Rena Garden Apartments

Rena Garden sits just a few meters from some of Sardinia's most beautiful beaches. Rena Maiori, the best known and closest one, gives the village its name; Monti Russu, Naracu Nieddu, and others are nearby too. The staff were courteous and helpful, and prices seemed in line with what is provided. At check-in, you can ask about arranging guided tours or other excursions. The accommodations are basic, somewhere between a bungalow and a prefabricated building. Each has a kitchen with the basic equipment, a bathroom with a bidet and shower, and a bedroom with good-quality mattresses. There is no air conditioning, though, and the kitchen TV is small and old. The windows and doors also have no mosquito nets.

We paid an exorbitant price, then were asked for extra tourist taxes when we arrived. The house had practically nothing in it: no pans or washing machine, and the shower drain was blocked and full of cockroaches. The owner was nowhere to be found. The booking confirmation had, of course, made a point of saying there would be no refund under any circumstances. We booked eight days and left after three. A waste of money. DO NOT BOOK.

I went on holiday with a friend, but we were uncomfortable in the apartment from the start, with several things needing attention. The garden was badly maintained, the property was dented, and there were very few supplies. The owner never came by, apologized, or offered compensation. The bathroom problems were awful. The sink kept leaking, the toilet cistern didn't work, and we had to flush using a bucket left for that purpose. The toilet was blocked and water came up through the shower. Its drain also failed, flooding the upstairs floor. On the morning of the 5th, because of the blockage, we had to relieve ourselves on the back terrace. It was shameful, and they took a very long time to come fix it. There was no dustpan for the broom. The extractor fan didn't work, so the whole apartment smelled when we cooked. The TV looked like it was from the 80s and wouldn't get any channels, not even Italian ones. At night we were too hot, but with no mosquito nets we had to keep the windows shut to avoid bites. They brought us a fan two days before we left, almost five days after we'd asked.

The outdoor shower was perfect, and there was an indoor walk-in shower as well. We got a perfect welcome, with helpful service and good advice. The only drawback was how hot it got inside the accommodation.