Donna Elena Rooms

The room was nothing like the offer led us to expect. It was about 15-20 m² including the bathroom, rather than the advertised 30 m², and we were put on the garage level with no view. There was just one tiny window, around two meters up. The listing promised a city view and a private kitchen with all the equipment, but the kitchen was completely off limits. When the owner saw us boiling water for tea, she started shouting. She said we couldn't use the kitchen, cook anything, or stay there, and that the only exception was coming in for breakfast. That so-called breakfast was one small croissant and a little bottle of industrial juice. I wouldn't call that breakfast. The offer made it sound like all the kitchen equipment was at our disposal. A blatant lie. They promise a lot to get you to book, then tell you that you're only welcome in your room and that all the other spaces mentioned in the reservation are forbidden to guests. I've been to Italy probably 15 times and really like the country and its people. I even cycled from Trieste to Reggio Calabria over 10 days. I've never come across such despicable behavior there before.

We found the B&B very clean, with a new, tastefully furnished room and all the comforts, including toiletries and a kettle with teas and herbal teas. The hostess was always available, and there was a fully equipped kitchen for breakfast. Its location also worked really well for getting to the local archaeological sites and the coast. A 10 out of 10!

We canceled before our trip, luckily, after contacting the property to check details that mattered to us. We'd booked a seven-night stay at the end of September after comparing hundreds of Booking.com properties, and our vacation was already spoiled before we even left. The listing made the room sound as if it had everything, but the answers we got were very different. Since we were driving, parking was our main concern. The terms said free private parking was available at the hotel with a reservation required. When we asked after booking, they wanted 10 EURO per night for private parking. We pointed out that Booking.com didn't mention a charge. They replied, “Then park outside.” We had no preference for covered or open parking, but free private parking should be provided if that's what the listing says, and we'd want to know if we'd be leaving the car roadside. Any paid covered parking option should also be clearly stated in the Booking.com terms. We also asked about the kitchen and refrigerator. They said we could use the refrigerator, but there was no kitchen for us, and the shared kitchen didn't allow cooking. The reservation details clearly listed a private kitchen, so we asked about getting a free upgrade. The answer was rude: “If you want, you can cancel your reservation.” The features listed for the property included everything imaginable, whether it was actually available or not. To us, their response made it seem like they knowingly listed amenities to persuade people to book. If it had been an honest mistake, they could have apologized and said they'd correct it right away. We were glad we checked first and canceled in time. The Booking.com features under “Double Room - Private Bathroom” also claimed: private bathroom, sea view, city view, free toiletries, air conditioning, kitchen, bidet, digital streaming service like Netflix, toilet, bathtub or shower, towels, bed linen, power outlet near bed, cleaning products, hypoallergenic, desk, private entrance, TV, slippers, refrigerator, coffee maker, tea/coffee maker, microwave, heating, flat-screen TV, hair dryer, kitchenware, kitchenette, additional toilet, minibar, dressing room, towels and bed linen for an extra charge, electric kettle, outdoor furniture, outdoor dining area, dishwasher, wardrobe or closet, oven, stovetop, dining area, dining table, clothes rack, clothes drying rack, toilet paper, baby safety gates, air purifier, room-specific air conditioning, and hand sanitizer.

The place is brand new, and the rooms are really clean and super comfortable. Breakfast was good too.