Villa Gioia

We spent seven nights at Villa Gioia, and the stay fell well short. When we arrived around 6:00 PM, we were told the pool couldn’t be used that day because of a private event. It went on until about 12:30 AM and kept us from sleeping. Our room lock was broken, so for two days we couldn’t lock the door. After the first use, the shower water turned cold and stayed cold for several minutes. Breakfast was poor and disappointing. There was no fruit juice, and the only food was two kinds of supermarket snacks still in their packaging, so we had to eat at bars in town. The owner’s family and friends were constantly using the pool, and all the commotion made us feel like intruders in someone else’s home. Our room was cleaned once in the seven days, without any notice. They didn’t even refill the shower soap during that cleaning. We had to find toilet paper and clean towels ourselves in different cupboards around the building.

A few days ago, we had a lovely stay at Villa Gioia. The host was kind and helpful, and our clean, tidy room and bathroom were quiet and undisturbed. The villa is surrounded by nature and mountains. We’ll definitely come back this summer to enjoy the pool and the peace and quiet.

Villa Disperazione really lives up to its name, with almost no hygiene or staff to speak of. The hotel looked nothing like the photos and was in complete disrepair, like one of those nightmare hotel shows. Our room was small and run-down, and it looked as if it might not have been cleaned for a month. There was dust everywhere, and bedbugs in the bed, towels, closets, and throughout the apartment. We collected around twenty. Nothing smelled clean. Everything reeked of mold, dust, and damp. There’s no physical reception. The owner, an elderly man, was rude and didn’t seem to care about our problems. Our toilet wouldn’t flush, and he curtly said, “The water comes slowly.” In another apartment, the bidet wouldn’t flush either, and no help was offered. When we asked about having breakfast at 7:00, he replied, “Why do you think I, at 85, set my alarm for 6:30?!” Breakfast was dirty, and everything was packaged. There’s potential here because of the space and the location among the greenery, but the place was truly disgusting. I wouldn’t recommend coming. Sleep in your car instead.

Travel takes us to new places and brings us into contact with so many people. This journey, rich in natural and human beauty, has left a lasting impression. It also leaves me hoping we can keep working with respect for the places we live in and for one another. Mizzotti Family/London