftsmen were involved in all construction phases, as their knowledge of the stoneworks, joinery, and even the characteristic engraved grouting of the exterior stonewalls was incomparable.
There is an exceptional amount of beauty in the impressive welcome area, with its big windows and streams of natural light, where guests are greeted upon arrival after being met by the ever-charming and lovely doorman, Dimitris, and enjoy a welcome drink by the open fire. The lounge area features a beautiful, all-wooden apothecary-style bar, referencing the building’s healing past.
The ceilings are high, and the spaces are large; even the smallest rooms feel very spacious, offering some view over the surrounding forest.
The MANNA Suite is the largest room category with 52-55 sq.m and offers unhindered views over the pond and the forest and a freestanding copper bathtub.
MANNA features 32 rooms and suites in total. Sustainable materials are featured throughout, and the feeling is immediately one of warmth, relaxation and inspiration. Each room showcases a mix of unique furniture, art and design – much of which was handpicked by Stratis himself. The ceilings are high, and the spaces are large; even the smallest rooms feel very spacious, offering some view over the surrounding forest. The MANNA Suite is the largest room category with 52-55 sq.m and offers unhindered views over the pond and the forest and a freestanding copper bathtub.
The restaurant is on the ground floor of the building, and the dining experience is an attraction all of its own. Award-winning Greek chef Athinagoras Kostakos, known for his work at the famed and Noema Mykonos, among others, has curated a menu that showcases authentic Greek dishes in a more contemporary way, featuring unique Arcadian native products. His breakfast menu, for example, offers Greek recipes produced in a particularly light way to highlight the nutritional nature of the Greek food found in abundance in the surrounding nature. Seasonality of ingredients is an important focus, as is a zero-waste philosophy.
As one could imagine, wellness is an integral part of the MANNA experience. Inspired by the unique healing power of the natural environment surrounding the property, the MANNA wellness offering features a ‘cave’ pool, a sauna and hammam, a very inviting array of spa treatments, a gym, as well as private yoga classes run by the head of wellness, Konstantina, who gives guests the option to enjoy the class indoors by the fire or if weather permits, in a secret outdoor location.
For nature lovers, there are endless experiences you can enjoy in the MANNA surroundings. Hiking in Mainalo mountain is a popular one, and interestingly, one of the most extensive hiking trail networks in Greece can be found in the area. There is an option to go mushroom hunting in the forest, or perhaps rafting and canoeing in the river, mountain biking, or even horse riding in a nearby location deep among the ancient forest firs. Guests can also participate in honey harvesting and taste the area’s unique, award-winning ‘Fir tree Honey’. In winter, you can ski at the little Mainalo ski resort nearby. The options are endless.
MANNA is an extraordinary place. With its relaxed and unpretentious hospitality, warm staff, and calming environment, this newly designed hotel experience in the mountains is like no other offering in Greece.
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