Casa Vacanze La Fonda

Great.

We had several lovely outings from here, and it’s a handy base for Cinque Terre and the surrounding area. All the amenities, including some excellent restaurants, are only a few minutes away by car. The accommodation is good, but its technical condition could be better. The air conditioning didn’t work, the bathroom fixtures weren’t finished properly, and the doors didn’t close right. These things didn’t directly affect our stay, but they were noticeable. The outdoor seating was also uncomfortable, with repairs showing and in poor condition. The owner is remarkable in the way he deals with people. Even when there are no other guests, he’ll send you off a sunbed if it isn’t the one assigned to you. When my son accidentally shut the awning or shutter at the front door all the way, despite being told not to, the owner had already spotted it before we could explain. He came over to my son very emotional and angry, even though there was nothing we could do about the awning’s condition. He angrily went looking for tools while I had already opened the lock with a handle, which apparently had no key. He speaks very limited English, so communication is difficult. His son speaks very good English and is helpful and friendly, but unfortunately he isn’t always around. We booked directly with the owner. Email replies were slow, though things did work out in the end. The day before our arrival, he emailed to ask what time we’d get there. I replied within an hour to ask if noon was possible, as we were already nearby, but got no answer, even after using the website contact form. We’d booked Saturday to Saturday, and on the Friday before leaving we were told we had to be out by 8:00 AM. We hadn’t asked about that in advance, but the owner allowed no exceptions, so we set an early alarm. In the end, I didn’t think it was a great place to stay, especially because of the owner’s strict rules and the condition of the accommodation and garden furniture.

Peace and quiet are what I’ll remember most about this lovely holiday. We spent a very pleasant week in the apartment, which was clean, tidy, and had every comfort. Mr. Gualtiero was always thoughtful and ready to help with anything we asked. It’s well located for getting around both on foot and by car. This wonderful vacation will always stay in our hearts. Grz GUALTIERO!

There’s a big garden with olive trees, sun loungers, and shady places to sit. The pool is great for a splash on days you aren’t heading out on an excursion. The landlord is friendly and very helpful. The price for what you get is perfectly reasonable if you’d rather not pay as much as for accommodation right on the beach. Many places nearby are about half an hour away, including the Cinque Terre and La Spezia. Pisa takes just over an hour.