Book at your own risk. Grazziano was ‘ nice.’ Unfortunately, when booking a stay, the owner being nice is not a requirement for me.
1. The place was beach front pretty much.
2. The booking did not come with sheets or linens! The excuse was, “because of covid” I’m not sure what covid has to do with renting a stay, without sheets or towels. This is absolutely ridiculous, and unbelievable that Airbnb would allow such a thing. You could however rent sheets and towels from him for a charge of 30 euros. I suppose covid doesn’t attack the sheets that are rented for a fee; just the ones that should come with the rental. All of this was told to me, after I had booked of course.
He might argue that it was in the house description are. I didn’t need to read the description. The pics were there. Who thinks that a rental comes without sheets and towels. I would never look to the house description for this info.
2. I was asked to take photos of my passport. Something I’ve never heard of before. I did it not really knowing what was happening or if this was a Italian requirement.
3. I had correspondence with Grazziano informing him of when i would arrive. I told him it would be sometime after 4pm. He does not speak English but was clearly communicating in English. We had multiple text exchanges. He reached out at about 5 and asked when I was coming, because he had to leave.
I was a bit confused. I never knew he was waiting specifically at location for me. He never communicated that. With that said, whether he was waiting or not was not my concern. He needed to let me in seeing that I had already rented the space and paid for it. Or, he should’ve given me directions on how to get in. When I told him I was approx 15 mins away, he then responded with, “ I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
I found that odd as he had been communicating with no problem up to this moment.
I reached out to ask what exit I should get off on from the train. He didn’t respond for about a hour. I passed the stop not knowing where to go. After I communicated this to him, he then said to me, “ I have to go to work. I’ll see you tonight.” In a panic, I asked what I was supposed to do. I got no answer. Eventually he messaged and said to contact him when I’m there.
He gave me no address number. I didn’t know where I was going.
I was standing in the middle of the street, hot as hell from the heat, not knowing where to go.
He messaged saying his apt was down the street in front of a restaurant that he named. I don’t live in Italy. How would I ever know what restaurant he was talking about? he then sent a picture of the front of his apartment building. Again, no address. I had no idea what I was looking at. it’s now 30 mins in to my arrival at approx 7:30 pm. I asked for a address so that I could find it. He didn’t reply. He then after about 10-12 mins and said, he’d be there in 20 mins. I informed him that I was extremely uncomfortable standing there waiting in the middle of the street , as all of the peoples passing were staring at me and glaring at me as if I were suspicious. I asked him to please come. He said don’t worry, and showed up in about 25 mins. Means I was sitting outside for approx 45 mins waiting in all. Totally unacceptable.
4. Once he let me in he asked for the 30 euros for the sheets. My money had been taken so all I had in the moment was American dollars. I gave him $40. I then called him a Infound some euros and told him that he needed to. Ring the dollars back in exchange for my dollars. He said it was too late that he would come by tomorrow. I told him that I could come to his job and do the trade. He never answered.
The next day I messaged him again and asked what time he would be coming to exchange dollars? I mentioned he’d said he would come but I hadn’t heard from him, and that I was leaving at 6:00am. He replied he’d be there at 7:30 am! Did he not understand the universal time of 6:00 am? Why Ws he telling me he’d be there at 7:30?!
I the. Messaged asking him to please “not scam me, as I am not rich.” ( I was already being scammed with the sheets) His response was, “ I can’t scam you, I’m a police officer.” He then showed up the next morning at 8:00 am. Two hours after I told him I was to leave. I was not giving him $40 for sheets. I wanted my money. Needless to say, I missed my train. On top of this, he was loitering over me asking if I needed 10 mins to get my things. My space was laid for until the check out time of 10:00 am. He should not have been loitering and pushing me to leave. I had every right to take my time as I still had two hours left to leave the apt.
5. There was NO hot water in the shower, and the drain Was clogged so water wouldn’t drain.
All in all, this was a terrible experience. The only upside is that it was 4 min walk from beach front. I would def not recommend this place. This guy being. Nice guy, is just not good enough. That is not what one is paying for.