Villa Monte Quercione

The biggest disappointment was that the villa didn’t feel ready for our six-night stay. The garden grass needed cutting and some flowers were half dead. Inside, it was musty and hadn’t been aired out. Though the pictures look very clean, everything was dusty, the rugs were worn, and some had large holes or curled corners that were a tripping hazard. It all needed a good cleaning. The hot tub, one of the features we especially wanted because my brother has back problems and finds it therapeutic, was cold when we arrived since it had only been filled the day before. The thermometer seemed inaccurate, and even after it eventually reached the set temperature, the water still wasn’t hot enough. The washing machine and dryer were broken, and nobody told us ahead of time. We really needed them after a week of travel. The next day we were allowed to use the washing machine in the basement, which helped. Filippo, the owner’s friend who greeted us, was kind and looked after us during the stay. He was helpful despite the staff issues, power outage, and hot tub repairs. We were nine people and had plenty of space: lots of bedrooms, bathrooms, and seating, plus a good-sized kitchen that could fit several cooks. The house is beautiful in the hills with a great view of Bologna. The listing said Bologna was 15 minutes away, but it was more like 25 minutes to the city centre. We thought we’d just take taxis, then quickly learned they aren’t readily available in Bologna. That would have been useful to know beforehand. We’re all seasoned travellers and expect to get what we pay for, and we didn’t feel we did here. It’s unfortunate because the property has a lot of potential. We rarely write reviews, but wanted to give others considering a rental here a heads-up. When we raised the issues with the actual owner, he was defensive and not very receptive.