City Résidence Sophia

Avoid this place, especially in summer. There’s no AC in any room, and both the shower and kitchen were dirty. They charge extra for towels, cleaning, and late checkout. At this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a fee to flush the toilet too.

The setting is really isolated, in the middle of a town with no supermarket or attractions, so you need a car. The bus service is poor too, with about 80% of buses not running on weekends, and the bus station doesn't serve you then. Opening the balcony door lets insects in, some as large as 5 cm. I found one on my bed, and waking up to them in the room was a nasty surprise. After that, I couldn't sleep there, but when I said on the first of the month that I wanted to leave the following month, they said I had to give a month's notice and couldn't quit then. Hot water uses electricity, which is a problem in winter or cold weather, especially if you also want to run the heaters. The elevator is very old, though they're renovating the building.

It's a quiet place out of the way, with no restaurant or shop on site. The nearest one takes about a 30-minute walk, or you can catch the bus from the stop right outside. Bus fares are cheap: €1.50 for one ride, or €8 for a pass with 10 rides. The free internet is decent, just under 8 Mbps, enough for streaming, and works on up to five devices at once.

For what it costs, this is probably the worst apartment I've ever lived in. There was a wasp nest in the curtains, no bedroom light, and no oven. Washing and drying clothes each cost extra, separately, and you're far from everything unless you have a car. One Saturday the power went out in my room and stayed off for three days. Be careful, you may end up paying twice what this place is worth.