casa di alfredo

“You should learn what shame is.” The day before check-in, the host messaged asking when we'd arrive in Siena the next day and said check-in closed at 18:00. I replied that we'd reach Siena Stazione FC around 7:10 PM and asked how to check in. The host said it wasn't possible and that I had to cancel, adding that the 11 AM to 6 PM hours were clearly listed on Booking.com. I said I hadn't been told about this and had only just found out. I had booked two nights and begged for help finding a way to check in. The host kept saying no, that the hours were clearly stated, and told me to ask Booking about a refund, though it was too late. I asked for a free cancellation. The host said Booking sends a message at reservation time, blamed me for not replying, and told me not to lecture them. They also said to respect people who work and stop making excuses. I explained I was surprised and didn't know what to do, and asked again for a free cancellation. The host replied that if everyone behaved like me, they'd be in trouble, that I needed to learn how to travel, and that I should hurry because they had things to do. Booking.com wouldn't offer a free refund through the cancellation flow, so I asked the host to arrange it. They insisted I had to do it through Booking and threatened that if half an hour passed, they wouldn't allow it anymore. My phone battery was at 4%. They said to use Booking or call them, otherwise I was on my own, and that they were going to bed and wouldn't be around after nine (21:00). I sent a screenshot of Booking.com's customer service contact and said I'd contacted them. The host repeated that I had to send it through Booking or call. I said I'd done what they asked and didn't know when Booking.com would contact them. Then the host wrote, “OKAY, THE ROOM IS CANCELED.” I understood this as an explicit confirmation of a free cancellation. The next morning, at 06:31, they said nothing had arrived yet and told me to call Booking or I wouldn't get a refund. I replied that Booking.com would contact them immediately and that I'd followed their instructions and called. At 09:28, the host said they had nothing and complained about the time I'd been wasting since the previous day. I asked them to confirm the free refund. They said Booking hadn't sent anything and claimed they'd told me by 21:00 the night before, although they'd confirmed cancellation at 21:03 without any 21:00 deadline condition. They then said I had to arrive by 18:00 or pay, adding that they were at work and weren't there for free.

We had a wonderful stay in Siena in this beautiful, authentic Tuscan house. The ceilings are incredibly high and decorated, and we had access to an amazing garden. Our room had a shared bathroom, but that was no trouble with only two rooms and one bathroom. Sounds carry, so it's best to keep late-night chats quiet; we even got a “shhhh” from a neighbor, haha. The garden is big enough to talk without bothering anyone.

Alfredo and his mother were so kind and made us feel at home. We were glad we booked this place. It's close to Siena train station and right by the city gate, and the interiors and views are beautiful. Thank you!

We spent two days at Casa di Alfredo. The lady who runs the house was incredibly kind, and the room and shared areas were very clean. It's also a short distance from the city center. Grazie!