Locanda del Barbaresco

We booked through Booking.com for August 13 to August 15: a double room with a view, free Wi-Fi, and 20 square meters, according to the listing. We’d asked in advance whether we could check in early, between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM instead of 6-10 PM, since we had a three-and-a-half-hour drive. They agreed. We got there at 4:20 PM, but nobody was there. When I called, they said they were on the way, and the lady sounded annoyed. Her son arrived at 5:00 PM and showed us the room, if you can call it that. It was tiny and stifling hot, with no air conditioning, just a small fan. The room itself was barely larger than 10 square meters, plus a 3-square-meter bathroom. A huge pine tree almost touched the window and blocked the view, so we could only glimpse the vineyards behind it. The place was very dirty too, with cobwebs and three spiders on the ceiling. The son said the cleaner had left that morning. When I showed him photos of us in the garden as we were about to leave, he changed his story. The listing promised free Wi-Fi, but the son said there was none. He didn’t believe me until I showed him my reservation printout, then he apologized and agreed. We packed up and called the owner to explain why we were leaving. The room wasn’t worth staying in and trying for a partial refund. Without apologizing, the lady said, “We’ll see if I can refund you, we’ll talk about it,” as though this were normal. We cancelled straight away and luckily found another place in the centre of Alba. The next day, I saw that we’d been refunded 50%, as stated in Booking.com’s terms. When the room wasn’t as advertised, I believe the refund should have been full. Be careful booking with these people. The lady seemed so calm about it that I got the impression this might not have been the first time, and that they were making money without providing the advertised services.

We stayed on Saturday, November 16, and had told the lady we’d be arriving with our three-month-old infant. Still, she didn’t let us in until 5:00 PM. It was my fault for not reading the information, so that’s fair. But I also work at a facility and wouldn’t turn people away at the door. I might not rent them a room if it wasn’t ready, but I’d let them come in. The room was 16.1°C (61°F) when we entered. The lady said it was 21°C (70°F) because the thermometer had been correctly placed above the radiator. The building is stone with high ceilings, and it was 4°C (39°F) outside. At 10:00 PM, the room was barely 18°C ​​(64°F). I don’t think a facility should be open without being kept warm. We met other guests in the hallway who were in the same situation. The room was small, dusty, and full of cobwebs. I don’t expect much in the countryside, but I do expect to be able to rest. The walls were so thin, with a door behind the headboard, that there was no privacy. At 4 a.m. we woke up because the man in the next room was clearly sick, vomiting and having diarrhea. It was awful for him to be ill without privacy, and awful for us to be caught up in it too. At €119.00 a night, it felt overpriced. After I posted a review on Booking.com that had actually downplayed the experience, the lady called in a rude tone and demanded an explanation. She came across as biased. That may be the most serious issue.

The welcome made it feel like home, and the location is excellent, just a few steps from Alba.

We had a pleasant stay. Mrs. Maria was very kind, and our room was clean. The place is surrounded by woods, yet only a few minutes from Alba.