Would not recommend this apartment
Review Submitted: April 12, 2009
Date of Stay: April 2009
The description was not accurate regarding facilities. The TV did not work - did not even have an aerial. The owner brought us a new one the day after but this was only set up for DVD's - there was no reliable signal forTV channels. The microwave was dangerous - did not heat up food and a foul burning rubber smell emanated from the vents on top. One of the reasons we chose this aprtment was for the pool. It was advertised and photographed yet was not even open - all locked up with a padlock on the gates - no access to even sit out by the pool. The 'garden' was non existent. The photograph advertising a garden was in fact a small patch of grass bordering the apartment.
The apartment was only just acceptable in terms of cleanliness - dusty shelves in the dining area and dirty curtains especially in the small bathroom. Some of the cups in the cupboard were also dirty on arrival and had to be washed by us before being used.
The owner met us locally and took us to the apartment. He lived half an hour away so every time there was a problem we had to phone him - at our own expense! - for example the keys which were left for us to operate the security gates did not work and we were unable to drive out of the complex. We had to ring him and then he gave us a code to use!
The owner was pleasant enough but he seemed unsure of the process of showing us around like we were his first ever clients.
We were extremely disappointed with the place and felt it was misleading in its photographs. The owner did knock us 100 euro off our bill but we would much rather have paid the full price for a fully serviced, clean apartment.
We have used this web site numerous times now and this is our first bad experience. We do generally feel that the descriptions are accurate but on this occasion it was not.
Owner's Response: Swimming pool operating, in Italy, is not free, but limited by law. While the pool is open a depurating system must be operating and, when depth is more than 1,40 m, the presence of a life guard is compulsory. Due to the relevant costs, no-heated swimming pools are opened only in summer, when water temperature are acceptable. The alternatives are public heated swimming pool (15 min far from the flat) or thermal swimming poll (30 km from the flat). I didn't imagine that my guests were willing to swim with a water temperature of 13 °C.
The residence builder, ten years ago, spent about €100.000 for the plants of the garden. Maybe who are used to the wonderful parks of green England would be not so much impressed but for us, in Sicily, a waterless country, a garden like ours is much appreciated.
As we declared the flat has no satellite TV. We are planning an installation in next may. The analogic channels avalaible in Italian language are quite trivial and often not too adequate for children.
So I substituted the cathodic ray TV with a new 38" LCD Samsung and provided a new Sony DVD reader and ten DVD to give a movies alternative in english language.
In my experience microwaves are delicate apparatus. A quite not exepensive SMS message to my cell phone would result in an immediate new one installation.
When I took my guests to the apartment, I opened, with no problem, both the gates by the two-channel remote controller that I left them. I still wasn't able to understand what was the problem they experienced with it. Aniway when I was contacted on monday evening, (unique phone call received), I changed the electronic remote controller with two pairs of traditional keys. I asked them to leave both on the table of dining room at departure but I was surprised when I discovered that one of the keys had been leaved on the back of the entrance door. The door was locked and I had to pay a locksmith to open it from outside.
6) In my offer in november I knock off because I was asked for the price for two adults and two children. I was thinking a family with two little kids not with two pleasant teenagers!
7) We subscribe at Holiday Rentals in november so they were our first "clients" from England but we have reference on other site and we ever gained 5/5.
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Helpful votes: 1/6
