MANNA, ARCADIA, GREECE

Posted in Projects on 11 March, 2024

Following a meticulous nine-year restoration, the once-abandoned sanatorium now glistens as a year-round mythical retreat in the heart of the Peloponnese.

Words by Jess Miles

A long, winter weekend spent in the endless splendour of a mountainous virgin fir forest, is not often a description synonymous with a Greek destination. Yet, Manna – a quietly luxurious five-star retreat, and one of Design Hotels’ latest members – is set to change the narrative. Often overshadowed by its island counterparts, mainland Greece is ripe with bucolic landscapes, humble alpine villages, year-round seasonality, and an ever-present sense of history. Celebrated in ancient Greek mythology as an unspoiled, harmonious wilderness, the Arcadian region is fabled to be the domain of Pan – the god of the forest – and his court of dryads, nymphs, and other spirits of nature. Just two and a half hours drive from Athens in the depths of the Peloponnese, the lovingly reimagined Manna is one such location that carries forward this unique mysticism through to the present day.

BACKSTORY
Winding down meandering mountain roads, picture-perfect openings between thick fir reveal the striking façade of Manna, as it basks graciously in the warm afternoon light falling to dusk. Bewildering upon first look, the edifice itself strays far from the Hellenic neoclassical repertoire one would expect for a century-old building. Designed by Swiss architects and built of rugged grey limestone with thick reinforced concrete slabs, unconventional it may be. But where its story begins is even more so. Founded by a Greek aristocrat who dedicated her life and fortune to the treatment of wounded soldiers suffering from tuberculosis, the monumental building began life as a sanatorium. The isolated location and the abundance of fresh woodland air were hoped to heal patients, though the introduction of penicillin just 10 years later forced the closure and later abandonment of the sanatorium, leaving it to become a treasure trove of building materials. The original stone windowsills can now be found scattered across newer buildings of the region, whilst the wooden roof found its forever home atop a younger hospital in the town of Tripoli.

60 years on, Stratis Batagias, entrepreneur and now hotelier, spent his childhood summers at a camp gallivanting between the mountains and trees of the Peloponnese – where his ancestry goes back for as long as he can trace. Just one kilometre from the camp was the overgrown, ransacked shell of the sanatorium which endlessly fascinated him. “We were always sneaking over there at night with torches, scaring each other and telling ghost stories about this notorious abandoned place,” he says. “I was 12 years old, and even back then I wanted to buy the property someday.” From youthful fantasy to hard reality, opportunity struck in 2013 during the economic crisis when the government were forced to put abandoned listed buildings up for auction. “It took less than one minute to decide. But it took another nine years to get it up and running,” Batagias recalls.

DESIGN
When conceptualising the hotel, Batagias looked to the original purpose of the building – to heal in nature – whilst intertwining the mythical tales of its locale. Emblematic of a restorative sanctuary in its first life, Manna was set to follow the same principles, though this time around as a contemporary reinterpretation of wellness and hospitality. As a first-time hotelier, Batagias sought the expertise of several Greek-grown design practices, enlisting K-Studio for architecture and interior design, and MONOGON Office for Architecture in collaboration with CS Architecture for the technical design. What followed, was a rigorous yet sensitive restoration of the property which saw the architects working closely with archival materials and archaeological authorities to reconstruct the monumental building to its original glory, setting the scene for a new chapter.

What has emerged from the extensive nine-year project is a sublime testament to contemporary architectural expertise and prevailing century-old local craftmanship. The revived main building pays homage to its history by way of preserved limestone, wood, and traces of original mosaic flooring that melds with locally crafted modern furniture and fittings. Additionally, remnants of a derelict auxiliary structure has been completely reconstructed and extended up to mirror the main building. Rebuilt using the same limestone thought to have been quarried from the nearby village of Lagadia, the transition between the old and new is almost indistinguishable. A series of glass-walled walkways connecting the two creates an evocative sense of space as the light dappling through the forest beyond gently illuminates the journey between, dissipating any prior urge to spot the difference.

Ornate glass-paned iron doors make an enchanting entrance, the decorative accents following the same design as the original infirmary doorways. In meticulous attention to detail, the same design can be found elsewhere inside. Overhead in public spaces, the pattern lattices across the rich, cocoa-brown rattan ceiling recesses. In the 32 guestrooms, it reappears as brushed timber wall panels that harmoniously divide the space akin to traditional Japanese shoji screens. Original terrazzo replicated from native gravel glides across the floors, with soft Peloponnese marble framing edges and entryways. Underfoot, hand-etched room numbers and navigational cues make wayfinding unabashedly elegant. Throughout, the outside is reflected in, as if to be as close to the healing properties of the forest as possible. Intrusive pops of colour don’t exist here – one organic tone flows fluidly into the next, just as it does in nature. Complementing the restorative interiors, Batagias’ growing curation of artworks by Greek painter Nikos Kanoglou and French sculptor Diane Alexandre narrate Arcadia’s mythological tales, weaving them into the very fabric of Manna.

KEY AREAS
Entering on the first floor, sun-soaked, fir-draped, spectacular mountain views are made the most of through the vast windows of the welcome lounge and expansive bar that runs the length of the façade. The nostalgic sepia-toned setting evokes a subtle familiarity which brings instant ease. The tactile touch of supple velvets and flossy sheepskin pelts soften solid stone walls, whilst grand marble fireplaces fluttering licking flames invite the subtle art of reverie. Guests are welcome to linger as long or as little as they please, perusing a varied collection of vintage books, playing classic board games, or talking amongst companions over a ‘healing’ concoction from the apothecary-style bar – which serves as a subtle nod to Manna’s medicinal past life. Located directly below, the restaurant carries the same earthly palate as the décor – the creative menu by award-winning chef Athinagoras Kostakos soaking in its surroundings, providing a Greek taste of the alpine.

Whilst the most spacious of guestrooms and suites are found on the second and third floors, the chestnut-clad rooms on the top floor owe their memorable nest-like existence to the missing roof that took a wander to Tripoli – allowing for the expansion of an attic level, benefitting an entire floor of additional rooms. Despite being the most challenging aspect of the project according to Batagias – due to the bureaucracy of listed buildings and the lengthy process of getting plans over the line – the rooms are among his favourite spaces of contemplation, making them a true labour of love. Lofty and gabled, the new roof follows a similar central European structure as the original blueprints, except with a higher slope for the previously non-existent headroom. Balconies recessed into additional pitched dormers sink into the rooms toward the beds, cocooning the skyline view in a perfect blinkered frame for stargazing.

Completing the sensory experience guests can retreat to Manna’s wellness space, tucked away on the ground floor of the rear building. Private treatment rooms Ursa Minor and Ursa Major, go the extra mile with their own sauna, hammam, or plunge pools. A luxurious fully equipped gym space sets the scene for revitalising workouts. Through the door at the end of the corridor, the specially excavated subterranean cave pool exudes a divinity that feels like you might well have stumbled across Pan’s hidden sanctuary.

FINISHING TOUCH
The dedication, skill, and passion put into this project is undoubtable. From the designers’ archaeological commitment to the landmark’s material palette to Batagias’ deep-rooted affinity with the site and locale, the reimagination of the property has resulted in a hotel that intricately unfolds Manna’s layered history, whilst paving the way for the here-and-now. Remaining a marvel in local history, now polished with materials from the very same land that gave birth to the myths, Manna’s story has entered an entirely new chapter, which one would expect will be retold in these parts – and far beyond – for years to come.