Casa Vacanze San Marco

I've already been here three times in a month, and my son has come twice. The apartment is on the fourth floor, with an elevator, right in the middle of Corso Elea. I fell for Ascea, and this place has everything I need, including a lovely washing machine. The hostess is incredibly kind and always ready to help. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

For a beach holiday, the apartments are decent for what you pay. But getting a good night's rest was another matter. They're not soundproof, and without air conditioning you may need to open the windows for air. Then you hear kids under the balcony until 3 or 4 am, talking, laughing, singing, and playing music. The building's front door stays open even at night, with younger renters constantly going up and down the stairs. We picked a first-floor apartment for convenience with our two small children, yet there was running and screaming from kids in the apartments above from 1 to 4 pm throughout the holiday. We couldn't sleep, even during the day. If rest is what you're after, this isn't the place. Parking is a further problem: there aren't enough spaces for all the apartments, including paid ones.

The location and private parking were the good parts, but I wouldn't recommend the apartment. It was hot, with no fan, and not properly equipped for four people. There were only two teaspoons and three cups, for example. The elevator was awful, out of service more days than it worked, and the apartment wasn't as comfortable as we'd expected.

I booked for an adventurous weekend, so finding a comfortable apartment with everything I needed was a nice surprise. It's an easy walk to the sea and close to the train station, which is useful if you don't want to drive to Ascea. Families would suit it well. Don't expect extravagant luxury, but for comfort and a bit of peace, I'd recommend it.