Pharae Palace

My wife and I – both middle-aged, seasoned business and leisure travelers (more than 60/70 hotel nights per year) – spent two nights at the Pharae Hotel in February 2008. We were very satisfied and wholeheartedly recommend it.
In looking for an hotel in Kalamata I had done some research on the net and I had made the reservation with some hesitation as I was, on the one hand put off by its aspect of standard concrete block of the 1960s, and, on the other, attracted by its central location. In the event, choosing the Pharae was one of the best choices of the trip.
Pharae appears not to be on the lists of the various service companies making hotel reservations. We contacted the hotel directly by e-mail and booked a double room, sea view at 75.00 euros a night, including breakfast. The reservation consisted in an exchange of e-mails without any need to provide a credit card number or another form of down payment. There were no messages relating to the “cancellation policy of the hotel”, simply the sensible request to let them know if we changed our plans.
We were given a room on the fourth floor with a magnificent view of the gulf. A number of years have passed since the construction of the hotel and here and there you can spot a few signs of wear and tear, but the room – like probably all the others given the nature of the building – was very nice, very spacious, with a more than adequate bathroom and a large balcony. Breakfast was served in a large room full of light and the location is very good. You are on the sea promenade of Kalamata with plenty of nice restaurants, cafés (and fast food places if you need them).
We were driving around in my brother’s car and we were allowed to park it in the underground garage of the hotel at no extra cost!
Our stay in the Pharae was not only excellent value for money, but a pleasant experience tout court. We would recommend the hotel to all types of travelers.