Living The Dream

I met Melina on my first trip to Greece. At the time she was managing a small boutique hotel on the Peloponnese. With her outgoing and lively personality she made me immediately feel at home and I have returned ever since.This is Melina’s story:

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Paula: Melina, you grew up in Montreal, Canada and lived most of your life in North America and Western Europe. A few years ago you traded city life to live by the Mediterranean seaside in Gythio, a small picturesque town in the southern Peloponnese in Greece.

Melina from BeMelinasGuest

Melina: Yes, until a few years ago, I was the epitome of a city girl; born and bred with public transportation and all conveniences on hand; in the heart of the hustle and bustle of places with populations exceeding those of some small countries. “Nature” was confined to public parks and “weekend getaways” in the countryside.
Here in Gythio only a herd of wayward goats may disturb my morning commute rather than bumper-to-bumper traffic.

The private beach of Ktima Petalea at Mavrovouni

Gytheo with its neoclassical houses and harbor

Paula: What were you doing in Montreal?

Melina: In Montreal, I mainly ran a rail equipment company. Prior to that, I spent most of my career working in Finance, including a stint as head of corporate finance and analysis in an Athens brokerage firm. Then during the mid-2010s, my life, circumstances, and my general state of mind radically changed.
So when I came here to Gythio I put some of the knowledge I had acquired through my life’s journey to use by assisting local proprietors with their holiday properties. So what started off a side-line has slowly turned into a burgeoning business.

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The Peloponnese is olive tree country, producing some of the best olive oil

Paula: The Greeks are well known for their warmhearted hospitality. What does hospitality mean to you as a professional?

Melina: Hosting for me has always been about gauging guests‘ needs and then trying to offer them as meaningful an experience as possible. This process often begins long before they arrive, and hopefully, our bond continues well after their visit is through.
I want to share my love for this region and assist visitors to Gythio and Southern Lakonia as a whole.

Some have called the area the „Riviera of Greece“; road leading into Gytheo

Paula: What do you love most about your new home?

Melina: The many different hues of the sea. Before moving here, I never knew how many different shades of blue existed. Every day the sea seems to change color as it reflects the sky and the light of the sun dances across it. It varies from a deep rich blue to a greeny turquoise and every shade imaginable in between.

Bliss at Ktima Petalea, Mavrovouni

The incredible bay of the tiny but quite glamorous town of Limeni

Melina is aiming to showcase the natural bounty of the area of Gythio in Greece, its historical sights, breathtaking vistas, and local culture and cuisine.

If you got curious you are welcome to contact Melina at +306949918548, email: adventuresininnkeeping@gmail.com
Instagram@bemelinasguest and
Twitter @MelinaAngelicaM