5 Best Hotels in Monemvasia, The Peloponnese

Like many stays in Monemvasia, Byzantino is spread across a half-dozen of old stone buildings in the Old Town. All are different and full of character, typically embellished with stone- and tile work and other distinctive decorations; some are multilevel. Less expensive rooms do not have terraces or sea views, but are still quite charming. Bathrooms in most units are fitted into medieval recesses and are quite small. Breakfast at the hotel's café, near the main square, costs extra. Open year round.

Accommodations in this old monastery (kellia means "cells") are fairly simple, but they are extremely appealing and face an airy square above the sea. Many are two floors, with sleeping lofts above a sitting room; most have sea views and pleasant terraces; and some have fireplaces.

A countryside Ottoman estate has been brought back to life as one of Greece's most distinctive hotels, where courtyards, terraces, domes, vaulted ceilings, arches, stone work, fireplaces, and other architectural elements are put to dazzling effect. An outdoor dining room overhangs a centuries-old cistern and a pair of swimming pools that wind through the garden. The suites and rooms overlook acres of orange groves, vineyards (private tastings are available), and, some 32 km (20 miles) of walking trails. A well-equipped spa enhances the general air of pampering, and special mention goes to the excellent restaurants, Mourie and Sterna, which serve some of the best high-end dining in the area. Away from the property, the hotel has its own private stretch of beach, 1.5 km away, in Livardia for the use of guests, as well as a boutique shop in Gefira worth checking out.

A complex of restored buildings at the far edge of the Old Town (reached on a trek over sometimes steep and uneven pavement) provides atmospheric and comfortable lodgings tucked into nooks and crannies under cane-and-wood or vaulted brick ceiling. Each is decorated with good beds and handsome contemporary furnishings, along with a smattering of patchwork rugs, embroidered tapestries, and antiques. Many rooms have terraces and sea views, and some have fireplaces.