Pietra Bianca Residence

The room was cramped enough that we had to shift things around to use the table and chairs. The shower screen doesn't seal properly, so water gets onto the toilet, and the AC light is irritating at night. It also blows straight toward your face from the foot of the bed. The faucet made odd noises at random, day and night 😜. On the plus side, the place was clean, quiet, affordable, and had parking. The beach is walkable, though it's a proper trek, with restaurants and a supermarket nearby. One other hassle: reception is somewhere else, and there was no sign or clear direction to it. Booking.com only said to contact the property.

We only stayed one night, and even with just the two of us, the apartment listed for four felt too small. There was nowhere to put clothes, and the kitchen had been fitted beneath the stairs, leaving too little room for the number of guests it can accommodate. The damp smell was strong, and the cleaning was really poor: there were loads of hairs on the floor as soon as we walked in. We won't be back.

The staff were helpful, and having a private apartment with air conditioning that worked perfectly were real positives. Still, the place felt expensive: we paid €330 for two nights at the end of June, breakfast not included, despite booking three months ahead. Our apartment was small for four adults, with no closets and only a few clotheslines. That setup might be fine for a short stay, but not for four people staying several days. There was little privacy between apartments, and the Wi-Fi kept dropping out, was often slow, or didn't work at all. Maybe the residence is better suited to families with small children. Larger apartments may be available, though likely at higher prices.

The rooms are spacious, and there's a little kitchenette for the basics, like coffee or making a simple plate of pasta. It's up on the hill behind Marcelli, roughly 1 km from the beaches.