Beware of the Rats
Review Submitted: August 22, 2009
Date of Stay: July 2009
Dirty, poorly maintained, peeling paint, broken steps, power points, light fittings, resident rodents, who obviously didn’t like it either because there was evidence on the back door of them having tried to gnaw their way out!! Rat in kitchen on arrival. Later one ran into the children’s bedroom whilst they were sleeping. Dishwasher didn’t work, the fridge leaked, no kettle. The wet room flooded downstairs on a regular basis – concern because TV electrics on floor. For families? Charged 50 euros extra to rent baby-cot. Pool had no shallow end. Steps leading from the balcony had no handrail. 5 feet drop onto patio.Told not to let children use the end of the garden – dangerous. Flights of broken and overgrown steps led to a store for the pool controls, chemicals and housed an unfinished showerroom with exposed wires, filled with bags of cement. Door didn't shut properly. An uncovered well on next level. Website – old pictures showing features no longer there - parasols, sun-beds. Only 3.5 bathrooms, assume the 4th was the unfinished one in the garden. No means to combat the heat. Eventually given 2 fans which we used in 2 of the basement bedrooms, the windows being tiny slits, a few inches from the ceiling and consequently stifling. We couldn’t use the fans in the lounge, in full sun most of the day, because none of the power points worked. The coolest place was the pool which we enjoyed despite a broken wall and the liner coming away from the sides. Information Pack - a hand-written A4 sheet on recycling, the dangers of the garden, asking us to keep the children quiet from 2/4 pm. No emergency numbers, i.e. doctor or hospital. No recommendations about local restaurants, shops, transport. Recycling information useless because bins were inadequate in a place for 10. Waste food bin had no lid. Had to buy eco sacks. Larger bin with lid came later. Our holding deposit, 800 euros, in case of any damage, due for return 2 days after our departure took 2 weeks and was 20 euros short – no explanation. From the description and pictures on the website it looks idyllic. Paradise it says. In reality it was very far from it. We were looking forward to our two weeks in Italy, 30 minutes from Rome and Med Resorts it said, actually 1 hour. We were thoroughly disappointed. For the price we paid we were expecting the luxury promised. Our holidays are precious. We feel robbed. We were totally misled. We hope others will heed this review and avoid a similar experience
Owner's Response: All future Guests invited to insert own review. I guarantee,& take responsibility that description and pictures truthful-I treated group with 3 course dinner for ten courtesy of the house-Check-in set on Sat.5PM- Repeated requests for arrival time info,no avail–Couple of days before arrival,they mentioned very late landing, not agreed upon in advance.I was put in front of“de facto situation”- Checked-in Sunday past 1AM-It was 2 AM by time I showed them around villa.Result: I reached home in Rome 3AM. No consideration for others.On arrival,group said had no funds on them nor in their account for Refundable Breakage Deposit.Then one lady claimed she saw a mouse in kitchen- I was there & said I saw no mouse at all! Clearly tried psychological pressure to induce me give up requesting breakage deposit-After many reminders,amount wired 8 days later- Electricity meter checked by party on arrival and departure. I miscalculated downward their electricity bill & told them by email I’ll pick up that cost as it was my miscalculation-Not even a thank you note-Our residential area’s Management Board requests to respect siesta time (2 to 4 PM).Never before did neighbours complain of Guests& often made friends with them & treated them to dinner.Neighbours kept complaining to me this party kept drinking & shouting all day till late night,& heard even by top of the road villa.To soothe situation,I offered party alternative villa in more isolated near-by area at no extra cost.They declined.Proves they saw no mouse,or else they would have grabbed my offer.I convinced neighbours not to report group in writing for public disturbance- In Italy garbage is differentiated,put in ECO bags,in protection bins.Party stored rubbish in kitchen &garden in non-ECO bags, seldom put outside gate,in none of 5 bins provided. Result:Townhall staff wouldn’t retrieve it &cats belonging to neighbours tore bags and spread rubbish on street,hence more neighbours complaints! On check out,dirt beyond imagination- cutlery & cooking pans put away in kitchen cupboards dirty with grease & solid food remains-Smelling compost, dirty baby pampers,incredible loads of empty alcohol bottles stored in villa-Grease stains all over floor-I handed the villa over to them in perfect state in every respect. I reject their review which tastes of revenge, due to the fact that I insisted on getting Refundable Breakage Deposit, and couldn’t objectively side with their behaviour towards all residents in area
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