The Greece trip that made me a Neilson holiday convert

Independent

a day ago

I lost count of the number of fellow guests at the Neilson Messini Beach Club who told us this trip was not their first visit to the sprawling fitness resort which sits on a private beach near Kalamata in the Peloponnese region of mainland Greece.
One couple we made friends with on the first evening, while our toddlers played (in the excellent playground), sheepishly told us they had visited twice the previous year alone. This conversation repeated many times in several forms over the first day or so. I remember thinking that it was a nice hotel, but that there was nothing particularly distinctive about it. We appeared to be in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by farmland and olive groves, meaning no popping to the shops to waste money on European crisps and olives. Initially, there was no wow factor and I struggled to understand what all the fuss was about.
But after a few days, the penny dropped. Very simply, it's just no-nonsense, wholesome fun. It's a haven of unassuming and limitless have-a-go opportunities which attract Brits who like doing lots of different activities on holiday. You don't need to leave the complex per se, but if you wanted to hire a bike and take yourself off, you could. Equally, Kalamata, famed for its olives, is just a 30-minute taxi drive away, and home to pretty tiled streets and gorgeous tavernas.
The influx from our London Stansted flight seemed to be a mix of families with very young children, or older couples; I suspect the demographic changes somewhat during school holidays to more families. Out of school holidays, I considered the price point to be something of a steal compared to other similar trips – all in, with most of our food included, it was £2,077 for three of us, including flights. Prices rise during the school holidays but, even then, factoring in childcare, food, flights, accommodation and the facilities, I can see why these trips are so popular. They are absolutely value for money.
In May, the crowd seem to be cyclists, racquet sports enthusiasts, or simply sun-chasers who want to do yoga and aqua-aerobics (the latter being a very entertaining daily staple in the freezing but beautiful 50m pool).
I had to adjust my mindset to enjoy the holiday – I'm not one for group organised fun as a general rule. I enjoy being left alone to swim, train or ride my bike with no interaction. But Neilson attracts a really nice crowd and despite being very happy alone, I discovered I enjoyed the group vibe. During the organised 1.5km sea swim, I met some lovely people, and surprised myself by happily chatting both pre and post-swim.
It was a similar scenario during the organised bike rides. You could choose to keep your head down and simply enjoy the sights, but I thoroughly enjoyed chatting away to a man I met who was from the same part of Devon as I am. He was there with his adult children and grandchild, celebrating his and his wife's 30th wedding anniversary.
Another aspect I appreciated was the sense of calm that permeates the resort. Despite the array of activities and enthusiasm of many of the guests, it's a non-competitive space. You're not fighting for lane space with an Olympian, but swimming alongside Alex who is taking tentative steps to train for an ironman and seeking support with his technique.
Other resorts aimed at fitness fanatics can sometimes seem a little elitist. While there's certainly space for some healthy competition at Neilson Messini, the vibe is more have-a-go and have fun in a judgement-free environment, whether it's trying windsurfing, sailing or Hyrox – it's all there.
Equally if you don't wish to engage in coaching or lessons, all of the equipment is available to simply hire out, while the excellent facilities are free to use solo when classes are not taking place. I found plenty of time around the timetable to swim lengths in the pool (go between 8am-9.30am), or use the excellent functional gym area (I found early afternoon best, and it was nice to be in the aircon).
Beyond the activities, there is room to simply chill out and relax. My happiest times at the resort were playing with our daughter in the pool, or splashing in the shallows on the beach. If you want to catch up with a book on a lounger, you can. And if you want to do so away from younger guests, there is an adults-only pool at the Buca part of the complex. Similarly, there are adults-only parts of the restaurants where you can dine in peace, if you wish.
What's on offer
Guests can take part in everything from pickleball and tennis, various gym-based classes, cycling and watersports – from windsurfing and sailing, to open water swimming. If you are a keen cyclist and want to get out on the road, take your own pedals and shoes, and – sorry Neilson – I would suggest your own helmet. I found the slightly sweaty one I inherited a little revolting, but between the ick and a head injury, I opted for the ick.
I'd also recommend taking a wetsuit if sampling watersports in May. The water temperature in the ocean was 18 degrees, so still quite chilly.
We tried everything on offer between us and both thought the cycling and open water swimming were the best activities. If I would offer any feedback it would be for the resort to put on more than two open water swims a week, and increase the number of road bike options – the classes are popular and it was tricky to secure a spot. As newbies, we didn't realise the classes book out in advance, so make sure you book your activities ahead of travel.
Families
The resort itself seems to be particularly popular with families with children who are keen to participate in activities away from their offspring while they're safely entertained in the popular Kids' Club. Our three-year-old refused to join in, despite the facilities and entertainment looking perfectly good. We frequently saw our friends' three-year-old being taken about the resort by the Kids Club reps, doing everything from swimming lessons to sailing and building sandcastles.
The Kids Club itself is run by a noisy gaggle of young graduates, usually in face paint, who keep all ages entertained, from tiny babies to teens. The youngest children are split into year age groups, while the older children have more of a range. All of the staff are first aid trained and the baby carers have early years qualifications.
Our daughter did engage in the bi-weekly toddler splash swimming lessons with the resident swimming teacher, Emily, however, and she loved it. The lessons were entirely age-appropriate and we felt her confidence improved in the pool during our stay.
We are a same-sex couple and chose Greece because it is known to be gay friendly. We find travelling with our child internationally brings a whole new dimension to being aware of our safety, particularly in airports or when engaging with security staff – it's never fun navigating security with a distressed toddler, trying to explain that you're both her parents.
Mercifully, we had no trouble with the Greek officials we encountered. We were, I think, the only gay couple at the resort that week, but the crowd Neilson attracted meant there wasn't a single moment we got the feeling someone had an issue. It was refreshing and relaxing in equal measure.
The rooms
The rooms are clean and functional with comfortable mattresses. Our room did not have a bath (we were in the sea view pool rooms), but our friends staying in the garden rooms did. I think the garden rooms were slightly nicer than the hotel and pool rooms and being away from the main hotel means they're certainly quieter.
We had a double/twin room with a sofa bed that folded out for our daughter. There was more than enough room and storage, and the balcony was sizeable too. You don't end up spending much time in the rooms, but they were perfectly nice, clean and practical.
We found the two-hour time difference particularly useful with a little one, as it meant we could enjoy a relatively late meal together before all going to bed at the same time. If parents want a later night to enjoy the entertainment, the Kids Club also offered a sleep club service, where the children all have little beds laid out in the creche. Parents then transport the sleeping baby back to the room using one of the array of Nipper Sport buggies at the resort.
And that's another handy thing – if you don't want to bring a buggy, the resort will lend you one of theirs.
Food
We're vegans, so the idea of a package holiday buffet fills me with trepidation, but I was happily disabused of my prejudice every mealtime. The food is the most wonderful array of Mediterranean wholefood goodness, with plenty of options for us. There was something different every night – and carnivores and pescatarians looked well served too. There was a particularly nice-looking paella that caught my eye and the baked fish looked amazing. For us, the food was genuinely top-notch and a real selling point for the resort – and makes the package seem like a real bargain.
There's a separate buffet available for children at 5pm, should they require an earlier snack. Here, expect kid-friendly slices of cheese and ham, pasta with the sauce separately for children who require their food in such a way, and of course every version of a potato a child might need. For three nights of the week, the buffet is closed, however. On these nights, you can chose to eat at the pool bar or venture out.
On one such night, we went to Oinopantopoleion in Kalamata, on the recommendation of our new friends, and ate locally-sourced gourmet small plate food in a stunning courtyard, washed down with excellent local wine. It wasn't a particularly child-friendly place, but our daughter was happy eating the hot potato chips for the evening. I'd heartily recommend this restaurant for a special treat away from the resort.
Getting there
When I learned the flight was a package flight from London Stansted, I immediately tried to find out if there was a Heathrow option. Alas, no dice – it was the first week of May and the flight options were limited to Bristol, Stansted or Manchester.
Our flight was with Jet2 and I was assured all other passengers would be Neilson guests, which meant no elbow-jostling with excitable stag and hen parties.
Anyone familiar with Stansted will know it's not for the faint of heart, however. Neither is finding a (very narrow) space in the vast carpark which appears to be miles from the airport. Not wanting to navigate this with a toddler for the very early flight, we used Holiday Extras to pay £220 to stay the night at the Radisson Blu on the airport site and park as part of the package.
It was well worth it and took a lot of stress away from attempting a fraught airport dash in the early hours. Friends we met on the trip stayed nearby with their parents and paid extra for a meet and greet service at the car park – a much more palatable option with a three-year-old in tow.
The actual flight is only a little over three hours, but it's worth buying food at the airport before departing, especially with children.
Prices
Off-peak: Prices for a 7-night stay at Neilson Messini Beach Club start from £692pp which includes flights, transfers, activities, kids' clubs and club board for two adults and one child sharing a hotel double or twin with a sea view departing from London Stansted on 4 May 2025.