Mariposa Apartments

The apartment itself was nice, but the Booking rating gave the wrong impression. I wouldn’t rate it 8 out of 10. Check-in was complicated and the details hadn’t been fully explained before we arrived. The check-in window was especially restrictive, just three hours from 3-6pm. I also think we paid too much, with avoidable charges such as a dish cleaning fee.

The apartments are right in central Bardolino, close to plenty of restaurants and the lake, and free parking is nearby. Take care to understand the host’s explanation.

The parking is awkward, though quite unique, but the staff were kind and helpful, especially with small children in our group. The rooms could have been cleaner: the furniture hadn’t been cleaned, and there were cobwebs and small insects in some ceiling corners, including in the kitchen on the pedestrian street.

The apartments are in a fantastic spot in the heart of Bardolino’s old town, but the location is the only thing that really stands out. Inside, we didn’t feel that central location at all. If you’re spending a lot just for the old town, it might suit you. Otherwise, I’d look slightly above the main street for somewhere cheaper, with a balcony or garden, where you feel like a guest rather than a source of money. We stayed in the “verde” apartment, which had two bedrooms, a large eat-in kitchen with a sofa bed for possibly two more people, a nice bathroom with a large shower, and plenty of equipment, including a washing machine, dishwasher, ironing board, and microwave. There was no balcony, as was clear when booking. The first floor apartment got natural light only through the kitchen area window. The bedroom windows faced the wall of the next building, about 50 cm away and reaching at least to the fourth floor, so they provided neither useful light nor fresh air. The air felt stale and smelled strongly of a commercial kitchen. One bedroom had direct air conditioning; the other was cooled indirectly through a small anteroom or hallway, presumably intended to cool the rest of the apartment too. We’d booked for Easter 2019 back in 2018, then had to postpone several times because of Covid and other difficulties. We finally used our fully paid four-night stay at Easter 2022. We had occasional email contact with Mariposa-Apartment during that period. The replies were friendly and accommodating, but not always prompt. On arrival, they said they needed to consult management about an extra charge. It had never come up in the emails, but we paid a hefty 25% surcharge on top of the amount already paid, albeit reluctantly. Parking was free, with a spot in the courtyard’s underground garage usually possible for smaller cars. Our station wagon didn’t fit, so we had to use the garage above the main road. From there it’s about an eight-minute walk across town, unpleasant with rolling suitcases. At checkout, we were charged €40 for final cleaning without discussion. Given the earlier hefty surcharge, we wanted to do the cleaning ourselves. The cleaner couldn’t communicate in German or English and clearly didn’t want to clean. In short, aside from the location, the apartment didn’t offer anything particularly special, and what it did offer was exceptionally good.