Villa Pollina

We left disappointed. The advertised 20m2 room was at most 8m2, and the air conditioner smelled bad. The supposed panoramic view looked out over the courtyard and parking lot, where nighttime noise made it impossible to sleep. Breakfast was described as exceptional, but it was ordinary store-bought croissants and marmalade, with selective trash cans right in front of you in the dining room. The on-duty smile didn't make up for the lack of customer care or attention to detail. Extremely overrated.

We'd enjoyed a day at this B&B's pool in August and had been welcomed warmly by the owner. We also had mutual friends. So about a week later, we called to ask about coming back for just an afternoon, and the lady said the pool opened at 2:00 PM. We got there at 1:55 PM and went to the pool entrance, where people usually pay, but nobody was there to greet us. A woman, who I assumed was the owner, began shouting that the pool wouldn't open until 2:00 and that we shouldn't have been allowed in. I calmly explained we were waiting to be greeted so we could pay, and that we were only five minutes early. If visitors aren't meant to come in before opening, why leave the gate open? She kept yelling. I said we were leaving. A man, who I think was one of the guests and had a Northern accent, looked mortified and tried to get us to stay, saying it was a misunderstanding. But to us, it was rudeness, not a misunderstanding. Our three-year-old was crying because he wanted to swim. Luckily, we found another place that welcomed us politely. We wouldn't have minded waiting five minutes. Guests should be treated kindly.

We stayed one night with our family in the attic. Everything was extremely clean and well organized from arrival to departure, and the owners were very friendly. Breakfast was excellent too. We'll definitely return in summer for a relaxing day by the pool.

The location was convenient for Trapani and Palermo, and the bed was comfortable. The room was small but okay, and the air conditioning worked. The owner wasn't very welcoming or polite, though the woman we met at breakfast was kind and helpful with advice. The shower hadn't been cleaned, with hairs left on the tray.