"I'll start by saying that after a particularly difficult year, our goal was to find somewhere small, intimate and peaceful to relax. In that respect, Boutique 5 delivered exactly what we were looking for.
Overall, 90% of the experience was wonderful. Most of the staff were incredibly polite, friendly and eager to help, although there were one or two exceptions, which is to be expected anywhere.
The resort is around an hour from the airport. The gardens and communal areas are beautifully maintained, creating a tranquil and relaxing atmosphere throughout. Room cleanliness was exceptional and genuinely exceeded our expectations. Some of the furniture, however, is beginning to show its age, and we found that several drawers in our room were difficult to open. Fortunately, this wasn't a major issue as our room category included a spacious walk-in wardrobe.
The beach was wonderfully clean, although it is quite stony, so beach shoes are recommended. The sunbeds were extremely comfortable, and there was never any difficulty finding a free one. There were certainly no "sunbed wars" here.
Our main disappointment was the dining experience. The quality of the ingredients was excellent, and the food was clearly prepared to a high standard. However, almost every evening meal was accompanied by puréed vegetables. After several days, we found ourselves craving some fresh vegetables with texture and variety.
Another point worth noting is that the evening menu is not à la carte as we had expected. Instead, it follows a fairly limited set menu format. Dinner typically consisted of a soup course, followed by a starter, a choice between two main courses (usually meat or fish), and a dessert of the day. The soups were consistently excellent, and the desserts were exceptional. The pastry chef deserves special recognition, as every dessert we sampled was outstanding. Guests could also opt for fresh fruit and ice cream.
Wednesday's Greek buffet evening was particularly enjoyable and offered some welcome variety. Monday's Asian-themed evening was less successful. My partner and I chose the Asian chicken salad, hoping for something lighter and crunchier after several days of puréed vegetables. While the chicken itself was tasty, it was served on a very large portion of what was essentially coleslaw, with very little that reflected Asian flavours.
When we left most of our starter, the restaurant manager understandably asked for feedback and was appreciative of our comments. However, afterwards there seemed to be an excessive focus on our table, with staff checking on us so frequently that it became a little uncomfortable.
On that same evening, we asked whether we could have a simple serving of ice cream instead of the dessert being offered. What seemed like a straightforward request required approval from a supervisor before it could be confirmed. This was surprising, particularly as we had been told on our first evening that alternatives could be requested if guests did not fancy something from the menu. Following that experience, we felt uncomfortable asking whether vegetables could be served differently, so we chose to swap some evening meals for lunches and enjoyed dinner at a couple of nearby Greek tavernas instead.
Friday's "Lobster Night" comes with a €50 per person supplement. It is worth noting that this consists of lobster meat served with pasta rather than a whole lobster. Given the promotional display in the lobby featuring a whole lobster, we felt this was somewhat misleading. While we accept that we should have clarified beforehand, the same point was being discussed at several neighbouring tables throughout the evening.
The wine list was also rather limited. Around 90% of the selection consisted of Greek wines, with only a handful of international options available. Whispering Angel was one of them, although we noticed its price increased from €55 to €65 during our stay. Coincidentally, this occurred on the same day the resort's webpage was unavailable. As all menus and wine lists are accessed via QR code and there are no printed copies available, this made browsing the available options difficult.
Guests who choose not to take their evening meal can swap it for room service or lunch. However, there is a €20 per person allowance, which is not clearly communicated anywhere. Had we not specifically asked, we would not have been aware of the restriction. The allowance covered some snacks and salads but not the majority of main courses.
We arrived late on our first evening and were offered complimentary room service as the restaurant was fully booked. This charge later appeared on our bill at checkout, although it was removed immediately once queried.
One aspect we found disappointing was the pool opening times. As the breakfast and dinner tables are set around the main pool area, swimming is not permitted before 10am. Guests who enjoy an early morning swim are therefore unable to use the main pool, and the spa pool does not open until 10am either.
There was live entertainment on most evenings, including a DJ on one night. The cellist was exceptional, and it was a shame he only performed once during the week. The traditional Greek musicians on the buffet evening were also excellent and created a lively atmosphere.
Entertainment generally ran from around 7.00pm or 7.30pm until approximately 9.15pm, after which it stopped quite abruptly. The dining area then became noticeably quiet and lacked atmosphere. While we specifically chose Boutique 5 because we wanted a peaceful and relaxing environment, the evenings occasionally felt a little too subdued. Background music was sometimes played afterwards, but the volume was so low that it was barely noticeable.
Overall, Boutique 5 is a beautiful, peaceful and exceptionally clean resort. The stunning grounds, relaxing atmosphere, beach facilities and excellent service from most staff members made for a very enjoyable stay. However, the limited evening dining options, lack of variety in the food, restricted wine selection and subdued atmosphere after the evening entertainment prevented it from being truly exceptional. We achieved the relaxing break we were looking for and enjoyed our holiday, but a few improvements to the dining experience would significantly enhance the overall guest experience, in our opinion."
