Trulli Alla Controra

Maria gave us such a warm welcome and was extremely courteous and helpful. She even takes care of breakfast herself, and it was delicious. The beautifully renovated trullo is furnished with great taste, in a well-kept country setting. It’s well placed for the olive groves inland as well as the coast, about 20 minutes away. A perfect stay, and we’ll definitely return.

We booked the trullo on Booking.com for four nights, drawn by the lovely photos and the traditional breakfast shown, with fruit, fig cake and other sweets. The room was very damp, and the sheets were wet, so we got no sleep that first night. The bathroom looked beautiful but wasn't practical: nowhere to hang towels, the toilet splashed water over the bowl and lid when flushed, and the bidet was too close to the wall to sit on comfortably because our knees hit it. We expected a proper breakfast in the morning, but there was just a basket with three packaged snacks on the tables. The owner brought coffee and literally two cookies. That was a real letdown. Later, an urgent work matter came up, and we decided to head home the next day, after two nights instead of the four booked. We explained this wasn't our choice, and that we'd already transferred 50% of the total a month before the booking. The owner seemed annoyed and said she didn't know whether she could charge us for just two days. She said notifying the police would be a big problem, and suggested we might pay for the other two days and receive a voucher to use later. Fortunately, she called Booking.com. The woman there was very kind and explained that the property could decide whether or not to charge for the extra two days. The owner answered her abruptly. The Booking.com representative said it would be right to charge us for only the two days, which is what happened. Evidently, with the call on speaker, the representative thought she was telling us to pay for all four nights. Strongly discouraged.

We’re two hikers on the Route of the Two Seas, and Maria gave us the warmest welcome, letting us sample local treats. A beautiful place if you want to enjoy the countryside away from noise and crowds. A real oasis for relaxing. Thank you, Maria! 😘

It’s a lovely, well-kept property, and the owner was very kind and helpful. The place is somewhat isolated, but that makes it a great choice if you’re looking to relax.