La Collina su Palinuro

I had a terrible experience. We were four, and the stay cost far too much for what we got. The apartment was very old, with one bathroom and 19th-century sanitary fixtures. We were told not to shower early in the morning because it would bother other people. You could hear everything through the walls, even flushing the toilet if someone was sick. Breakfast was awful too. If someone asked for milk or coffee, they’d bring it with the coffee already in it. There was also a strange issue with the rooms: the owners opened rooms occupied by other guests. He let me in to see them, and when I asked if they were occupied, they said, “No, there aren’t any.” Why show them to me if they were occupied? The owner was very intrusive, though her husband was helpful. I’d look elsewhere if you don’t want surprises with your privacy.

The quiet hillside location was nice, and our room was spacious with new furniture and a newly renovated bathroom. But there was no soundproofing. When our neighbors came back at midnight and talked loudly, we could hear everything as if they were in our room. Every morning, the owner’s conversations with breakfast guests in the living room woke us at different times. Neither window had blackout curtains. Five curtains in different colors had been hung, but they did nothing for privacy at night or for the sun streaming in at 6 or 7 a.m. When I asked how to darken the windows, the owner said, “But you don’t have to sleep because you have to vacate the room.” The cappuccino was terrible and came in a big plastic cup. The towels were poor quality, and they gave us only two even though there were three of us. We booked just one night. I’d only recommend staying here if you can’t find anything near the sea.

I’d booked for one night, August 25th/26th, but the person managing the place had something else in mind. To make up for it, they offered me the couch in the B&B lobby and the shared bathroom. They didn’t even bother to come to the place. Luckily, a very kind person took me somewhere else, so I was able to spend the night.

A quiet place with very kind, hospitable owners. It’s cool enough to sleep without air conditioning, and all you hear are cicadas and crickets. Everything was very clean, the linen was fresh and fragrant, and the bed was comfortable with very soft pillows. Breakfast was excellent and plentiful.