Salento Vacanze

We stayed August 9-12, 2024. The room had mold in the bathroom and closet, and cardboard boxes were piled at the entrance by the bottom of the stairs. The air conditioning didn’t work, and we argued with the owner about it the first night. The furniture looked like it had been salvaged from a landfill. When we asked about breakfast, we were told it wasn’t included and wouldn’t be served, despite the website showing a lovely spread that doesn’t exist. The property we found bore no resemblance to its advertising photos. Had there been an earthquake? The pictures are obviously fake. We were asked to pay the full amount in cash before being shown the room, and now we understand why. I believe this person is denigrating the place through fraudulent behavior, which we don’t think is typical of the area. My advice to the owner is to change jobs. I hope it closes as soon as possible, for the sake of people who work honestly and well. The owner asked, “Why didn’t you leave?” He demanded advance payment in cash before showing us the rooms. And we know how to turn on air conditioning, so that wasn’t the issue. We were respectful, which he wasn’t. I think the photos make the property’s condition clear.

We were happy with our stay and plan to return in September. The rooms were charming, clean, and comfortable, and housekeeping changed our towels each day. The owners were very kind. Breakfast was generous, with croissants, tea, coffee, and plenty of traditional local pastries. It’s in Maglie, in the heart of Salento, just a few minutes’ drive from anywhere, and the value is excellent.

The room and bathroom both had a terrible musty smell, and the furnishings were damaged, broken, and rusty. The amenities were nonexistent. The air conditioner was blocked, and only after a heated argument did the owner unblock it. The place was run-down and nothing like the photos on the booking sites. Breakfast was included, by the owner’s own admission. I’d rather sleep in my car or on a park bench. Stay away.

We picked this place for a week in Maglie because it’s close to both the train station and the Salento in Bus stop, which we used to explore the whole province of Lecce. The area was quiet, and the property was clean. Our double room had a private bathroom and wall-mounted air conditioning. It was cleaned thoroughly each morning, and the towels and sheets were changed midway through the week. Breakfast was a plentiful Italian one, and the owners were friendly and very helpful. Recommended. Stayed in August 2016.