Karen W.
Odd Way To Run An Agency....
Here is a review for one of their properties, which we stayed in April of this year. From this travellers can make their own mind up: Perfect View & Location - But There Were Issues... Casa Chicca is in the beautiful, quiet village of Praiano and the property itself has stunning sea views. Although small, which is obvious when you book it, it is nevertheless, beautifully and tastefully decorated. However, as stated there were a couple of issues and unfortunately we did not get off to a very good start. We booked via a "rental agency" called Summer in Italy, who from the website we got the impression was an actual travel agency, offering full support and help, boasting of local staff able to help on all issues/problems - large and small! Two days before we were due to arrive, (and whilst we were visiting another part of Italy), we were notified that our flights had been delayed, meaning that we wouldn't arrive at the property until 1:30 am. We immediately updated the agency on the situation and we were told that we'd either have to book into a hotel overnight in Naples or change our flights as neither the owner or the agency were able to meet us at the property at that time! Meaning we were denied access for a night we had paid for. We sought other flights and one looked quite good flying in the night before. We asked how much an extra night would be and were told that it should be €138 but they would do it for €90 because of "problems at their end" as they put it. We were quite surprised as the whole holiday for 14 nights had actually cost £969 which worked out at around £69 per night. Anyway we found another flight for the original date at a cost of €296 that was earlier and meant we'd arrive at the property at 11:30 pm, which apparently was just about acceptable! We were really surprised by this lack of professionalism and understanding of international travel! We have travelled all over the world and arrived at self catering accommodations at various times of the day and night. On one occasion we didn't arrive until 3:00 am because of a delayed flight but we're still greeted with a cheerful professional agent. Some owners are happy themselves to do unsociable hours, if not then that's what they pay agents for! That said the owner was very polite when we arrived and had kindly left us a few essential provisions, for which we were very grateful. Other than the bad start we did enjoy the setting and the local village very much, we found it a lot quieter than Positano and were glad we had picked that village. As for the views, everyone can see how beautiful they are. Only a couple of other things were a bit frustrating and disappointing. The hairdryer at some point had been dropped and I noticed what looked like glue on it. Unfortunately it only blew out tepid air and not very powerful, so if you have high maintenance hair you might want to take your own! You may also want to take your own towels, as although we were there for two weeks, no changeover was given. We actually stayed in 4 places over a two month trip and this was the only time we didn't get offered a change of towels. Also the 2 bath towels were quite small and were more like larger than average hand towels, so we ended up using our beach towels, so again you may wish to take your own. But that said the bathroom for the size of the property was spacious and beautifully tiled. One more point, as mentioned we stayed in a total of 4 self catering properties and on another occasion last year we stayed in a further property in Italy and this was the only time we were charged extra for cleaning and although it was clean I wouldn't say it was professionally cleaned, grease on the wires behind the little oven for example. Don't get me wrong this were niggling little points and we did enjoy it, but I believe it was the setting and spectacular views that really made it! This is why I have graded it as average had it not been for the issues I may well have graded it very good!
Response from Summer In ItalyJun 29, 2016
Dear Karen, thank you so much for sharing this! I am happy that the holiday home you rented through our company was, overall, good and that you were happy with location and views. We inspect all properties and meet all owners, and the home you rented truly offers an excellent value, and that's before even counting in the owner kindness and generosity. Also thank you for this opportunity to explain how, at times, renting a real private home, gives you opportunities and might have a few shortcomings. I think that this will be very helpful for anyone reading it, and, even if we have discussed this privately, I am happy to report here. Let me start by saying that this holiday home is managed by the owner herself, who lives nearby. We handle enquiries, payments, bookings, support, and when it comes to hospitality the owner takes over. That works very well, as it provides travelers with that authentic experience they look for, and which you enjoyed, while the paperwork is professionally managed through a reliable rental agency (if I may say so myself). Check-in is usually until 8 pm, but, yes, we do understand how international travels go, and how some late evening flights work out to be cheaper, and we are always glad to help. In fact, when you booked we had already arranged for you a 11.30 pm check-in. When, only two days ahead of arrival, your airline rescheduled the flight for arrival at 1.30 in the morning, we tried to reschedule your check-in with the owner as well. As most people, the owner has a job, and, in this specific case, the consequences of going to work without sleep could be devastating. Considering that a 1.30 am check-in means, for the owner, getting back home no earlier than 3 am, the only way would have been taking the day off -- which was ok with the owner as well, except that she was not allowed to do it with such a short advance. Moving the booking to a different holiday home, where a check-in in the middle of the night could be accommodated, was not a suitable option, so we offered the option of extending the stay by one night, in case it worked better for you. We arranged to prorate the low weekly rate, rather than applying the usual daily rate, in order to simplify matters, as we realized that your airline was already giving you a hard time. The amount you stated of £69 is exactly the prorated rate of €90 that was offered (at the exchange rate of that time). I am, of course, sorry, that a check-in in the middle of the night could not be arranged in this case. In our portfolio there are homes that do offer a key-box check-in, or where a 24-hour desk is staffed, or where owners have no other primary occupation -- we know all the different situations, and help guests choose based on their requirements. In this case, for example, you had expressed the need to check-in at 11.30 pm, and we have been able to arrange that. I'd also like to address the other issues you mentioned. Thanks for letting us know about the tepid hairdryer. I'll report back to the owner so that she can replace it - owners who live in town usually don't happen to use the appliances in their second homes, and so won't know until reported. As for the final cleaning fee, again that varies from home to home. Some homes have it weekly, some have it at the end of the stay, some have none at all. I prefer none at all, but what really matters, indeed, is the final amount. We try to do a good job of listing any fee upfront, so that travelers are always informed before making their reservation. Regarding the change of towels, I will suggest the owner to offer that service explicitly. As the house is self-catering and only has a final cleaning fee (vs. a weekly cleaning fee) and provides its own free-to-use washer, guests who stay for an extended period of time usually wash as required, at no cost. The owner would have no troubles in cleaning the house and changing the linens/towels as often as required, although I can understand how, in our culture, it would sound kind of "pushy" to offer a paid service when guests can have it for free. Thanks for the good suggestion! In summary, I have to say that I am sorry that we could not accommodate your request to check-in at this specific property in the middle of the night. I feel that we offered all the options that we had available, and tried to minimize the financial impact of the rescheduling of your flight. I understand that we are getting two stars out of five because the airline changed your plans, and I accept your judgement -- particularly because I know that most readers will be curious to learn how we managed to get two stars, and doing so they will also see how renting a holiday home can be different than renting a hotel, where in most cases you have a 24-hour desk. Thank you again, Luca