At the beginning of July my family enjoyed a week long visit to Bower House Estate. The beautiful house is situated in the most stunning location overlooking the neighbouring hills and the tops of the surrounding forest trees and with a sea view. It is an extremely private and peaceful place where we were able to relax around the pool or enjoy family fun in the pool on the lilo's. Mel and Bryan were excellent hosts, there when we needed them, providing us with very good information on local beaches and places to visit and very discreet at other times enabling us to have quality time as a family. The villa, pool and grounds were maintained to the highest standard and extremely safe. The local village is typically Greek and very friendly. There are a number of cafes, bars and restaurants all reasonably priced and a couple of supermarkets if you want to have a barbecue at the house - followed by a game of boules - great fun. This holiday was a villa holiday with a difference, one we shall certainly repeat.

In the beautiful and well equipped kitchen, there is a quote from Seneca saying 'it is because we do not dare that things are difficult'. Brian and Melanie, the lovely owners of Bower House Estate definitely dared to deliver their amazing dream of building their superb dream house with amazing views on the mountains and the sea. It was a real privilege of having been able to stay two wonderful weeks enjoying superb weather in their house which is equipped with all (and even more) what you expect from a luxurious holiday house. Bower House is very spacious and comfortable and the children enjoyed every minute in the large swimming pool. The owners are always very discrete but also very keen to help when needed (they even came to our rescue when our rental car broke down) and very helpful in recommending the local restaurants and shops, beaches and attractions of which there are plenty. The experience for us as a family with three children (aged between 14 and 10) was a truly unforgettable family holiday. Highlights were a unique sailing trip (organised by the owners), the visit of ancient Olympia (which was very special just before the Rio Olympics and with excellent driving instructions from Brian), the discovery of the amazing beaches in the area, the delicious meals with view on the sea and of course all the moments enjoying Bower House.

We are a family with 3 young kids (5,7,9) who came to Bower House to stay for a week. We were very warmly welcomed by our hosts who continued to look after us for the entire week. Bower house is a lovely property, beautiful rooms, well equipped kitchen, stunning views all around including from the infinity pool and most importantly a really nice outdoor kitchen & barbecue area! Mel and Brian were extremely helpful when it came to suggesting places to visit, things to see and things to do in the area. Given that they live downstairs in the property, a helping hand was never far away. We warmly recommend Bower House as a great place to stay and explore Peloponnese!

We are a family of 4 with 2 children of 7 and 5 and this was our first villa holiday. It was such a lovely contrast to our first week in a resort and such a beautiful setting. Mel and Bryan made our lives so easy - we particularly loved the folder of day trip ideas with such clear instructions of how to get there, where to eat nearby that we were able to explore the local area so easily. The house is really well set up for relaxing too - the pool was always so clean and the setting stunning onto the hills. With a variety of places to sit and eat, and different areas of the garden to play in and explore the kids had a fabulous time. The bathrooms were all really lovely standard, and the beds too and a really lovely kitchen. The kids loved the water dispenser from the fridge as that was a novelty for them! Our only negative was that it was so hot at night, but Bryan and Mel did provide an air con unit for our son which was kind. It's a wonderful home and beautifully kept with particularly good service in terms of grocery shopping, getting washing done and helping us make the most of our time there. Thank you! We hope to return.

We arrived at Bower House after an exhausting 16 hour journey, and found a large, luxurious and very beautiful villa, with some basic food supplies, a fully stocked drinks fridge and two friendly, hospitable hosts to welcome us - it was a perfect moment! The house itself suited us very well as a family with two younger teenage children. Noting previous comments about the stairs, it is true that they are open, but that was fine for us. The pool and barbecue were a real cut above - and much used! The nearby beaches were just perfect, I think we were the only British people there, some times we were the only non- Greeks on the beach. Tourist attractions were within driving distance however, we visited ancient Messini, had a go at Scuba diving and visited the harbour at Koroni, all drive-able within 2 hours. However, Bower House is really ideal for families who want to sneak away to the hills, watch the sun set (or rise) from one of the many balconies, take in the spectacular view and enjoy local Tavernas where the menu depends on that day's catch, and the fruit is fresh and succulent. Mel and Bryan took a lot of time and trouble to make our stay as good as it could be. The book of their own suggestions for days out and eateries was extensive, accurate and very useful for us. I would agree with other comments that we hadn't appreciated how nearby Mel and Bryan would be, but as we got on very well, it turned out not to be a problem! For us and our family, this part of Greece was perfect, and the house was ideal.

Bower House provided us with a holiday home where we were able to experience both the luxury and comforts of a magnificent house and real Greece.The house is superbly set in the hills behind Petalidi, yet walking distance to local cafes, restaurants and the sea. Bryan and Mel were the perfect welcoming hosts and instantly made us feel at ease and welcome in their home.They shared with us their extensive knowledge of the local area, ancient Greek surroundings and guided us to fabulously, traditional Greek restaurants and to the local wine and Ouzo! They were great fun and we shared a couple of very memorable evenings with them both. This is a wonderful home and a stay here can offer peace and tranquility and a inside to real Greece. We were thrilled with our choice of villa.

Bower House provided us with a holiday home where we were able to experience both the luxury and comforts of a magnificent house and real Greece. The house is superbly set in the hills behind Petalidi, yet walking distance to local cafes, restaurants and the sea. Bryan and Mel were the perfect welcoming hosts and instantly made us feel at ease and welcome in their home.They shared with us their extensive knowledge of the local area, ancient Greek surroundings and guided us to fabulously, traditional Greek restaurants and to the local wine and Ouzo! They were great fun and we shared a couple of very memorable evenings with them both. This is a wonderful home and a stay here can offer peace and tranquility and a inside to real Greece. We were thrilled with our choice of villa.

My husband, 11 year old daughter and I hugely enjoyed our two week stay in the Peloponnese staying at Mel and Bryan's luxurious home in August 2014. Bower House is extremely well located and appointed, the gardens and the pool a delight. It provided the perfect base for lots of wonderful sight seeing (our many trips being aided considerably by the directions helpfully provided) and much needed rest and relaxation. The views from the house are simply breathtaking, and watching the sun set over the Messinian mountains and the moon rise over the sea magical experiences which will stay with us for a long time. Mel and Bryan thoughtfully invited us along to some local events including a panieri in a hill top village which was immense fun. Bower House has a quiet serenity and is a very special place. Whilst not detracting from our holiday enjoyment, we think it would have been helpful in advance to know that Mel and Bryan's 'discretely distanced' living apartment is in the fact the basement to the two storeys of their house which they rent out, so in consequence the physicial separation is limited.

My husband, 11 year old daughter and I hugely enjoyed our two week stay in the Peloponnese staying at Mel and Bryan's luxurious home in August 2014. Bower House is extremely well located and appointed, the gardens and the pool a delight. It provided the perfect base for lots of wonderful sight seeing (our many trips being aided considerably by the directions helpfully provided) and much needed rest and relaxation. The views from the house are simply breathtaking, and watching the sun set over the Messinian mountains and the moon rise over the sea magical experiences which will stay with us for a long time. Mel and Bryan thoughtfully invited us along to some local events including a panieri in a hill top village which was immense fun. Bower House has a quiet serenity and is a very special place. Whilst not detracting from our holiday enjoyment, we think it would have been helpful in advance to know that Mel and Bryan's 'discretely distanced' living apartment is in the fact the basement to the two storeys of their house which they rent out, so in consequence the physicial separation is limited.

We stayed at Bower House Estate for one week with our two kids aged 7 and 10. The setting is wonderful. The house is perched on the crest of a hill providing beautiful views over wooded valleys and across to the sea. At night you can see the moon shine across the sea from the open windowed gallery on the top floor as bats flit across the sky. The house was exactly as described in the listing and immaculately clean and well maintained. The house and plot are very spacious. It is obvious that Mel and Bryan have put great care and attention into its design and maintenance and all the fixtures and fittings are of great quality. The interiors are homely and comfortable (not at all a spartan holiday house). The only downside was that the staircase in the house only has one bannister on the wall side (no barrier on the side with the drop) and I was concerned that one of the kids could trip and fall onto the marble stairs. We got around this by placing a chair at the top of the staircase: a) to slow them down and b) to force them to walk on the side of the stairs next to the wall. Mel and Bryan were extremely welcoming and their thoughtful touches such as a meal when we arrived, and a kitchen stocked with basics and drinks meant that the self catering aspect of our holiday was easily dealt with, leaving more time for relaxation. We enjoyed exploring the Messini coastline and in particular two trips recommended by Mel and Bryan: one to a waterfall which our kids loved swimming under and one to the spectacular beach at HorseShoe Bay. We also enjoyed their restaurant suggestions. There are plenty of tavernas within 5-10 minutes drive. But you could quite easily spend a lot of time at Bower House too. swimming in the pool, playing boules or simply looking at the view. I would recommend Bower House to my family and friends."

We visited the Bower house Estate last year, and we were so impressed with the hospitality of the Densems that we vowed and declared that we would return for a second visit. I have plans afoot to visit again next year. We love the Peloponnese and were lucky to find The Bower Estate as it is a little off the beaten track. This is its charm, as it is the most peaceful, tranquil place that we have ever stayed in. Mel & Bryan introduced us to the local eating hostelries where we indulged in typical ethnic meals, one time in a village in the hilly area near the Villa, and another time in Petalidi town overlooking the bay. The villa is of luxury standard the rooms charmingly decorated and furnished. The swimming pool and boules pitch add to the perception that one is being pampered in total luxury. The garden surrounding the complex has been tastefully designed, and it was a pleasure to take a walk around the 4 acre olive grove. Their olive oil is organic and we were able to bring some back with us to the UK. We are hoping therefore to make another return visit the next time we tour Greece

We had a fabulous stay here with our 5 year old; the house is superb in every aspect..spacious and with 360 degree views of sea and mountains, unique handmade furniture stands out and the cleanliness and attention to detail throughout made our stay very enjoyable. We were more than happy to stay around the beautiful landscaped grounds or relax by the pool but a visit into Petalidi village close by exceeded expectations (as did the surrounding area) as it is a quaint seaside Greek village full of character and with everything you need. We also recommend an evening having one of Mel and Bry's BBQ meals, a wine at the outside bar and a game of boules as the sun goes down!

As avid Grecophiles of longstanding we have never stayed in such luxurious and perfect surroundings. The property is stunning; of a standard rarely replicated in the Greek holiday housing market. Immaculately presented yet personalised and homely; supremely comfortable and well appointed and of interesting, well planned design to take every advantage of the incredible 360o panoramic views and welcome, cooling breezes from its rural, hilltop location. The manicured grounds are a colourful delight and indigenous wildlife is much in evidence thanks to the unspoilt nature of the habitat rich locale. As a family of cooks and gourmands we were delighted with the extensive and well supplied kitchen and the barbque and also with the various, delightfully situated dining options. Although we sampled delicious food at several of the recommended local tavernas, top quality ingredients were so easily obtainable from a nearbye market garden and the village shops that we feasted very well at the property. Mel very generously supplemented our supplies with offerings of fresh produce from her own garden. The owners, Bryan and Mel, were very helpful and attentive in every way, yet maintained a discreet, low key presence; keeping to their own, delineated and unobtrusive accommodation within the property whilst employing a hilarious 'hooter' system for use by either party to attract attention and seek a meeting. They are very keen for their guests to feel totally relaxed and enjoy complete privacy, yet are equally happy to socialise (and are exceedingly good company) should their clients be happy to do so. We arrived for our very last minute family holiday in a state of total exhaustion after a gruelling year and very much welcomed the supplies laid in by the owners as well as the delicious meal Mel offered to prepare in view of our late arrival. It was wonderful not to have to worry about shopping for immediate supplies or finding somewhere to eat after the long journey from Scotland. We had great fun working our way through some of the places recommended in Mel and Bryan's thoughtfully provided, personally compiled guide and left feeling our stay had not been long enough. A week is nowhere near enough time to discover all the beaches, local beauty spots; archaelogical sites and places of interest within easy travelling distance of the Bower house. It was with regret that we left, but with lots of happy holiday memories and a firm resolve to return.