Guesthouse Anica

I hadn’t planned to write another review, but I can’t edit my original Booking review, and the owner’s private messages have made me feel I need to defend myself here. The owner contacted me through Booking, asked me to delete my review, and accused me of lying. My friend and I both have years of hospitality experience, so we know how hard it is to run a guesthouse and how much guest feedback matters. I wouldn’t write a dishonest or malicious review. I travel a lot, from hotels to guesthouses, and enjoy recognizing good places with positive reviews. This stay unfortunately wasn’t one of them, and I want to explain honestly what happened. The key box broke apart while we were taking out the keys. I’ve never had trouble with similar boxes elsewhere. The owner later said on Booking that it was the first time it had happened. But when I messaged at checkout to say we’d left the keys on the table because the door wouldn’t lock and the box couldn’t be used, all I got back was “thank you for letting me know.” No one asked what happened. If it was really the first time, why didn’t anyone follow up? I have a screenshot of that reply. The room smelled very unpleasant, and there was visible mold on the bathroom walls. I’m not saying this to “be mean,” as the owner claimed, but because it could be a health hazard. I have allergies and reacted right away, and someone else might have worse symptoms. We had to leave the window open the whole time, and I have a photo. This is about health and safety, not just opinion. We never asked for a refund. We only wanted to give honest feedback in case other guests run into the same problems. For the first 24 hours, the front door wouldn’t close. We felt unsafe in a foreign country and had to prop it with a heater. The next day we messaged the owner and were told to “lift up the knob.” After struggling, we got it shut, but the following morning we couldn’t open it from inside, which was stressful too. On our last day, we politely asked if we could leave our luggage for a few hours after checkout. We knew it was private property and would have accepted a no. The owner said they would “check tomorrow and let us know,” but never got back to us. Now the owner says we didn’t reply, though the message clearly said they’d follow up. I have a screenshot. We waited, then made other arrangements rather than keep chasing them. To be fair, the location is great, the garden is well kept, and the guesthouse is close to the city center. I didn’t want to post another review, but after the pressure and what I see as false accusations from the owner, I felt I had to defend myself. My original Booking review wasn’t meant to cause harm. I mentioned cleanliness and maintenance issues in the hope the owner might see them and improve a few things. Oversights can happen, and I thought that review was enough. But the owner asking me to delete it and accusing me of lying crossed a line.

The outdoor area was a real plus, with a garden, lounge chairs, and an open feel. The place was very clean, the bathroom renovated, and there was air conditioning. The service was professional and great. The downsides were lots of mosquitoes and no window nets, so we couldn’t open the windows. There’s no parking, so with a car you have to be lucky to find a spot nearby. There are quite a few stairs up from Main Street. A taxi to Dubrovnik old town costs 12-15€.

The rooms are spacious, very clean, and have air conditioning to get through the summer heat, plus a small kitchenette for basic cooking. It’s a long walk to old Town, around 25-30 minutes, but the place is good enough quality to be worth the price. Really nice location.

The people were incredibly helpful. The rooms are lovely, and you can walk to the old town.