Nestled along the golden beaches of Ancient Olympia, Grecotel Olympia Oasis & Aqua Park offers a one-of-a-kind getaway where history meets natural beauty. With four distinct resorts and newly ultra-luxurious beach villas, it’s an ideal destination for families seeking adventure, incredible dining, and memorable experiences, all framed by the rich landscape of ancient forests and myths.
You will fall in love with the Peloponnese Peninsula, 3.5 hours southwest of Athens; it is an easy car (or coach) ride on modern highways. The peninsula is chock full of UNESCO World Heritage Sites (including the Archeological Site of Olympia, where the ancient Olympics were held). The Peloponnese Peninsula is often overlooked for its fun cousins, the many Greek islands.
Grecotel Hotels & Resorts was named ‘Aspire Luxury Hotel Brand of the Year’ at the 2024 Aspire Awards, and its sister property, The Dolli in Athens, won a Condé Nast 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards for Greece. This is a top luxury brand you may think is out of your price range, but the Riviera Olympia & Aqua Park is very accessible.
Olympia, on the Peloponnese Peninsula, is a must-visit for history enthusiasts and culture lovers. As the birthplace of the Olympic Games, this ancient site lets you explore the ruins of temples, stadiums, and training facilities dating back over two millennia. A highlight is the Archaeological Museum of Olympia, just 1.3 km from Riviera Olympia & Aqua Park, where you can view impressive artifacts, including sculptures from the Temple of Zeus. The area’s rich history and scenic beauty make it an unforgettable destination for anyone visiting this part of Greece.
Four Properties Many Room Options
Olympia Oasis
The main property, the Olympia Oasis, has six restaurants, the most pools, and access to the most significant stretch of the beach. We stayed for three nights and enjoyed dining at Taverna Tavernaki and The Seasons at this property.
Our room was very spacious, with a view of the main lobby terrace, multiple pools, and the beach. It was a king room with all the amenities you would expect in a luxury hotel: high-end toiletries, a Nespresso coffee bar, a complimentary stocked mini bar, and check-out at 5 p.m.
Non-refundable all-inclusive for May 14-18, 2025: $1,700.73
Ilia Palms
Ilia Palms is the ‘budget’ friendly option but may be the best option for families with free entrance to the Olympia Aqua Park. Some rooms can accommodate up to 6 people, and individual Luxury Made Easy® plans for adults are $70.68. This is still reasonable because it includes snacks, drinks, and all meals.
Children up to 12 years old stay free in the parents’ room. There is free kids’ dining in the “Tasty Corner,” a free Grecoland kids program, GrecoTeens, and outdoor creative activities. Kids & Family.
Half-board Rate for May 14-18, 2025: $713.35
La Riviera
The Riviera is in the middle of the complex, with easy access to pools and the beach. It has easy access to the Aqua Park, Elixir Spa Center, and has killer views of the beach from the main lobby. The resort complex occupies a 500-acre beachfront wooded estate, ideal for horse riding, trekking, tennis, paintball, water sports (kayaking, stand-up paddleboards), and mountain biking.
It provided a non-refundable half-board for May 14 – 18, 2025: $1,310.35
Mandola Rosa Grecotel Boutique Resort
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The most luxurious resort has villas and suites with the most privacy. The large communal pool is at the base of a beautiful, expansive lawn. Villas with private pools and multiple rooms can easily accommodate a family or a group of friends. The decor was high-end and very quiet. At this property, you will have to pay for individual meal plans (half-board is $59.81/person, and Dining Club is $65.25/person).
Specific villa rates provide complimentary airport transfer from Kalamata Airport (two hours away).
Flexible Breakfast only rate for May 14-18, 2025: $2,279.24
Water Park
The Olympia Aqua Park, the largest in a Greek resort, is a whirling 20,000 m² of excitement. filled with thrilling, record-breaking waterslides, rides, and aqua towers. This mega-waterpark is the ultimate experience for the whole family in absolute safety.
Whether you walk or take a hotel shuttle (this is a huge property), you can enjoy the fun of a waterpark with the luxury of a resort. When Disney meets Greek history, you will get a mega theme park dream come true. Hercules and Olympia, the mascots of the Olympia Aqua Park, introduce you to their world of Greek gods & heroes.
Pools and Beach Area
The Resort boasts 11 pools. We were at the Olympia Oasis, which had the most pools and direct access to the beach. A late afternoon dip in the large infinity pool gave us the most beautiful sunset, and it was marvelous.
It is important to note that wheelchair accessibility to the pools is possible but not the most convenient (or in certain areas accessible). There are varying degrees of privacy; the Mandola Rosa provides the best. Having a room overlooking the pools can be a bit noisy, but that is to be expected in this family-friendly resort.
The Beach
A beach of the largess is not as common in Greek resorts, but the frontage at these four hotels is large and gradual. It is also in a bit of a cove, so it’s great for family fun. Tents and lounge chairs are offered, but the best is the sunset!
La Riviera
- 1 freshwater pool (300m²)
- 2 seawater exotic pools (130m²)
- 1 freshwater children’s pool (50m²)
- freshwater indoor pool (133m²), heated (April & October)
Olympia Oasis
- 1 freshwater main pool (950m²)
- 1 adventure pool with lazy river and waterslides, freshwater (412m²)
- 1 exotic landscaped pool, seawater (1200m²)
- 1 freshwater children’s /paddling pool (250m²)
- 1 indoor pool (100m²), heated in cooler months
Ilia Palms
- New Ilia Palms Lap Pool nestled in the dense foliage
Mandola Rosa
- 1 outdoor pool
Spa
Imagine swimming between Greek columned porticos, an open-aired whirlpool, and a view of the Ionian Sea. This resort has a huge spa with a cold plunge pool, saunas, steam rooms, and Relaxation Loggia to rest between treatments. If you need a day away from the kids, this is where you want to go for relaxation and indulgence.
Meals and Cocktails
You can choose to eat a la carte or select the Luxury Made Easy® meal option. At just under 80 euros per adult, this lets you enjoy spectacular seafront locations and an outstanding food and beverage selection, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. We enjoyed a marvelous dinner (with a killer sunset view) at the Mandola Rosa Cap Voyage—a truly gourmet experience.
There are snacks (delight in the candy bar), a Pâtisserie-Chocolaterie, and a Creperie-Gelateria. This plan also includes unlimited drinks, a wide range of premium brands, exclusive wines, cocktails, and healthy juices. I thoroughly enjoyed a Negroni with champagne made to order at the main bar (it was absolutely beautiful), and I had access to the balcony overlooking the pools and the beach.
The daily family buffet offers a wide variety of food, from fish and meat to sandwiches and omelets. If you choose a half-board, you can have a big breakfast and then enjoy dinner. There are also snacks throughout the day if you get a bit peckish!
Recommendation – 5 Stars
This is a five-star resort with five-star amenities—it is worth the price! There are many reasons to stay at an all-inclusive resort, but having the option of staying for a few days is also good. The affordability of staying in this award-winning Greek hotel chain in the Peloponnese Peninsula may surprise you, but it is worth the amenities it has to offer. The Aquapark is terrific for a family retreat on what could be a very busy visit.
The only drawback of this resort is that it is seasonal. Open only from May 1 to mid-October, it is a shame it is unavailable in the shoulder season. The size of the four properties makes financial sense to maintain, but as someone who travels year-round, I am disappointed at least one of the hotels has not opened.
Check for the latest rates online at Booking.com or Hotels.com.
We stayed at the Grecotel Olympia Oasis Hotel and would gladly return to the resort to enjoy the private beach and the excellent food. A day at the spa would be glorious, but it was not fully opened when we visited on our FAM tour. We found the room spacious and had a spectacular pool and Ionian Sea beach views.
The proximity to Olympia makes this stay worth the 3.5-hour drive from Athens to the Peloponnese Peninsula.
Margarita Ibbott and her husband were guests of the Grecotel Olympia Oasis and Water Park as part of a TBEX Conference FAM tour of the Olympia area. The resort tour provided insight into the different properties, although only two of the four were opened in the off-season. All images remain the property of Margarita Ibbott from DownshiftingPRO.com, a travel website for 50+ travelers.
