Lesante Blu - The Leading Hotels of the World, Adults Only

We came away from Lesante Blu feeling we'd had the best holiday of our lives. We want to return, and I've never meant that more sincerely. The views are stunning, the interiors elegant, and the restaurant food delicious. Even the guests seem to be smiling. But what stood out most was the service: nowhere else have we been treated so well. The hotel staff, especially in the restaurants, were patient, professional and so attentive. Our room had a private pool and a beautiful sea view. It was perfectly equipped, and the lovely housekeepers cleaned it twice a day and made sure we had everything we needed. Before booking, we saw Peggy mentioned by name in quite a few reviews, with guests sending greetings. Now I understand why. She's the soul of the hotel, and shows the warmth, quality and professionalism a place like this should have. Peggy, thank you for those 10 wonderful days. Lesante Collection should be proud to have you on the team. As Belinda Carlisle sang, heaven is a place on earth. We found ours on Zakynthos at Lesante Blu. If you want luxury, beauty and genuine hospitality together, this is the place.

The resort itself is lovely, but I was very disappointed that our suite's balcony and pool got no sun at all. After staying in many hotels and some exceptional locations, it seemed strange to find so many suites shaded all day. No wonder people weren't staying in their rooms. The pool area became extremely busy, and unless you got there early and put a towel down, there was no chance of finding a sunny seat. It felt a bit like a package holiday. Very disappointing.

Breakfast was one of the best we've had anywhere, and the espresso was excellent. There are also lots of good places to eat about a ten-minute walk away. The pool was lovely, with plenty of chairs and decent umbrellas, and we never struggled to find a seat. Staff were very helpful. Our bedroom was beautiful and the air-conditioning worked well. It had all the amenities we needed, including an espresso machine. Tap water wasn't drinkable, but the hotel provided water free in cartons. We did find a broken light in the room and noticed a few other broken things around the resort.

The yacht trip was excellent, but at €2,500 for six hours I expected at least a bottle of champagne included as a gesture. The food and drinks were good, though very expensive, and the menu was so limited that we often ate outside the hotel. The cuisine didn't feel authentic. For a property priced and presented as a luxury five-star hotel, our stay felt badly overpriced for the facilities and service. The honeymoon suite was narrow, almost tube-shaped, and the walls were thin enough that we could easily hear the neighbors. Water from the shower ran into the toilet area, the room's central hot tub didn't actually have hot water, and there wasn't much room to store clothes. The furniture seemed generic and more like budget pieces than luxury furnishings. The lighting controls were awkward, and the bathroom supplies, even toilet paper, were low quality for this kind of hotel. There was constant airplane noise from early morning, which made it hard to relax. The pool wasn't heated, and nobody on staff seemed to be making sure it stayed clean. The staff were generally kind, but service felt average, with little attentiveness or effort to go beyond the basics. The General Manager was never visible, which struck me as odd compared with other luxury hotels. The app wasn't useful and added nothing. The advertised daily yoga was misleading: sessions were actually at the sister property every three days, and when I asked for the schedule, I was told they weren't offered anymore. Lesante Blu didn't deliver what “The Leading Hotels of the World” promised. I honestly question whether the property currently meets the criteria for that recognition, and think a re-inspection would be advisable to check that the brand's standards are being met.