Donna Piera - Dimore di Charme

We stayed here during the colder months and found it cozy, romantic, and refined. Our room came with a whirlpool tub, which was a lovely bonus. The staff were exceptionally kind and helpful, and the careful decor made the place feel clean, comfortable, and elegant, with a real sense that guests should feel at home. I'd absolutely recommend it.

The room was stuffy despite being nicely furnished, and its only source of light and air was the front door. The bathroom was inside the room, screened by a sliding glass door that was open at the top, with all the privacy issues that brings. We stayed two nights, but I wouldn't recommend it. The owner is not physically in Monopoli, and even after her phone directions we couldn't get close by car because the streets are all ZTL. In the historic center, carrying luggage is difficult, and no one was there to help. We ended up leaving the car at a paid lot for €15 per day, which had a shuttle for guests and luggage in small vehicles permitted into the center. The price seemed poor for what the property offered and its limitations, even with the historic-center location, and the public photos don't make its appearance easy to judge. The owner pressed us to pay in advance without giving a receipt before or after the stay. When we complained, she offered a different room upstairs at a higher price.

The room itself was nicely designed and finished, which is what drew us to the Gassa d'Amante suite, but getting to it meant climbing two very narrow flights of stairs. That wasn't clear from the Booking.com photos, and for our honeymoon we wanted somewhere pleasant without that climb each time we went out, especially at the high price. We eventually left and searched for somewhere else. The owner called soon after, politely asking what had happened, but brushed aside our concerns and didn't leave room for discussion. She couldn't offer an alternative either. We came with high expectations because of the lovely photos and central location, but the old tower in the heart of Monopoli's old town wasn't clearly described. The restricted-traffic area meant we couldn't drive in to unload. The owner pointed us toward parking attendants, but the one with a shuttle was partly full when we called on arrival. We had to use a paid car park, which charged €15 for the first two days and €12 for the next five. This hadn't come up in the booking process, though the owner said it was normal for a central location. She sent directions and access passwords by message but didn't come to meet us, and one password didn't work. Breakfast was at a bar near her house, not at the property, and we also found out the terrace couldn't be used due to COVID, another detail missing from the description. With no parking near the property, we took turns carrying our bags from 400 meters away through the charming but confusing village streets. The service and the tenant's lack of courtesy earned a one from me. Customers need a clear picture of the property so they can choose for themselves.

I paid in full and booked the room ten days ahead, with confirmation from the owner. Then, on the day I was due to stay, I got a call saying the room had somehow become available again on Booking. It wrecked all my plans. The place might be beautiful, but with staff I found unqualified and untrustworthy, I can't recommend it at all.