Residenza Mariu

Cassone is a lovely old Italian town, with plenty of charming corners to explore. The property itself is in a beautiful, quiet spot overlooking the lake, with a well-kept pool and cushioned loungers. The grounds are cared for, and the parking is just about adequate, which seems normal for a small Italian town. Down in the village there are three pizzerias and one more upscale restaurant, though two of the pizzerias were already shut in October. The little minimarket is useful for essentials and even opens Sunday mornings, from 7 to 1. The apartments are generally clean, but they’re showing their age. I’d guess they date from the 1970s or 80s, and the bathroom in particular looks worn enough to need renovating. The beds had fresh sheets and pillows, but the duvet wasn’t covered, which I found baffling. The advertised capacity of four, or even five on Casamundo and other apps, seems unrealistic: two of the four are meant to be children, and the space and kitchen supplies aren’t enough for that many adults. The balcony only fits two. The sofa bed mattresses sag, so they wouldn’t suit anyone with back problems. There’s no air conditioning, and I couldn’t figure out how to switch on the bedroom ceiling fan. The stay was still okay, and the overnight rate was quite reasonable, but looking back the extra charges were confusing. We paid €27 tourist tax on site, while the apartment bill listed €19.80; there was also a flat €48 heating charge whether used or not, €50 cleaning instead of €40, an €84.49 service fee, and another €19.80 stay tax. I'd recommend it only conditionally, depending on what matters to you.

The location is great, and it may suit you if you don’t expect much from the accommodation. We were disappointed by the apartment itself: there wasn’t even a water bottle, soap, or air conditioning, the outdoor chairs were broken, and the sound carried so badly we could hear everything. The owner was kind and helpful, but the woman owner seemed very unfriendly. She spoke only Italian and came across as irritated and unpleasant. When we accidentally broke a plate, she immediately yelled at us. We definitely wouldn’t return.

The grounds are beautifully maintained, with the pool up on the terrace behind a landscaped garden. There’s a great lake view, and the apartments are nice and functional. The rooms are very noisy, though, and some rooms and bathrooms without a lake view can feel damp. That may have been seasonal, since October was rainier than usual when we visited. Parking gets a bit tight when the building is full, but it’s manageable. All in all, a lovely apartment building, if you’re not inclined to see everything negatively. 👍

The apartments have good equipment, and the pool water was pleasantly warm and seemed to be chlorine-free. The only thing that could use an update is the shower cubicle, though it’s still adequate. The property is very well kept, and the owners are friendly and helpful. It’s quiet, with a great view. The apartments are quite noisy inside, which kept us from rating it higher. We’d still come back, since we weren’t in the apartment the whole vacation. You’ll want your own transport, as the nearest bigger towns are a bit far away.