Guest User
July 31, 2022
Booked a "three day stay in the green" 2 nights and 2 breakfasts from the SMARTBOX website. On July 8th, booked a stay for the period July 16th-18th. A few days before departure, I received a call from B&B Padò informing me that SMARTBOX has OVERBOOKED and therefore the booked dates are no longer available.......... From the feedback of other unfortunate SMARTBOX guests, I see that overbooking is a common practice...... New dates agreed July 28th-30th. Late in the evening of the 26th, I received an email informing me that the B&B is located on an impassable road unless you own an OFF-ROAD VEHICLE, that it will be necessary to leave the car 1 km from the property, reachable on foot, making sure to bring comfortable luggage such as a backpack. On the 28th we arrived in town and since we were not sure where to leave the car (the navigator did not help us) we tried to contact the owner who only answered after numerous attempts and in a resentful tone. After traveling the kilometer of dirt road, we arrived at a structure bordering on dilapidated. There is no trace of the lush garden shown in the photos published by the B&B. Going up the external staircase to reach the room risks an accident due to the unstable wooden railing of the staircase. My wife risks flying down. Once up the staircase we are "invited" in a peremptory manner to leave our shoes at the door and put on hotel-style slippers/slippers found in a basket located at the entrance. Slippers already used by whom and how many times is unknown. They certainly did not shine for their whiteness. Here we discover that the bathroom on the floor where the rooms are is shared with the other guests and only then are we informed that the shower is available at times established by the property (by 9 pm). If that were not enough, the shower is located on the lower floor. The bidet bowl does not have a jet and in order to wash yourself it is necessary to fill it with the water that runs down the edges. A decidedly unhygienic system. In the evening we go to the village for dinner with the concern of not being late in returning since the mule track, in addition to being bumpy, has no lighting. The next morning, after asking to have a cup of hot tea, we discover that due to anti-COVID regulations the breakfast service is suspended (the SMARTBOX website says 2 nights with 2 breakfasts for two people). No breakfast. The nearest bar is in the village 1 km away. At this point we decide to leave, giving up 2 of the "three days in the countryside" and on an empty stomach and with our backpacks we set off towards the village. The SMARTBOX website advertises the stay as complete with breakfast and shuttle service. The owner tells us that she informed SMARTBOX of the suspension of both services but that SMARTBOX ignored her reports. I booked and paid through SMARTBOX where, I repeat, it says two nights for two people with breakfast. Before
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