Casa Gino

That beautiful beach right beside the house was the only good thing about this stay. We arrived in mid-July, when it was 45 degrees, and were told the air conditioning was broken. My husband lost a vacation day going back and forth from the beach to open the door for the technician. They gave us a fan before Christ that blew hot air and leaked water all over the floor. A new air conditioner was installed on the second day, but this should have been sorted out before guests began a stay they'd already paid for. The location is wonderful, but the house itself is really medieval in style, with old, worn-out things and a broken washing machine. It needs renovating. The assistant was kind and attentive and looked after us, but the house shouldn't be offered in this condition. A holiday rental needs to be ready for guests. We had an awful first day!

Being close to the sea is a big plus, and there are seven beds, two bathrooms, a TV, air conditioning, and a washing machine. Still, there were several problems I reported to the agency, and I hope they took note and perhaps fixed them. Paint was peeling from the ceiling and falling onto the bed. The vases and flowers shown in the photos weren't there, leaving the place feeling anonymous. Some rooms had simple beds, cabinets with doors falling off, and wardrobes that seemed at risk of coming apart when opened. After coming back from the beach, the house had a strong sewage smell, so I suggested chlorine tablets. The outside light didn't work, making it impossible to use the space in the evening except for light from the neighbor's streetlamp. It seemed to be a short circuit: the bulb would flash briefly now and then, then keep flashing whether the switch was on or off. There was no grill, so forget having a barbecue unless you bring one from home. The washing machine worked, but it didn't seem to be cleaned. The door needs to stay open so the drum and inside can dry and avoid mold and bad smells. There was no Wi-Fi either.

The sea being so close was the one bad thing.