The Buccaneers Boutique Guest House

The cleaner was the one bright spot. They worked hard and always changed the beds and towels. Our twin room, though, was a tiny box, and the window faced noisy extractor fans. The man sitting outside made us dread going in and out of the hotel. Every day he’d approach us as soon as we stepped out, say he knew money was tight and offer a great deal on a boat trip, even in pouring rain. I turned him down again and again, but he kept hounding us and shouting down the street that he’d check whether I’d changed my mind later. I don’t know why the hotel lets this happen. He ruined our holiday.

There was barely enough room for two of us, and we couldn’t unpack. The place felt more like a hole than a guest house, and for the price it was very expensive for what we got. The staff were rude, and my key stopped working on the second day. The bathroom was tiny and had no lock. The toilet wobbled so much I couldn’t sit on it properly, and water leaked into the room after a shower. The toilet facilities were extremely unclean and unhygienic, there was a strong mold smell, and the pillows were dirty. Room service only operated at 9 AM, with no service afterward. It was a terrible experience I wouldn’t wish on anyone.

We only stopped in for drinks, but it was a pleasant visit and the service was great.

Room 8 was a no go for us. Its window faces the inside shaft and kitchen exhaust, so we couldn’t leave it open because of the frying oil smell. The TV was broken: it took a while to turn on, had only three Italian channels, and kept losing the picture and then the colors. There was also an aroma dispenser that was so strong and loud I thought I’d suffocate. The cleaning guy was rude. I’d seen another reviewer say he bangs on the door. In our case he started knocking on it with a key, waking us at 08:40 and yelling, “checking out, checking out.” At sharp 10 he came back with the same banging and yelling, even though it was Sunday and off season. I raised it with the owners, who said they’d address it. The owners were lovely, a very nice family who have run the place for almost 50 years, and I enjoyed talking with them. The place was clean, the beds were comfortable, and there’s a little library. Maybe the other rooms are better, which could explain the reviews, but if you get room 8, do yourself a favor and stay elsewhere. I wouldn’t return, and I don’t recommend the area either.