Casa Francesca

One of the best places to stay on Lake Garda.

The location is convenient, with a bus stop close by, and the landlady is very friendly, though she only speaks Italian. We also appreciated the welcome bottle of wine and fruit basket. For the price, the value is acceptable, but the house has quite a few drawbacks. It doesn't work well for six adults: the sofa bed in the living area is uncomfortable, and whoever sleeps there ends up settling down last and waking first. Evenings around the house can be lively, sometimes noisy. Some appliances may be unsafe, as the sandwich maker's cord is held together with electrical tape. There aren't enough cutlery or glasses, and the pool is shared by nearly the whole row of houses. There was no current information in German, such as bus schedules, and the TV only had Italian channels.

The owners were excellent to deal with, and the apartment is very well equipped, with private parking and a lovely, large pool. Although shared with two other apartments, the pool was always empty. It's just a three-minute drive from the lake shore and close to large supermarkets. The apartment isn't fully air-conditioned: there's a unit halfway up the stairs that cools the upstairs bedrooms, but not the downstairs living room or kitchen. Still, there's a fan, which was enough since the humidity wasn't high. For Jews who observe kosher, note that on Saturdays you'll need to jump over a small fence because the gate is electric. Apart from that, everything is set up for observing Shabbat. Don't count on the kosher Olympic Holidays hotel for a minyan, as there is almost never one, so check first. I'd happily come back, though not in summer because of the many stinging mosquitoes.

A quiet spot just a few steps from the lake. They made us feel so welcome, even with our Leonberger, and the lady was really friendly and helpful. Excellent choice!