4Brooms Boutique B&B

The house and room design were nice, and the location puts you right in the center, a 10/10 for that. But getting there took an hour of waiting because check-in wasn’t easy. The bed was far too short for me at 1.9m, and the jacuzzi took 30 minutes to figure out, with only hot water at first. Breakfast was poor, and even though the coffee was only 0.50€, it should be included with a free breakfast. The room’s coffee machine didn’t work properly, and Wi-Fi didn’t reach the far side of the house where our room was. Parking is tricky in the OLD TOWN, so you have to find somewhere outside that area.

Inside, the apartment felt calm and peaceful even though the city outside was lively. It was a nice place with a balcony that had plenty of local character, and the location was great.

We booked through AirBnB and the room looked nice in the photos. Before check-in, the owner sent a stream of separate emails covering nearby parking, electronic check-in, “virtual keys,” trash sorting, and other details. It all sounded normal, but our arrival turned into a mess. We’d kept in touch through AirBnB and WhatsApp, and the owner knew when we’d arrive. Still, nobody was available. We were left standing outside in the evening, unable to get in or reach the owner for over two hours by either messaging service or phone. AirBnB customer service couldn’t get through either. The parking directions pointed near a different address where the same owner has another property. The self-check-in instructions also led to the other building. Following the advice about parking near San Matteo church, we ended up at that other address first and realized the information was misleading. Then we went to the address on our booking confirmation, but the entry instructions were for the first building. Nobody was there, our calls and messages went unanswered, and the virtual key from the emails worked in neither building. AirBnB eventually canceled the booking and found us reliable accommodation within walking distance late that evening, Mariella yellow house, highly recommended. But we’d already spent the evening stressed, waiting with all our luggage and making several international calls instead of enjoying the room or city, unsure where we’d sleep. I understand that unexpected events can happen, but not answering all evening or even contacting us the next day with an explanation or apology was unacceptable and unprofessional. Travellers, be warned!

The staff were so friendly and went out of their way to contact us before we arrived, share restaurant suggestions, and give us tips for continuing our travels. An amazing boutique hotel in all the ways that matter. Highly recommended, and I’d stay again next time.