6/10 Okay
Kim J., UK
7 Aug 2019
Liked: Cleanliness
Owners live in main part of house
It was very hard to decide what star rating to give this property. When we booked it, we were completely under the impression that we would have the whole place to ourselves. Nothing in the description suggested to us that the trulli complex is attached to the owners' house (connecting door is kept locked from their side). Although we had our own entrance door, the driveway, parking and access paths are shared. In fact, the owners (Francesca & Giuseppe and children) need to walk past the kitchen patio to get to their front door. Had we known the set-up we would never have booked the place.
However, I can't bring myself to give only one star because I think that if you were planning to book a granny flat, in many ways this is a very nice one. The bedrooms and en suite bathrooms are very well done, the whole place was spotlessly clean, and the pool and garden are beautiful. (The pool is ramped, so is no good for lengths, but great for playing about in, relaxing and diving.)
The kitchen has suffered from wear and tear, and needs some repair to the cupboards. The kitchen equipment, crockery and cutlery are adequate rather than plentiful, but I expect that the kitchen will gradually become superbly well equipped as I only had to mention the lack of an oven glove & tea towels to Francesca for her to arrive later that day with everything we needed.
The big outside table and chairs in the photo weren't there during our stay. Instead there were three rather unsteady small folding tables with matching chairs which we found too impractical/uncomfortable to use. We used the kitchen table and chairs instead. There is no dining table or chairs by the BBQ (which we didn't use), and I think it would be a good idea to get them. We all found the stools rather uncomfortable to sit on for any length of time.
Francesca comes across as a genuinely warm and welcoming person, keen to ensure that you have a good holiday.
It's about a 30 minute walk into Castellana Grotte (longer if you saunter), along fairly quiet roads (downhill then uphill both ways). There are cycle lanes and routes nearby. Castellana Grotte has a good feel about it, and it's buzzing at the weekend. It's a good base for exploring the area.