Suite dei Doria

The terrace overlooking the village and Dolceacqua Castle was enchanting, the view really priceless. Our room was on the small side, but comfortable, spotless, tastefully furnished and well equipped. We came back to B&B Dei Doria for a second stay and had a wonderful time again. The owner welcomed us warmly and was kind, attentive, friendly and very helpful. I highly recommend B&B dei Doria.

After driving more than 500 km from Carcassonne, where we'd also booked through Booking.com, our plans were thrown off. We had to find somewhere else to stay, this time without Booking.com, and continued on to Florence without Booking.com as well. I deny paying for accommodation advertised with that false description until the evening of April 10th. This was the worst experience we've had on our many trips, and I'm leaving such a negative review because the owner is a liar. We didn't stay there, though we arrived around 5:00 PM and I met and spoke with Ms. Rosanna. She says we never showed up. That's not true. I was the one who asked her to cancel our reservation, because our car and luggage made parking essential for us. On April 8th, in Carcassonne, while traveling from Spain to Italy, I searched for one night in Dolceaqua, which a friend had recommended. Since it's a medieval village and we had a lot of luggage, I used Booking.com's parking filter to find somewhere with parking, preferably free. This place came up at a reasonable price with very good reviews. Its profile listed both “Parking” and “Free Parking,” alongside things like free Wi-Fi and a balcony. I paid online for a non-refundable booking and got a two-page confirmation. I didn't read all the way to the end, where it had conditions about things like children and pets that didn't matter to me. When we arrived, we were in an alley where you can't drive or park. The owner, who speaks Spanish quite well, called to ask if we were there. I walked to the door and explained we couldn't stay because we couldn't carry our luggage that far. She said there was free parking about 200 meters away, but it belonged to the city council and had nothing to do with her accommodation. It had been presented in the listing as though it were one of her services. I showed her the description and asked her to cancel and refund me. She said she'd call Booking.com, then texted that it was my fault for not reading the confirmation to the end. It's not fair to advertise incorrect information, take a non-refundable payment, and only mention at the very end of the booking confirmation that you have to walk there and can't even get close by car. My husband was almost beaten up while waiting for me with the car, somewhere you couldn't even stand. After 10:00 PM that same day, I noticed the listing had changed and no longer mentioned “parking.” That's correct now. I'm asking for my money back because we couldn't enjoy our stay in Dolceaqua due to Booking.com's incorrect information.

The town is lovely for wandering through its little lanes, then stopping for an aperitif at a bar on the main square. We were welcomed very warmly, and breakfast had plenty of choice. There are two rooms, including one with a terrace you can enter directly from the room. Just bear in mind this is a traditional building with no elevator. I recommend it.

Dolceacqua is well worth a visit, and B&B dei Doria is a good option if you're passing through. I started my Ligurian coast-to-coast bike trip from here. Breakfast was excellent, I got a good rest, and the advice on where to eat and what to see was excellent too. The one drawback is the very high steps, a problem in every home in the historic center. If you're not physically challenged, they'll certainly keep you in shape!