Villa Maria Caterina

We drove across three countries and paid an extra €15 per night for our dog because the hotel advertised itself as dog-friendly. We expected a welcoming place. Instead, we felt disrespected and like a burden. We couldn't relax or let our dog simply exist, and it felt as if we'd wasted all our money. If you travel with pets or care about animals, I strongly recommend avoiding this hotel. It is absolutely not dog-friendly. The receptionist was nice and welcomed us warmly, which gave us a good first impression. But the woman preparing breakfast was extremely rude, and the rest of the stay was deeply disappointing. Staff made us uncomfortable at breakfast just because our dog was there. One staff member complained that he urinated outside, even though that's a normal and unavoidable need and we were careful and respectful. Other guests added to the unpleasant atmosphere. A child kept swinging his leg at our dog while mocking him, and the parents loudly said how much they “hate dogs.” They assumed nobody understood them, but I speak Italian and understood every word. It was offensive and made everything uncomfortable. One woman also spread a false story that our dog had stolen another guest's shoes. He was in our room the entire time because of what had happened earlier. At checkout, she rudely interrupted my conversation with a staff member. That level of hostility was extreme. The property itself had a stray dog sleeping on its terrace and kept a cat, yet our dog was blamed for every little inconvenience, from urinating outside to supposedly making others uncomfortable. The double standard was ridiculous. This happened a few months ago, but it affected us so negatively that we still feel deeply affected today.