Luxury B&B

The owner was lovely and helped me figure out the buses and where to get breakfast. My room was fine, with air conditioning and good internet, and it was very quiet, so I slept well. It’s a pretty good B&B on the outskirts of Lecce. They didn’t serve breakfast, and I couldn’t tell whether it’s still an option. There’s no elevator, so keep that in mind if you have heavy bags.

I never stayed here, but my refundable booking was charged a week before I was due to arrive, even though I wasn’t supposed to pay in advance. I asked for a refund that same day. More than a month later, I still haven’t got the money back, despite being told it had been processed. They won’t provide proof of the refund, and stopped replying after I kept asking where my money was. They just said, “It’s done,” without evidence, even though I asked several times. Sending a payment receipt shouldn’t be so difficult. When I said I had a friend in Lecce who could visit the hotel to find out what was going on, and that I’d write a review, they acted like victims and said my messages were intolerable and that they wouldn’t accept being threatened. Am I just meant to let them keep my money and ignore all my messages? This has felt extremely incompetent, with employees unavailable to handle problems. They also almost always reply in Italian, even when I write in English. I cancelled the refundable booking, and one month later they still had my money and wouldn’t show any proof of a refund or answer my email asking what was happening. They only reply to this review, I guess because they’re trying to protect their online reputation. Is this place even legal?

The rooms were fine, though construction work made weekdays noisy. There was a kettle but no cups, so I had to ask for some. Breakfast was mostly do-it-yourself on the first day, then got better over the weekend when Luka was hosting. I’d hoped for a few thoughtful touches, but at first I had to ask for things.

A really nice place, and they provide a bike for exploring the town.