Residenza Amblingh

The deluxe room was lovely and quiet, with a comfortable bed and a great view. The elegant residenza has a beautiful breakfast and rooftop dining area, plus a welcoming shared reading space nearby. Staff were A+, and the room had everything for a short stay, including a complimentary umbrella that came in handy. Parking was three minutes away on the street. We walked past the entrance at first, but that was on us; it’s easy to find. Vasto is worth visiting, and so is this B&B. Top!

The noise from the terrace above our room, “Il golfo,” was the main problem. Chairs scraped overhead during breakfast and woke us every day, especially when a family with noisy children was staying. It became more bearable after they left. The host said he’d provide a beach umbrella, but it never appeared. He was friendly, though not as helpful or communicative as we’d hoped. The washbasin placement in the bedroom was awkward too: you had to stand to the side to use it and see the mirror. The setting is hard to beat. Our ocean-facing room looked out over one of the old town’s best views, and the terrace had the same gorgeous scenery. There’s also a lovely palazzo right beside the building. The room was spacious enough, the bed comfortable, the shower pressure great, and the decor tasteful. Staff were friendly and breakfast was good, though we’d have liked bacon and more egg choices than just boiled. The recommended parking is about a 5-10 minute walk away. Their video makes it easy to find, while Google Maps was no help at all. There’s cheaper, closer parking at the south end of the old town near the garden, but you’ll only find a space there before 6pm. It’s worth checking once you’re settled: the walk is easier and it costs €5 a day. The recommended lot feels like a rip-off for a stay of several days.

I had one of my worst stays in Italy, or anywhere in the EU, at this B&B. After booking, I got multiple emails, which seemed excessive while traveling. My impression was that the single manager on site sent them to protect himself from unhappy guests like me. I believe that’s what they used to charge me for two extra nights I’d paid for. Finding the place was a struggle. I was on my own dragging my suitcase through Vasto’s crowded streets while Google Maps sent me down tiny lanes in the wrong direction. That happens in old Italian cities, but the sign was so small and hard to see in the dark that it was almost a joke. Even after my phone said I’d arrived, Francesco couldn’t understand me asking where he was. He never told me his name until I left and he charged me for the extra nights. Check-in is only from 4 to 8, and there was no one on site. My room had no proper windows. The website photo showed two skylights that looked bright and low enough to see out of, but they weren’t, unless you were seven feet tall. They were closed because of the rain. I called the manager who had checked me in and asked where the windows were. He said there were only skylights, and came back to open one, warning me about the rain. I couldn’t reach it myself, even to crack it open for air, and the bathroom had a bad sewage smell. I’d asked by phone two days before arriving about the pillow menu mentioned on the website, but never saw one. The bed may not have been memory foam, and it was very hard, with a topper that did nothing to make it more comfortable. Between the smell, the lack of windows, and not sleeping at all, I felt the place was falsely advertised and decided to leave. I told the manager when I went. I dragged my bags back through the historic center to the car park on my own, then saw on the receipt that I’d been charged for three nights. The owners’ photos and the beautiful website gave me the impression they loved the place, but I never saw them. I asked the manager several times to speak with them, and each time he said they weren’t available. He said one was a busy doctor dealing with an emergency. I believe the owners are absent and depend on Francesco, and I don’t think they’ll take my side over his. My sense was that he comes first and the guest comes next. More in my next review.

The apartment was very well equipped, but I didn’t feel it offered anything extra to justify the additional €30 per night. We were moved there because the main hotel was full, and told it was very close by. There was no nice view, children played noisily in the piazza late at night, and we had to walk back to the main hotel for breakfast. Those things are why I’ve given the hotel four stars, even though the staff were exceptional and the rooms at Residenza Amblingh are lovely.