PROS: lovely grounds, great pool, good location for day trips, responsive house manager, reliable Wi-Fi, well-equipped kitchen
CONS:
1. Lack of cleanliness (dirty toilets, greasy stovetop, oven and fan, dirty windows, dusty surfaces). We were charged fees of 250€ upfront for house cleaning, but the villa was not sanitary. We advised the house manager upon arrival and he had another cleaner come in. It was better than when we arrived, but the the house needs a deep clean.
2. The washing machine did not work half the time we were there. The house manager came twice and finally fixed the problem.
3. We were unable to use one of the bedrooms due to a strong, unpleasant sewer smell permeating from the basement. This room is located close to the kitchen. Also, the shower facet in this room was not working properly and only gave hot water so we could not use the shower either.
4. The villa is difficult to find (even with GPS). The road leading to the house is winding and can be dangerous as it is narrow and steep. Much caution is advised!
5. The villa is located in a seedy neighbourhood. The next door neighbour's property looks like a scrap yard. The road is laden with debris.
It is unfortunate that this site does not allow me to post photos to confirm the above. I would be happy to provide.
In the end, thank goodness the property manager, Stephan, was kind, responsive and had initiative.