Villaggio In Case Sparse nel Centro Storico

The photos really don’t prepare you for the apartments. They’re actual shacks. We spent €160 a night, and leaving the apartment was the least stressful part of what was meant to be a relaxing weekend. We arrived at 1:20 PM, but the agency had closed at 1:00 PM, so the keys were supposedly left at “Caffè Tripoli.” The bar was closed despite its posted hours, and the lack of hospitality was hard to understand. Finding parking took an unimaginable amount of time even though we’d paid. There was barely any electricity, leaving a steep flight of stairs completely dark. Wi-Fi was nonexistent, and there was no phone coverage in the area. Apartment number 12 of the “SO-CALLED” Villaggio In had unacceptable hygiene.

The city itself is enchanting, and a very kind gentleman helped us figure out where to park. The receptionist had been poorly organized: he sent us back to retrieve our cars from the paid lot, saying he’d arrange somewhere closer, then left us double-parked on the blue lines, where finding an empty space is practically a pipe dream. He said he couldn’t help, so we had to return to the original lot. That whole mess took two hours. In the room, the Wi-Fi didn’t work, the small Argo air conditioner was noisy, and there was no shower gel. A few simple improvements would make a difference.

Photos gave us one impression, but the place was different in person. We arrived tired but excited after admiring Martina Franca, then discovered that “Villaggio In” is a scattered group of houses. In the bathroom there was pubic hair, a dirty bidet, and hair everywhere. We called the next morning to ask about it, but after being out all day we came back to find nothing had changed. Cleanliness should come first!

It’s very close to the main square, which is a great location. But the shower had no hot water and the pressure was weak. There was no soap or Wi-Fi, and the TV didn’t work.