Affittacamere La Torre

The Google Maps location is wrong. Reception is at Bistro Margherita, and the accommodation is across the road, with the terrace and views facing North. This is more rooms and apartments than a hotel. Our apartment had a well equipped kitchen and dining area, plus three good sized bedrooms. The decor is rustic, and Maria Angela gave us a friendly welcome. It was clean and comfortable, with nice views and lovely garden terraces with seating and sun beds.

We had everything we needed in the apartment. It was tidy, clean, and decorated with lots of lovely little details. The hosts, Mariangela and Nadia, were very nice and helpful, and we really enjoyed our vacation there. There's a pretty garden and plenty of space, with different places to sit on the terrace and in the garden. We could see the hills and the sea.

The train strike left me stranded near the hotel in Corniglia, and the response to my request for help was incredibly rude. My flight had already been delayed by 12 hours, but I still made it to Italy because I was looking forward to a relaxing stay in the hotel and area. When trains to Corniglia were canceled, I did my best to get to Monterosso al Mare, two stops away. Then those trains were canceled at the last minute too, and taxis weren't running late in the evening. I called the hotel first, but no one answered. Around midnight I messaged through Booking.com to ask if they could pick me up, since there was no transport working in the area. I knew it was an unusual request, but wondered who else a traveler could ask for help, especially in a seaside area with no transport. By then even the other hotels had closed their front doors for the night. The reply was, “Are you kidding? Who do you want to come to at this time??? See if you can find a hotel in Monterosso.” It was disrespectful and unprofessional, especially from a highly rated hotel. I was speechless. They also refused to refund anything, saying it wasn't their fault. It wasn't mine either.

The property and location are lovely, but the service was pathetic. In extreme heat, the AC wasn't working, and there was only one AC unit for two bedrooms. When we complained and asked for fans, the host Mariangela said, “in your country you don’t have AC.” I found her remark racist. The price was decent, but the service was horrible.