We have been active since 2004 and never, I mean NEVER before have we had such a NEGATIVE experience with a guest. The "lady" arrived at the five o'clock handover time, and since the house was not yet completely ready as the previous guests, numerous, had left it rather dirty and untidy as well as damaged, needing repair. Given the beautiful day, I invited her to be understanding and spend time by the pool, which was already available. And here the second problem arose: in June the saltwater device broke, and the assistance advised us not to replace it, as according to Italian law it is not considered suitable for sanitizing the water. Obviously, the "lady", having booked at the end of last year, was unaware of this change, since, despite having made myself totally available for any question from the moment of her booking, I never received any message from her. However, she did not take it at all well, despite the fact we were complying with Italian law. I apologized for this, but from that moment the tone seem to be set for the duration. In my attempt to explain the operation and rules of the house and the pool, the "lady" turned her back and with an arrogant attitude told me that it was not the first time she had rented a house with a swimming pool and that she already knew everything. Despite her knowledge of pool maintenance, at the departure of the "lady", I had to empty the pool and replace the water as it was in a horrible condition, with the risk of clogging and blocking the filter.
The refuse collection and separation of recycling, something we care a lot about and for which we dwell every time in detailed explanations, has not been observed at all. I had to PERSONALLY separate the garbage that was thrown in bulk into huge black bags, which were not supplied by us. The waste collection services will simply not collect the refuse if it is not separated correctly and placed in the appropriate colored bags that are provided by the council. This made me feel very disrespected by the "lady". It is not our job to separate the refuse of the guests. When I found yet another black sack full of garbage abandoned on the street, I expressed my opinion, asking her if by chance she was having fun putting me in such difficulty. I emphasized that the garbage cans available in the kitchen have a standard size, and outside there are larger containers where to put the bags once filled.
A significant point was that the "lady" continually refused to provide me with details and documents of the numerous guests that came and went during her stay. She justified her refusal by claiming she had never been asked before to provide such information, and in the end, to get them, I had to ask VRBO to intervene. They wrote and phoned her several times. I knew nothing of her guests: a constant coming and going of people who have never been introduced to me and of whom I knew absolutely nothing! It is a legal requirement in Italy that this information is provided by the guests. She refused to comply with this request despite the fact she is a senior partner in a law firm, ironically a compliance officer, and was also sent a link to the relevant legislation for clarity. It is also clearly stated on the VRBO site. Such hypocrisy.
The "lady" “thought” she had rented an isolated house to spend her holidays, when in fact my mother, 84, lives next door in the Mulino. I visit her practically every day to take care of her and also our guests' needs. In this case, she was clear that she considered I was violating her privacy and in her opinion, I was not welcome at her house (yes she actually said it was her house). At this point, completely uncomfortable with the situation, with my mother who would no longer even put her nose out of the house for fear of meeting her, both she and I took turns in taking about ten days of vacation each, abandoning the "lady" to her "private" destiny, and trying to limit the meetings as much as possible.
It is clear in the original Italian description on VRBO of the Locanda, that there is someone else living next door in the Mulino and the garden is shared.
I remember one episode in particular: the guests were all out for the day, apart from one who was reading on the front of the Locanda, in the part of the garden dedicated to our guests. I thought that this was the right time to mow the lawn around the pool, which no one was using. I was just finishing the job when the "lady" came back and asked me again what I was doing on the property she had rented to be in peace etc. I explained that someone had to do the maintenance that does not stop for anyone, and I certainly did not expect it to be her. I asked the grass not to grow, but it refused. Given how she was taking care of "her" property in general, pool filters blocked with leaves, and recycling all mixed together. In the end, I gave up everything and left, still chased by her snooty complaints.
Furthermore:
- there are 25 chairs/loungers/benches plus tables and sun shades plus shade from trees around the pool for the guests. More than enough for everyone. The Locanda sleeps 15 people when full. This we really do not understand. Maybe she wanted 15 loungers, 15 beds, 15 chairs, 15 benches, 15 tables, 15 umbrellas, but then there would be no room to walk around the pool. We recommend Benidorm hotels in this instance.
- our dogs, beloved by all our guests, not aggressive indeed very affectionate, are even immortalized in the photos of the VRBO page, and to a closer eye they would not have escaped: if there were problems of incompatibility with one or more guests of the " lady ", she never said anything whilst she was there.
- The Locanda has a washing machine and personal clothes drying rack for the use of the guests, and none of our previous guests have ever dreamed of reserving the 80 meters of drying line that we use to hang out the linen when guests are changing: at most they kindly asked us and we never refused to give permission.
- the "misleading" photo where you can see the swimming pool with the mill that is my mother's residence in the background, is a beautiful explanatory photo of the setting of the swimming pool: perhaps, according to the "lady", I should have photoshopped it and deleted my mother's house by replacing it with the Locanda!
In total, a horrible and depressing experience, of which the only positive side is the established fact that the "lady" and I will not have to meet again. Never again.
Maybe, perhaps, the real reason she left early was that she thought the police were arriving due to her refusal to provide documentation, passport/id cards, etc, about the guests staying there. That would have been a little embarrassing for someone in her professional position. What was the reason for the guarded secrecy of the guests?