Historic Apartment in Apulia - Italy

The owners of this apartment are kind people and were initially quite welcoming. However, as time went on they were negligent and this resulted in a very uncomfortable three months. We lived with a daily infestation of mosquitoes (20+ mosquitoes) due to cracks in the doors and windows that needed tending to. The paint on the ceiling began to fall off, the fans emitted a chemical smell and the heater failed to work once it got cold. All of this would not be an issue if there were technicians that were sent to assist in these matters, but nothing was ever done about it. It was even more frustrating as we were caring for our baby and trying to make sure he had enough heat and wasn’t constantly being bitten by mosquitoes. I would not recommend renting from them for anyone. The only pluses are that they decorated the apartment beautifully and it’s spacious / centrally located in Giovinazzo. Otherwise, you will be living uncomfortably and without assistance.

LANDLORD'S REPLY:
We are frankly astonished by this 1.5-star review, as it presents a distorted version of the facts and unfairly questions our professionalism.

From the very first week of their stay, the guests lost the apartment keys, creating a serious inconvenience and a security concern. Despite being away at a wedding, we immediately activated our contacts and arranged for a new set of keys to be delivered within a few hours. This is not negligence — it is prompt and responsible action.

During their stay, there was also a general power outage affecting the entire town. This was entirely beyond our control. Nevertheless, we contacted the local authorities to gather information and kept the guests informed. Once again, we acted proactively and responsibly.

Regarding the heating: the apartment’s heating system was already set to a normal high temperature appropriate for winter conditions. However, this was apparently considered insufficient. As a consequence, the air conditioning system was operated continuously, 24 hours a day, in heating mode. Running such a system non-stop inevitably led to overheating and a noticeable burning smell. This was not due to a malfunction of our heating system, but to the extreme and continuous use of the air conditioning unit.

It is also important to clarify that the apartment is located in a 15th-century historic building, with ceilings up to six meters high. Expecting to maintain a constant indoor temperature of 25°C in such a structure during winter is unrealistic. The attempt to reach that temperature resulted in excessive energy consumption and significant humidity buildup, which ultimately caused mold damage.

For this reason, immediately after the guests’ departure, we had to send professionals to repair the damage. This proved necessary, as the apartment was left in poor condition. The professional cleaning company we hired reported serious hygiene issues, including bed sheets left soiled with a child’s vomit. These are documented facts, not subjective impressions.

We understand that traveling to a new country with a newborn can be stressful. However, stress does not justify damaging a property, misusing equipment, or publicly portraying the hosts as negligent.

We stand by the quality of our property and by the way we handled this situation. Future guests are invited to consider all aspects of what occurred before forming their own judgment.

Susjedstvo
Pleasant, scenic and picturesque

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