La Capraccia (BOL335)

A great spot for a holiday if you want to get away from the big city and all its noise, and just relax.

We found plenty to like about La Capraccia: the renovated historic house is charming and clean, and its natural setting is peaceful. But some parts of our stay took away from that. The kitchen had only the bare essentials and very few amenities, while the pool was in poor shape and clearly needed maintenance. Most of all, we didn’t feel welcome by the owners. It felt as though we were being watched all the time, which made us uncomfortable and made the stay less enjoyable. The place has real potential from its location, surrounding nature, and rustic charm, but it needs more attention to detail and a warmer welcome.

The conditions were so unacceptable that we left the next day. When we arrived at La Capraccia (the barn) two years ago, the photos had given a misleading impression. Hygiene was awful: there was a sewer smell, the table was dirty, the sofa was stained, and the bed mattress had stains all over it. There also weren’t enough dishes, crockery, pots and pans, or cutlery.

The host was HELPFUL, KIND, and TIMELY whenever we needed him, and he sorted out the three problems we brought to him. The pool was large and well maintained; the lawn was cleaned each evening by a robot and again in the morning with a net, though the property still came across as somewhat neglected. The accommodation cost felt proportionate to the service we received. The property has enormous potential, and it’s a shame it isn’t being developed properly. We were there as three families and appreciated being offered two adjoining apartments with three bedrooms and three bathrooms in total. Still, that setup seems better suited to close-knit families: to get to the living room and kitchen, we had to walk through two double bedrooms. The apartments were tidy and generally clean, but there was a lot of dust. The bathrooms were a real nuisance: none had windows, one was very small, and all three smelled strongly of sewer. The property overall needs more care and maintenance. The plastic garden tables and chairs were broken, and the furniture and dishes were old and poorly maintained.