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n interesting press trip takes me to Paphos on Cyprus, the third largest island in the Mediterranean. I am invited directly by the M Boutique Hotel in Paphos, which is brand new and just two minutes away from the beautiful seafront promenade.
I am received there in an extremely friendly manner and feel comfortable from the very first moment. This is partly due to the friendly staff and partly to the typical ‘island effect’. In the blink of an eye, I am ‘’ pacified‘’ and finally rediscover the wonderful world of slowness.
Time fades into the background and the space for relaxed perception opens up.
What a wonderful feeling!
Pafos, a shining Diamond at the South-West Coast
Paphos is located on the south-west coast of Cyprus. The town is rich in history and natural beauty. The pretty town is surrounded by the Trodoos Mountains, where you can take a break from the heat in the hot summer months.
Paphos was once the capital of the island during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. The archaeological excavations, which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are particularly remarkable. These include the magnificent mosaics in the Roman villas such as the House of Dionysus, the House of Theseus and the House of Aeon.
I am amazed at the condition of these mosaics. Even after more than 2000 years, the shapes, colours and structure appear incredibly fresh.
Even back then, people in the area indulged in luxury, enjoyed the good life and savoured the excellent wine that was available in abundance in the region.
Wine
Speaking of wine, the monastery of Panagia Chrysorrogiatissa, which is dedicated to the ‘Holy Virgin of the Golden Pomegranate’ and was founded in 1152 by the monk Ignatios, is located in the midst of beautiful natural surroundings.
According to legend, the monk once found a miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary off the coast of Pafos (Paphos), which was thrown into the sea in Asia Minor (Anatolia) during the iconoclastic era (the so-called iconoclasm) and carried to Paphos by the waves.
The current building – a single-nave church built on the foundations of an even older church – dates back to 1770 and features valuable frescoes above the three entrances. The gold and silver-framed icon of Christ and Mary in the monastery was allegedly painted by the evangelist and apostle St Luke. The monastery’s collection of icons and art treasures includes a collection of important icons, religious objects and other artefacts. The monastery is home to the Chrysorroyia Winery, which produces some of the best vintage wines in Cyprus.
The monastery is situated at an altitude of around 900 metres and the vines around the monastery produce a uniquely characteristic taste in the bottle. Some of the wines have won international awards.
They even have a Riesling, a 2010 Chrysorryia. I can only recommend it. Clearly a great wine, yes, there is Riesling in Cyprus too!
Deep gold, various flavours, melon, papaya, jasmine. Citrus at the start, long finish. Please don’t compare it with a Riesling from the Mosel, for example, it has a completely different character in the glass.
Incidentally, the M Boutique Hotel is supplied exclusively by this winery. Look forward to an excellent dinner with the right wine accompaniment in the evening.
A Dinner by (and with) Rafi Cohen
rom farm to table, that is the concept of the fine dining restaurant ‘Geppetto’ in the M Boutique Hotel. The chef is the highly talented Rafi Cohen, who travelled through various top-class restaurants in Melbourne, Australia, until he recently found his new home in Paphos. A lucky win for the hotel.
As we all know, good gastronomic personal is hard to find, especially at the top end of the culinary spectrum.
Tasting menu includes lamb kofta, white fish sashimi, baked halloumi, beef tartare, ricotta gnocchi and much more. A direct match!
The concept is noticeable on the plate. The halloumi is amazing, produced in a very small cheese dairy high up in the mountains (To Kallepitikon, no website yet).
The olives come from their own plantation, also from the Trodoos mountains.
The plates are high-contrast without being aggressive and the technical standard is high. The presentation also looks inviting and professional.
Fusion cuisine par excellence. Interesting and exciting flavour combinations are created when typical ingredients from different regions come together. This concept requires culinary intelligence, a balancing act.
Rafi Cohen masters the task with a playful ease. A salad, for example, trumps with subtle Thai accents, wonderfully fresh, the light chilli note dances salsa on the palate.
Another night, another dinner, I taste the sticky lamb ribs.
It’s not just the outstanding quality that impresses. Despite the high fat content, the dish is not one-dimensional. The characteristic Egyptian spice mix dukah (cashew nuts, almonds, sesame, paprika, cumin and coriander) makes sure of that. Soulfood.
The catch of the day, today a white fish, comes to the guest with a buttery, lemony, elegant Mediterranean flavour. A clear accent of acidity complements the mashed potatoes, in the style of Joël Robuchon.
We are on the island of Aphrodite, goddess of love, beauty and sensual desire, in Geppetto everything simply fits together.
Breakfast
n one word: sensational. Not the usual humdrum (smoked salmon, eggs in various forms, cheese, ham), but an exclusive selection of sublime delicacies. If you absolutely need a sausage for breakfast, you can choose it from the extra menu, yes, because in addition to the menu and the étagère, there is also a breakfast menu, which includes a shakshuka, for example, which I can only recommend.
Each guest is given their own étagère, full of small and excellent tapas.
The bread is always fresh and tasty, the coffee creations are perfect. Sometimes the coffee – even in luxurious hotels – is served too bitter or too strong, but here the hot drink is always balanced, slightly chocolaty and easy on the stomach.
The patisserie is very good, pleases the palate and the senses, the fruit is always fresh and appetizingly arranged.
This breakfast is a creative highlight, far removed from the mainstream. Something quite unique, the large number of individual elements is a real challenge, even for the most discerning gourmet!
Hotel
Avery good hotel!
It was founded by the Cypriot “Kuutio Group”. The boutique hotel is aimed at adults (18+), the rooms are designed for couples. There is a pool, a beautiful spa, a dry sauna, a fitness room and a spectacular rooftop bar.
Some of the 77+ suites and rooms have private pools or Jacuzzis.
A few words on the story
The M Boutique Hotel is located on the site of the former “Daphne Hotel” apartment hotel, the construction of which began in 1975, shortly after the Turkish invasion of Northern Cyprus. Even then, the Chrysomilos family, the owners of the hotel, had the vision of rebuilding Paphos and making it an attractive destination for tourists from all over the world.
The Daphne Hotel opened in 1977 with 21 apartments, a restaurant, a bar, a swimming pool, a pool bar and the first discotheque in Paphos. Due to its success, a further floor with 31 apartments was added in 1980. In 1999, the Chrysomilos family became the sole owners of the hotel, which they still own today. The hotel was managed by Maria, the matriarch of the family. Her son Anthimos grew up in the hotel, became a businessman and in early 2021 decided to remodel the hotel and turn it from an apartment hotel into a luxury boutique hotel for couples only in Paphos.
All I can say is: he did it!
Our boutique hotel is a dream come true, it is more than a business project for us, it is a hotel dedicated to my mother who passed away 5 years ago, a woman who gave her soul to run this hotel for more than 20 years.
Anthimos Economides, one of the owners
The hotel is called M Boutique Hotel, the letter ‘M’ was chosen in memory of my mother Maria
The pursuit of sustainability should also be emphasized. Guests are discreetly reminded to use precious resources thoughtfully.
The island suffers from a lack of water, and drinking water is mainly obtained from desalination systems. The issue is important!
This is supported by the latest study on travel trends 2024 for which the online booking platform Booking.com surveyed 27,000 travelers from 33 countries. Over half (53%) of travelers are looking for accommodation that combines comfort with innovative sustainability.
Rooftop Bar
Very good drinks in a fantastic atmosphere. The menu offers not only classics, all of which are very good, but also highly interesting in-house creations.
The whisky sour is not mixed with bourbon but with Jameson Black Barrel. We see: Nothing is set in stone. Personally, I enjoyed it, culinary art and the art of cocktails will only continue if we experiment creatively.
Impressions
I can only recommend the hotel. You will receive an extremely friendly welcome, the rooms and suites are wonderfully equipped, in short: you will definitely experience everything you need.
Sample Prices:
Price for a double room on a room-only basis for the weekend of June, starting from 164 euros per night per couple.
Price for a double room including breakfast on these dates, starting from 212 euros per night.
Double room with private pool and jacuzzi, starting from 312 euros without breakfast and 360
Below is a special coupon code with a discount for the hotel launch:
#MBEU24
Code for 15% discount for every order with dates of stay from 20/05/2024 to 31/12/2024
July and August are not included in the special discounted rates.
Booking dates are flexible if the stay dates do not exceed 12/31/2024.euros including the rich and pampering breakfast at the “Geppetto” chef’s restaurant.
To book rooms at the hotel: https://mboutiquehotel.reserve-online.net/
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