Maui apartament

What can I say? The room was clean, fresh-smelling, and everything looked new apart from the mattress base. But the place is a windowless garage or warehouse converted into an apartment, with nothing to block the light coming in through either the service or main doors. The autoclave kept switching on at night, and the bed made an absurd amount of noise whenever I turned over.

I strongly recommend avoiding this apartment. We booked for two people in March, then told the owner that two more would be joining us. The price for four was higher than for two, and he offered a total of €500. That seemed straightforward until the evening before we were due to leave, when he called to say it would actually be €600. With no way to find another place at that point, we accepted, though I felt he’d been dishonest and crafty. We paid the €600 in cash, with no receipt. He also made a point of saying he’d been running the business for seven years, which left me wondering if that meant seven years of cash payments under the table. The two-story apartment was supposed to be entirely ours, at least until the evening before departure. When we arrived, though, the owner said we could only use the ground floor. We later found out he’d rented the upper floor to other people. He told us there was a water problem because the supply came from a cistern and was limited due to the situation in Sicily. That might not have been his fault, but he should absolutely have told us before we left. For six days we worried we might not have enough water to shower, cook, or flush the toilet. We didn’t cook because that would have meant washing dishes too. The washing machine shown in the photos didn’t work, so we couldn’t use it. There was no coffee machine either, until one somehow appeared after we complained. The owner said he’d bring coffee capsules, which should have been provided anyway, just like some water in the fridge on arrival. He did bring the capsules, but didn’t tell us or even message to say he’d be coming by while we were out. He just came in without asking. I’d rather not get into the cleaning. We chose this place because it offered things a hotel wouldn’t, like being able to do laundry and cook, but we couldn’t use those services. A terrible experience, quite apart from the complaints this person deserves. DO NOT GO!

I paid before arriving, but they never gave me a receipt. After three days in a place with no real cleanliness or sanitation, I left my groceries behind and asked the woman to give them back. She kept giving me excuses about when I could collect them, then stopped getting in touch. It seemed like she wanted to keep them. I should add that she isn't Sicilian. Sicilians are welcoming, courteous, and civilized. A terrible experience.

We picked the apartment for one night as a break between Segesta and Palermo, and the hosts were kind and the place was clean. It had just about everything, even laundry detergent when we needed some, plus the usual kitchen things and a hairdryer. Parking nearby was easy, and the one-night price was great. One thing to know: light comes in through the doors and windows, and you can hear a lot, so it's not for sleeping in total darkness and quiet. I'd skip breakfast and save €5 for a cappuccino and fresh croissant at a nearby café.