Le Palme

The one good thing is the location: it's outside town but near the most beautiful places. The house itself was quiet, except at night when the owner's rooster started crowing around 2 a.m. When we arrived, we didn't get the room we'd requested, and nobody explained anything about the house or how to open the gates. We were just handed a key. The ceilings were so low you could bump your head, and the house and dishes didn't seem clean. The shower was small. There was no hand soap, only half a roll of toilet paper, and no detergent, even for the dishes. The fridge didn't even have a little water in it. There were no dishcloths in the kitchen or washer-dryer.

The Wi-Fi didn't work at all, and our mobile providers had no signal in the basement rooms. Breakfast was poor: packaged croissants, loose toast and watered-down coffee from a thermos. On the third day, after we asked for fresh towels, we were told towels are changed once a week and that they'd make an exception. We were there for four days, but the change never happened. When we arrived at B&B Le Palme, we found insect larvae under the bedspread. We asked for clean sheets, and they brought them right away.

The room was comfortable and clean, and the location was quiet. Breakfast came with the stay, but the selection was limited and disappointing: mostly discount-store packaged goods, apart from Nutella. There was nothing fresh, like bread or fruit.

The view over the sea from up high is stunning, and the peaceful setting feels made for meditation. There are trees, ornamental plants and greenery everywhere, with lovely fresh air. The animals enjoy being cared for and making friends with people. The building and furnishings are genuinely interesting. The owners are friendly and professional, and provide excellent performances. Prices are astonishingly reasonable.