Hotel Dengan breakfast di Apulia, Italy

Unfortunately this was a stay of two halves, and I wish I'd heeded other people's low reviews about the host's attitude before booking. The place itself was lovely. A cute, clean little room that seemed authentic and had some nice finishing touches. The area around was beautiful and it's a great location. I was excited to see the room description, stating a spa, billiards room and other amenities that would account for the higher cost of this place. I saw the warning that the booking was non-refundable but took a punt.... I was wrong for doing this. Soon after booking, I received the first of many messages stating the jacuzzi in the photo was an extra 209 euros, which was apparently written in very small print, the large fridge in the photos was just for show and alongside this were given a set of house rules including not being allowed to eat in the room! I didn't like the attitude from the messages and I tried to cancel, over 2 weeks before our stay, but was refused. Cut to the day of stay I was sent another set of rules, this time warning us that if we change the temperature of the air conditioner or any other settings then ”the consequences will be on us”, it also told us to re-read the rules carefully and reminded us we couldn't eat or drink in the room. Self-check in was simple, although on the website it states there's a front desk and luggage storage on site... There isn't. It was 39 degrees outside and 27 inside. I messaged saying that in the heat setting, 24 degrees, was too warm and asked if we could lower the temperature, she refused, I asked for a fan, she pretty much accused me of lying, saying it WASN'T too warm, and after a long and draining conversation she ”allowed” us to change it to 18 degrees. After this, I tried to be civil and she responded with some suggestions of places to eat and visit. We ”respected the people who work for you” as she demanded in the messages. The apartment was equipped with basics but for the price, would have expected extras like small toiletries or glasses for water. It all went well until the last day on check out, I suggested some things to make the stay better such as a friendlier manner, trash cans in the room and more toiletries, as this was quite an expensive stay. I suggested she revisit the description of the hotel and that she didn't send ”the rules.” She didn't like this. In all honesty, the woman, I believe, is a narcissist, and can't take responsibility for her mistakes. She wouldn't accept there were areas for improvement and when it came to asking for help that linked to her apartment, she took it as a criticism on her part and went on the attack. She sent a final message which was copied from one previously sent, so this suggests she's had similar issues before. I had to block her because she wouldn't stop messaging me! I have all the messages saved and complained to trip.com who have been extremely helpful. If you want to stay in a nice place, this is lovely, but there are similar ones out there with nicer hosts. Don't give this rude lady business. I never did get to play a game of billiards.

Overall, the hotel left a good impression: recently renovated, clean, and very conveniently located between the central railway station and the Old Town, close to one of the main entrances to the historic center. The mattress, pillows, bed linen and towels were of good quality, and the sleep comfort was excellent. However, there are some significant downsides. First, there is an additional cleaning fee of €53 for two nights (€26.5 per day), which represents around 40% of the accommodation cost. The cleaning was limited to making the bed; the minibar was not refilled and the towels were not changed. This fee was not clearly included in the total price at the time of booking. Second, there is no natural daylight in the room. My room, like most rooms in the hotel, does not have windows facing outside — all windows (a glass door, a large window and a small window) face the internal hall and reception area. As a result, no daylight enters the room and the curtains have to remain closed for privacy. Third, complimentary water is not provided. Although the three bottles of water in the minibar were not charged at check-out, which I appreciated, the absence of free bottled water as a standard amenity was surprising. Check-in is only possible between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm, and check-out is from 8:00 am to 10:00 am, which is much more limited than standard international practice. The room was also quite cold, and the heating system was not intuitive to operate. Additionally, since the hotel is located in a residential building, noise from upstairs (footsteps, conversations) was clearly audible, even late at night. The hotel is good in terms of quality and location, but the additional charges and organizational aspects significantly affect the overall experience.

What a truly amazing stay a Masseria Della Piana! I can’t put into words what a special experience it was to stay at this beautiful Masseria!! Staff - the staff would go above and beyond for you, there was nothing they wouldn’t do for you. All incredibly friendly, warm and welcoming, with even the owner bringing us a traditional Puglian breakfast one morning! Every single staff member we interacted with was so kind and welcoming, special shout out to Seydou and Andre (we didn’t get everyone’s name, but I would be calling them out if we had!) and to all the cute doggos and kitties on site!! The grounds/rooms - a truly truly beautiful location. The main pool is a great size, the area in general is very peaceful and tranquil, makes for a perfect pool day! The rooms are quant and perfect for what we needed, more than enough space for three girls with lots of clothes, bags, shoes and make up! They were kept very clean by the staff, good aircon, refilled water in the fridge. Our room even had a private plunge pool which was very cute and perfect for a slow morning. Food - the breakfast selection is great, with homemade focaccia, croissants, cakes, as well as the usual things (bread, cereal etc). The Masseria also hosted a cooking class/dinner on our last night, almost all of the guests attended and we sat at a long table together, there was pizza, calzones and lots of wine! This was a very special experience and so glad we did it. If you want an intimate family run experience in the beautiful Italian countryside, this really is the place for you. I honestly cannot believe anyone would give this place anything but a 5, I would give it a 10 if I could! Thank you Masseria Della Piana for making our holiday so special ❤️

Our stay at Il Leon d'Oro was excellent. The room was spotless, comfortable, and beautifully maintained. The food was great, the location is perfect, right in the heart of Bari, making it easy to explore the old town, restaurants, shops. The host was incredibly kind, welcoming, and always available to help with recommendations and any questions we had. We really appreciated the warm hospitality and attention to detail. Everything was well organized, and we felt at home throughout our stay. We highly recommend Il Leon d'Oro to anyone visiting.

Do not stay at this dangerous hotel. Our first room was old , smelly, and awful with a broken fridge, a kettle that could not be plugged in and peeling paint. The second room has 3 different paint colours exposed fires and a bathroom that floods every time the shower is used. There are holes in the ceilings, no staff apart from 1 young girl at reception. Rooms have the cheapest, most basic facilities. The toiletries are what you would expect in a 2 star hotel. No nescafe machine if you want sn expresso you must pay €3.50. The hotel is run down and clearly management care only for money. Private guest information is stored in a public cupboard. Maintenance is ignored, and breakfast is basic. The breskfadt consists mainly of prepared sweet pastry and cakes. A small glass of tetra pack orange juice us €5 If you wish to iron, you need to either iron on the bed or the floor.. The hotel does not have a bar that operates. There are no umbrellas or comforts of a 4-star hotel. Service is zero. The hotel only offers breakfast. No lunch, dinner, or room service. But the most alarming concern is the hotels noncompliance with fire safety. If there was a fire at this hotel, guests would simply lose their lives. On both the 2nd and 3rd fll Oor parts of the ceilings have collapsed. The police gave arrested the hotel due to serious concerns for staff and guests.

The hotel is located in a strategic point, a few kilometers from Bari, Polignano and Monopoli. You have to move by car as it is located on the highway. In front of the hotel a breathtaking view with the sunset over the sea. Excellent service, everyone very kind. Excellent breakfast made on the terrace on the sixth floor with a view of the sea.

What an amazing experience to stay in a Trullo at this property! My husband and I booked our stay in mid-Nov., which is the beginning of the off-season in Puglia. When we arrived, the concierge/manager, Ugo, graciously upgraded us to a loft/superior accommodation. It was fantastic! He personally walked us to our charming, Trullo, which was not only impeccably clean, but also completely modernized despite being an historic, antiquated structure. We arrived on a chilly day to find that the marble floors are heated and very toasty! The queen bed was comfy, and the updated bathroom was enormous, with a huge shower. The little dwelling even had a very well-equipped, modern kitchen if one were to stay for a longer period. Finally, I left my small jewelry box in bathroom when we checked out. We took a 20 minute taxi ride to a train station, and apparently, during the ride Ugo tried to contact the driver to inform us that they'd found the box. Ultimately, when I discovered my oversight at the next hotel and contacted Ugo, he kindly express-shipped my jewelry back to my home in the U.S. I can't praise this property or its management highly enough. Don't hesitate to stay here!

The bathroom had a broken toilet seat and cracked tiles. For me, this was not suitable for a 4-star hotel. Furthermore, there were dust spots in the room, indicating inadequate cleaning.

Esperienza ottima. Bell’hotel, camera confortevole e personale molto gentile e sempre pronto ad assistere ogni tua esigenza. Molto buona la colazione e soprattutto il personale che abbiamo incontrato. Le due ragazze del mattino a colazione sono state preziose, ci hanno consigliato su cosa vedere, posti al mare e tanto altro, un vero valore aggiunto per la struttura con la loro simpatia, educazione e garbo.

The rooms were clean and the breakfast, gym and pool were great. However, the reception could have been more attentive and welcoming. It would have been helpful if they explained where the facilities were, like the gym, pool and free bike hire. They also have a coin laundry but no coin exchange machine, and the reception would not change coins for us even though they clearly had some. Overall it felt like we had to chase up services that should have been made easily available.