La Perla Del Mare

The rooms were clean and ready, and breakfast was fine, but getting the keys took two hours because nobody came. I’d booked a ground-floor room because of my partial disability, but it wasn’t available, even though it stayed unused while I was there. I accepted a room up 14 steps, then was asked to pay in cash. A very unsettling and bizarre experience.

The location is right in the center, just a few meters from the cathedral and 40 steps from the sea. Everything was immaculately clean, and the bathroom had every comfort. There was a well-stocked welcome kit with tea, hot and other drinks, and a few snacks, plus water already chilled in the fridge. The staff were kind and attentive to requests, with a smile at arrival and after checkout. I’d be happy to come back.

We had a positive stay at Perla del Mare during the week of August 23rd to 29th. The apartment was well located right in the center, and we had a breakfast deal with a nearby bar with no complaints about the property itself. Parking was the main hassle. Much of it is paid at certain hours, and depending on the day we could spend half an hour driving around Monopoli before finding a spot, even a paid one. The street has bars, and the apartment door didn’t block sound well, so street noise woke us at times during the night. A couple of things could make the apartment more practical. Since it’s by the sea, we sometimes washed our swimsuits and had nowhere to dry them. A partition between the living area and bedroom would also be useful. That’s all.

The room was lovely and clean, with a comfortable bed and bathroom. It’s in a great location, and there was a coffee machine and cold water in the fridge. For the room itself, I’d give it 5/5. The practical arrangements were frustrating. Check-in starts at 3:00 PM, which is late if you want to freshen up after traveling or a morning at the beach. Starting at 1:00 PM would help. Reception wouldn’t store our bags and sent us elsewhere for a fee. They said there wasn’t a proper storage area, but at the place we were sent, backpacks were just left under souvenir shelves, with no receipt or other confirmation. Checkout by 10:00 AM also felt surprisingly early.