Buddha House & SPIAGGIA

The refund we were promised still hasn't arrived. We asked the person managing Budda's B&B to cancel because the place seemed dubious and was far from what the listing suggested. She said she'd return our money, but I'm still waiting. We ended up finding another hotel in the city center at the last minute, and luckily it was great. I'd thought the website showed a good deal, so I booked. But when we reached the address, the taxi driver stopped somewhere awful with nothing around. The attached photos show the mismatch, including the website picture claiming the B&B was steps from the beach. That clearly wasn't true, and they should say you definitely need a car. We arrived a little early and weren't even allowed to leave our bags. I understand check-in has a set time, but they could at least open the door so we could drop our things and return later. It's a tourist area, yet they speak no languages other than Italian, and I speak very little. It would've helped if we could explain things in English. I really don't recommend the facilities or service from this brand at all.

The breakfast space gets unbearably hot, and August prices are high. Still, the room was clean and nicely furnished, with a spacious bathroom and a really good shower. It would be useful to have a shampoo dispenser. The place is away from the sea, but in a cool spot, and parking is excellent.

Getting in was a problem because check-in had to happen before 2:00 PM. That seemed odd when everywhere else we'd stayed checked in after 3:00, and we were on a tour so couldn't make that time. A friendly neighbor across the street sorted it out, though he spoke only Italian, couldn't explain anything else, and simply handed us the key before leaving. The room itself was clean, but the building felt like a prison block, with several rooms, high windows, a dark corridor, and a steel-covered gate. The residential neighborhood also looked run-down and wasn't attractive. Breakfast was just a kitchen with packaged food, which is a real disgrace for a B&B. We paid €180 for what was meant to be two nights. Our refund request was ignored, which was acceptable, though compensation would've been nice if that was the condition. There's no real contact or personal welcome here. They hand you a key and leave you to work everything out yourself. Drama.

Across from Dino Island, this beach resort is a great choice for a day by the sea in Praia. The place has an original Eastern-inspired look and is kept meticulously.