The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort at Costa Navarino, has been awarded "Favourite Overseas Leisure Hotel: Europe, Asia Minor and the Russian Federation" at the Conde Nast Traveller Readers' Travel Awards 2011. It is the first Greek hotel to win this award since it was established by Conde Nast Traveller in 1998.

With interiors created by MKV Design, The Romanos is part of Navarino Dunes, the first completion in an audacious 20-year long vision to create a new prime environmentally sustainable destination in the Mediterranean - Costa Navarino. Its location in the Messinia province of Greece, the land where legend and history merge and the sacred art of hospitality is enshrined in the stories of the region, played to MKV?s instinctive approach to design. The result is an intertwining of the provenance of the region with timeless architecture and contemporary furniture and fittings to create layers of interlocking experiences.

The in/out experience is everything at The Romanos. Public and private spaces flow from open terrace levels to shaded terraces, then into interior spaces that are open to the views, followed by indoor areas that are intimate or "closed". The organic materials used are noble and refer to ancient Greek culture within a contemporary context. Local stone and timber, bronze and linens mix with modern furniture and fittings to create spaces that have been meticulously planned to ensure maximum delight and comfort for guests. Maria Vafiadis, founder of MKV Design, explains “Leisure travellers do not want to live history, but rather to sense it within a contemporary experience; so, working from the architect's master plan, we have sought to invent the soul of Navarino Dunes in a way that is relevant today.”

Voted for by readers of Conde Nast Traveller, the magazine's annual awards recognise the very best that world travel has to offer and are seen as one of the most important measures of excellence in the industry.