La Coccinella Guest House

The host was helpful during our short stay and gave us plenty of information about what to do in Pisa and nearby. The room felt fresh and clean, and was spacious with a balcony, which was a real plus for the price. It was a lovely place that felt like home. The one slightly uncomfortable thing was sharing the bathroom with the other two rooms.

You can walk to both the Pisa tower and the city, so it’s a good choice for a short stay. Check-in is self-service through an app. There’s no property name outside, but opening the doors is easy enough. It could be confusing for older people, since you’re basically on your own.

The location near the tower is the one thing I liked. Otherwise, I strongly don’t recommend this apartment or the advertiser. The landlord is called Massimo, or “Max” on another housing site, but his wife Yana is the one who handles everything. Here’s why I left earlier than planned. There was no oven or washing machine, and there were cameras in the hallway and kitchen. The water pressure was weak, and there was mold in the bathroom. Sometimes there was no water in there, so I had to brush my teeth in the kitchen. There was no wardrobe, just a small thing to leave your belongings on. You couldn’t simply have someone come in, since they needed documents for everyone. Yana and I had a problem just because I let my friend use the toilet. You pay 400, or now 500/600€, for this, and it really isn’t worth it. My former housemate also had a lot of problems with Yana for the reasons above. They don’t care about the people renting rooms, only the money. Once I realized all this, I cancelled my stay. I had booked through the end of March, but I’m no longer there and they’re renting the room to someone else. I didn’t get my money back. I admit I made a mistake by not cancelling sooner, within 48 hours of moving in, but if she’d acted in good faith, she would have refunded me. I moved to a cheaper apartment with a better location and couldn’t be happier. I don’t recommend going with Massimo. If you feel you have no other options and choose this place, you still have 48 hours to cancel and get your money back. People here are really nice and helpful, and I’m sure there are plenty of better apartments worth trying.

Lara, the proprietor, was very friendly and welcoming, and shared lots of information about Pisa. For budget accommodation, it was very good for the price. The facilities were two-star, with a shared bathroom, but cleanliness was five-star: the sheets were crisp and clean, and the room was spotless. Great for an overnight stay.