NetJets US Autumn 2023

IN THE PANTHEON—forgive the pun—of Greek
destinations, the Peloponnese might not have the same
A-list cache as sun-soaked spots such as Mykonos or
Santorini, to name just two. But this large peninsula,
connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus at Corinth,
has quietly begun to make waves, thanks in large part to
a singular masterplan destination called Costa Navarino
(costanavarino.com).
It was envisaged by a self-made shipping magnate named
Vassilis Constantakopoulos back in the early 80s, with the
businessman then spending the better part of the next 25
years acquiring land—one parcel at a time—in his beloved
and native Messinia, a historically significant region of the
southwest Peloponnese. Today, Costa Navarino is ranked as
one of the top holiday destinations in Europe.
Why? Perhaps it’s because back in 2010, the resort’s
first phase, Navarino Dunes, debuted with a pair of luxe
hotels (The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort, and The
Westin Resort) and a championship golf course designed by
Bernhard Langer in partnership with European Golf Design.
Or perhaps it’s because a couple of years later, despite the
economic crisis in the region, the resort’s second phase
kicked off with the debut of another 18-hole layout, the
stunning Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed Bay Course.
Now, however, another pair of new championship courses,
the Hills and the International Olympic Academy Course,
by two-time Masters champion and Ryder Cup legend José
María Olazábal, as well as the sprawling beachside W Costa
Navarino and an even newer Mandarin Oriental property,
are adding further luster to this expansive destination.
Like the earlier courses, these latest offerings are a
visually striking and challenging test, which are perched
not at sea level as their earlier siblings are but rather
650-foot up on a littoral plateau with views of box
canyons, mountains, and the azure coastline. “The
two courses are distinct in character,” says Olazábal,
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