Domus Maria, Banjole

We left after one night because the place felt shabby and neglected. The garden had rubbish bags and building materials lying around, and inside we found broken furniture and other damaged items, cables hanging from the walls, and a sewage smell. It needs a full renovation and much better upkeep. We were refunded for the unused nights, but Booking.com wouldn't let us post a review.

The musty smell downstairs was the least of our problems. We stayed for a week and were asked for a €300 deposit, which hadn't been mentioned on Airbnb until a message arrived a few days before check-in. That should be made clear before anyone books. A lounger that was already very brittle broke when someone sat down and leaned back. They took €80 from our deposit for it. If the loungers really were new, as claimed, their quality is questionable; they should at least withstand being used. Some of the old garden chairs had cracks between the seat and back, and we were charged for those too. At check-in we were told quiet music or conversation outside after quiet hours was fine. We did just that, so the later claim that we were chatting outside too late felt unfair. We were allowed into the house three hours early, but we also left three hours early. I wouldn't recommend staying here. It seems they charge extra for things that are beyond repair, then accuse guests of things that were explained differently at check-in.

The kitchens had plenty of equipment, though you need to bring your own dishwasher tablets. Upstairs was lovely, but downstairs felt dated and one bedroom had a musty smell. The pool rule was three people at a time, with an extra cleaning charge if more used it, despite the house sleeping 11. We were told when we arrived that playing music for a while was fine. The owner lives on the property and didn't object during our stay, but later we were accused of disturbing the peace.

We found the location ideal for mixing days by the sea with outings. It's about 500 metres from the water, with restaurants ranging from pizzerias to Michelin-starred places nearby. The airport is 14 km away, a national park about 8 km, and the ancient arena, a bit like the Colosseum, around 8-10 km away. The house is roughly 360 square metres, with a garden of about 1,400 square metres. It was very comfortable for my wife and me, and would also work well for a family group of 10-12. Though officially rated three stars, it felt closer to four, with a pool, barbecue area and fast free Wi-Fi, which is unusual in this region. The owner lives on the property and was consistently kind and helpful. We were told quiet music or entertainment after quiet hours was allowed, and that's what we did. We had a wonderful stay, thought the price was good value, and would recommend it to couples wanting to relax and explore.