Bougainvillea Boutique Hotel — Hotel in Zakynthos Municipality

Now this review I write in a professional capacity as a posthumous praise to my late friend and business partner, Dick Bliek, who taught me everything about the hotel business. Why? Because this apart-hotel could easily become the top-rated hotel in Agios Sostis. Although we only stayed for 4 days, we tried to get the most out of our short stay and I got up at (my usual) 5 o'clock in the morning to walk around the town and look at the local supply scene. Bougainvillea stands out because of its idyllic setting and gorgeous architecture. ||||The 'bones' of Bougainvillea are excellent. Sleep quality should alway be a top priority for any hotel and it is here that Bougainvillea scores 5 out of 5. The beds were excellent and we slept like babies! The public area is small but big enough and the lush green completes what could be the most romantic hotel in the area. This is the kind of place where you would want your daughter to have her wedding party.||||So why 4 and not 5 stars then?||||Check past Tripadvisor reviews and you will quickly find out (as I did during preparations for this trip). Unfortunately, it will take Bougainvillea a long time to recover from the 'August 2019 Incident', that yielded so many bad reviews. For me, the truth has to be somewhere in the middle. Trust me, I know about the behaviour of the Dutch, especially when travelling in groups. But there is also an element of truth on the other side of the story, as other reviewers have confirmed. ||||But we shouldn't be too harsh on Bougainvillea staff.||||The core of the issue lies at the separation of - what we call in the hospitality business - the 'front of the house' and 'back of the house'. In Bougainvillea, that separation is blurred. The reason for that is obvious: this is a typical family-run establishment where some staff members are involved with both front-of-the-house and back-of-the-house activities. In their transition to a 4-star hotel (which reportedly they are engaged in), the attention should be primarily here. Keep it separate! Some back-of-the-house staff should never be put in contact with guests, because they will scare them away. Other details are staff availability at the reception desk, which was unfortunately not present at check-out. Again: the sign of a place that doesnt 'pay enough attention to the 'front of the house'. ||||So would I recommend Bougainvillea? Absolutely, if you keep to yourself, keep quiet, which we personally prefer. Are you looking for maximum Greek hospitality where staff are engaging with you and want to make you feel part of their family?...

I'll first try to be positive and say something nice: It is not far from a nice quiet beach.

It's a nice hotel, but it cannot be called a "Boutique Hotel" whatsoever. So many points I will put it apart:

Facilities: It still "under renovation" and I wanna believe that that's the reason why there are no hooks on the bathroom for towels/clothes. The pool, even though advertised as hot, it is not or at least not working. The common bathrooms by the pool does not have locks on the doors: you got to change clothes or pee while holding the door as you are in a portable bathroom at a festival.

When it comes to staff: The owners are nice, but it is clear that the well being of guests is not really their priority. They do ANYTHING but check on you. They can also be described in one word: Unreasonable. Whatever you ask, the answer is no. You CANNOT bring anything to the room (yes, the one you're paying for). Room service is absolutely not an option. You cannot eat anything by the pool. You cannot put your water bottle on top of the table cause it was not "bought at their bar".

Cleaning: Reduced to changing the towels (even if they are not on the floor) and taking out trash. Bed was not made, the complimentary coffee in the room (with no sugar or milk) not replaced, FLOOR NOT CLEANED (yes, I did find hair and sand on the floor after the cleaning).

Breakfast: The biggest disappointment of all. Not gonna lie, the coffee is great, but that is it. Everyday the same (very few) options. No fruits, and the only healthy option was plain yogurt, cucumber and tomato. (??????). We arrived at the hotel around 09:30, waited at an empty reception until 10:00 and after being given the rules to stay at THEIR hotel (again, the one you're paying for) we were told: "Breakfast everyday from 09:00 to 10:30. Get you breakfast now cause on the last day you will not have it". We were so tired and baffled we didn't even argue.

It's a shame it had so many downsizes. Hope one day they fix it all for the next guest. Us?...

7-day stay — honest review:

The place looks beautiful, with stylish décor and a pleasant setting, but the service is far below expectations. Reception staff are rarely there except at check-in, and when they are, they seem irritated to deal with guests. You genuinely feel like you’re disturbing them. The man who claims to speak English is very hard to understand, and the woman with glasses, who does speak English, appears cold and bitter, with zero sense of customer care.

Some of the hotel’s rules are unreasonable: you can’t bring your own bottle of water to the pool (you must buy from the bar), and they charge a €10 deposit for a towel. It gives the impression that money comes before guest comfort.

The pool is freezing, hot water takes several minutes to arrive, and the Wi-Fi constantly disconnects in the rooms (especially upstairs) — though it works fine by the pool. Rooms lack storage and basic amenities like a microwave, and the frosted-glass bathroom doors offer no real privacy.

Breakfast is generous but repetitive — the same selection every day. The morning staff and cleaning ladies are kind and professional, which stands in contrast to the rest of the team. Without a car, the location is inconvenient (about a 30-minute walk from the city center). Expect many mosquitoes in the evening and wasps at breakfast (not the hotel’s fault, but worth noting).

The hotel has great potential, but the staff’s attitude spoils it. A smile and a bit of warmth would make a...