Guest House Villa Angaran San Giuseppe

The building looked old from the outside, and sometimes the room doors were stuck. Breakfast was the usual Italian kind, nothing fancy. Still, the place sits among olive trees, with an orange courtyard behind it, and it's a short walk into town. There's a big parking area for cars, plus motorcycle parking in front of reception. Just drive past the sign saying pedestrians only!

Our room was clean and the bed comfortable, though the room was simply furnished. There was an issue with the bathroom water, but it was late and reception was empty, so nobody could fix it. The building is huge and gives the impression it may once have been a hospital or nursing home. It felt a little lonely there in the evening and overnight. Breakfast was ordinary, but the people were nice.

At first, the rooms might seem a little under-equipped or poorly designed, and the price may look high. But this place is doing something worthwhile, and I was glad to support it. It's a 500-year-old villa that also works as a hotel, a commune for children in difficulty, and a recreation center for people with disabilities. They grow their own food, make their own wine, and aim to be as self-sufficient as they can. There's no TV, and I didn't bother with the Wi-Fi either. A day without screens felt freeing, and being in a villa this old made me want to get into the spirit of it. We booked B&B. Watch out in the shower, the floor is very slippery, so I put a towel down to make it safer. The red CO alarm light blinked all night, along with a green light from something I couldn't turn off. That's probably required, so I won't complain. Breakfast was the usual European style, with a little of everything but nothing special. The coffee, though, was proper freshly ground coffee made by the girls. At other hotels, I need six cups of watery instant coffee for a caffeine kick, but here two did the job. Nice people and a good thing they're building. I wish them well.

The little bar inside the complex was a really nice surprise. Everyone was polite and spoke English. There's also a walking path beside the river. Seems like it would be a good place to visit in summer.