Brera 23 apartment

We got to Milan yesterday, worried by the negative reviews about whether this stay was real. As expected, a man answered our call and asked us to switch to WhatsApp. He said he didn't have a car and couldn't come meet us at the apartment, then told us to request cancellation through booking.com. We had already contacted booking.com before arriving because of our concerns about this scam, but nothing was done. It took three hours of trying to sort things out with them before, exhausted, we managed to get into another apartment. Seeing other travelers arrive excited for Milan only to have their trip ruined is upsetting. booking.com needs to remove this place so more stays aren't affected.

We only realized too late that other guests had described the same thing, and had already booked. This host took a €150 deposit in cash and then vanished. He ignores WhatsApp messages and calls, and hasn't given the money back. The listing said breakfast was included, but that was false. He claimed it meant having breakfast together with him, which is absurd. I was traveling with friends and shouldn't have to meet the host for breakfast to count it as included. Check-in was already a mess: he turned up two hours after the agreed time, leaving us stuck on the street in Milan all morning and unable to visit the city. He insisted on cash for the deposit, saying we'd be left on the street if we didn't pay. We didn't want to hand it over because of the bad reviews we'd seen. He even went with us to the bank to withdraw it, refusing Bizum or a bank transfer so there would be no record. Very shady. After we left the apartment that morning, he messaged on WhatsApp asking whether we liked the place, where we were from and lived, since he couldn't remember, and whether we'd return. He doesn't respond after taking payment, keeps cash deposits, wastes your time by arriving late, and misleads guests about services that aren't there. I don't understand how Booking.com still lists this accommodation. It should be removed immediately, because it just takes people's money. If you're considering booking here, DON'T.

This place isn't real, it's a scam using Booking.com to extort money from guests. Don't book it. If you can, report it to Booking.com and ask them to remove it from the site.

The location was excellent and the rooms were decent, but the owner's petty behavior ruined it for us. He asked for a €50 deposit in person and never returned it. He made things up and defrauded us in every way, then even refused to meet us in person under his office. Maybe €50 doesn't sound like much, but it's the principle. Someone willing to risk their reputation over that isn't worth much.