Appartamento Secrel 2

Communication with the owners was easy, and they replied quickly. The apartments have everything you need and are kept very clean and well maintained. They're up above Limone, with a lovely view over Lake Garda and Monte Baldo.

The apartment is clean and sits above Lake Garda, with a lovely view. It's a decent place otherwise, though I wouldn't suggest it for anyone with a disability. The kitchen is small, with a two-burner cooktop, a fairly large fridge, and dishes for three. There's also a grill, but no grate, so you can't use it. The beds are quite hard, while the sofa in the kitchen-living space is a bit softer. The shower is okay, but the head should be replaced. The toilet is clean, though its loose seat means you need to be careful.

The terrace was the one decent thing, though even its view was completely overgrown. Inside, the apartment was miserable, especially with a toddler. We spent our time living out of suitcases and only went in to sleep. I've stayed around Lake Garda many times and know run-down places are common, but I've never felt this uncomfortable. The noise through the tiny walls was constant. We could hear the neighbors, even snoring and using the toilet, as well as everything from the apartment above. Chairs being moved sounded incredibly loud, making sleep very difficult, especially with a child. People smoked everywhere, so we were continually surrounded by the smell. The two-room ground-floor apartment stank terribly, possibly of mold, and airing it out for a week made no difference. Everything was old and neglected, with water stains everywhere and what looked like mold painted over. Even the kitchen wall unit smelled awful. We washed the dishes but left them on the table. The toilet seat broke and the flush stopped working, so it ran all night. The toaster looked new and unused, but didn't work. The duvet cover for the sofa bed had black spots, though luckily we didn't need it. There was dirt and lots of dead bedbugs in every corner, and a little lizard was stuck in cobwebs. The whole complex feels beyond repair.

The view was nice, but I wouldn't recommend this place. We stayed five days, and the apartment felt suitable for two adults and two children at most. The listing should make that clear. It was very dirty. Our socks turned black after walking around, there was cigarette ash from previous guests under the bed, the mattresses were stained, and the bathroom grout was moldy. We found cobwebs and dead insects in several spots, plus blood on the bedsheets. The apartment was also noisy. When it rained, a sickly sweet smell spread through the bathroom and the rest of the apartment. Summer heat was another problem, and the insulation seemed poor, if there was any. We arrived very late and told the host about the issues the following day. They didn't offer to clean again. The only response was a second fan, which we didn't get until the day before leaving.