Il Castagno

Everything you need is included, and the sea view is fantastic. It's a peaceful, secluded spot with four apartments and a big parking area. A wonderful place.

You can sit out on the roomy terrace for meals and take in the sea panorama, especially the lovely sunsets. The apartment feels calm and green all around, with plenty of space. WiFi is available, the kitchen has everything, and towels and bed linen are provided.

The view was the one good thing about our stay. I had a miserable time otherwise: the phone had no signal and couldn't be reached, mosquitoes were everywhere, and there was hardly anything basic for cooking. We paid €800 for the week, which felt like no value at all. The double bed had two mattresses that were unbelievably bad. They replaced them the next morning after we'd had a sleepless night, but the single replacement mattress dipped in the middle, like someone was stuck there, separating the two sides.

Elba is lovely, but the Tuscan mainland offers more to enjoy for much less. On the island it was hot and humid despite the beautiful sea and views, and across the island there were few amenities, no internet, phone problems, shockingly high prices, and a preference for cash over electronic payment. Our apartment was advertised with air conditioning for an extra charge, but there wasn't any. WiFi was listed as unavailable, though it would still be useful for hosts looking to build a social reputation. A few small touches were missing too. There was a food mill, which made us wonder what anyone would use it for on holiday, and it looked as if it had come from Grandma's house. No barbecue or oven either. The electric cooktops caused the power to go out at least twice a night. For €1,400 a week for four adults, I expected five proper beds. Instead there was one double with two separate mattresses, a cot, and an Ikea sofa bed, and all of them were a pain in the ass.