Casa Siciliano

The road in is very narrow from the main street, so if you’re driving, you’ll need to be confident and experienced to avoid damaging the car, especially the side mirrors. The accommodation is in a remote area with beautiful views of Sant'Angelo and Maronti Beach. Before we arrived, the host said regular taxis would struggle with the road and offered a private transfer for €20, which we accepted. Our place was spacious, and the kitchen was well equipped, but there was barely any hot water. There was no bathroom soap and just one roll of toilet paper for three people for the whole week. A washing machine was available, but no detergent. The listing on Booking.com didn’t mention air conditioning, though there was a unit. We were asked to pay an extra €30 to use it for the final three days, or €10 a day. I think that should be included in the total price. I’ve never come across this before, though some guests may like having the option, especially on hot nights. There was a saltwater pool, but on our first swim Patricia told us eating and drinking by the pool wasn’t allowed, which we hadn’t been told in advance. She also said she was watching us on camera. That felt intrusive and close to crossing a privacy boundary. Patricia and her husband Sergio live in the same building. One day we came back earlier than usual and found them swimming in the pool, which was supposed to be part of our rental. I understand it’s their property, but I didn’t think using it without agreeing beforehand was appropriate. It takes about 15 minutes uphill to reach the bus stop and 15 minutes downhill to Maronti Beach. Buses aren’t very reliable, and we sometimes waited as long as 40 minutes. Most thermal parks are on the other side of the island, about another 1.5 hours of travel.