There is a lot to love about Sergio’s beautiful Castro home. The setting is very private and the cliff top location offers magnificent views. The garden and surrounds compliment the lovely stone building. Inside the rooms are all very well presented and we especially appreciated the beautiful way the home is styled with local art. The kitchen was well appointed and had everything necessary to prepare meals for our group of 10. It is lovely to have the small pool to cool down in, especially enjoyed by the young children. The adults enjoyed the swim in the sea at the bottom of the cliff. A challenge, but well worth the effort. The large terrace was a highlight. It was a gathering place at all times of the day to eat, rest and just enjoy the view. The location is great. Close to Zinzalusa caves and it’s fantastic pool. A walk to the delightful old town and quick drive to the more vibrant Castro Marina area. Castro is an easy drive to other towns in the Salento (Otranto, Lecco, Gallipoli ).
Of course there were some minor issues.
We were disappointed to be advised on the day that we would have to delay our check in by 90mins. We would have liked glassware for our evening wine and prosecco. We would have loved a toaster. However these things are relatively minor.
What wasn’t minor was the challenge of working with a local agent who did not speak English. (We actually wonder if it would be best to only rent this property to Italian speakers.) Having to sign a contract written only in Italian is not desirable and what could have been a simple resolution to a power failure turned into waiting until the following afternoon for the agent to return to flick a switch because he couldn’t relay over the phone where the mains power safety switch was.
In many ways this is my problem as I don’t speak Italian. If you speak Italian I recommend this property unreservedly. If like us you don’t then be aware of this limitation.