Podere Santa Chiara

Wonderful
Traveller Type: Traveling as Couple
  : Gorgeous location, perfect pool, great choice of beaches nearby, lovely staff, some delicious food, great bedroom & shower, super view from comfortable apartment terrace

Good
Traveller Type: Traveling as Couple

Fair
Traveller Type: Traveling as Couple
  : Beautiful natural setting, short distance to beautiful beaches, free e-bikes for use
  : The service was overall quite lacking; we exchanged with the owner on WhatsApp but never saw her in person in our 5 days stay. She replied to our messages, but almost never immediately. We arrived at night : no one was there to meet us, the dark was almost complete and we couldnt locate anything (reception, room etc). Definitely not the best welcome !!! The bed was quite uncomfortable, expect a small queen size bed (a little than 160cm). The appartement was very clean but not very comfortable overall. Half the gas stoves didnt work (to cook). We asked for a laundry, Roberta asked for 15/20 euros for it; then we waited for more than 2 days to receive our clothes. We had to complain quite directly until she accepted to not make us pay (given the fact that the clothes were ready the day we left Italy !).

Disappointing
Traveller Type: Traveling as Couple
  : The positives:The location is very peaceful, with amazing sunsets.Beautiful pool area, a lovely space to relax that is kept immaculate..Nice brekfast room by the pool, and the girl serving was very pleasant. Breakfast food was nice. Ronny dropped off our bags and was very friendly, offering boat trips, etc.Bicycles were provided, which allowed us to explore many of the nearby beaches - see negatives below.
  : The negatives:The apartment is very, very basic - feels like a chalet. Very basic furnishings and not very comfortable. This was not what I expected and based on the prices for other accommodations on our stay, seemed way off the mark. Plenty of insects crawling in under the back door, dead insect marks on wall and floor.The towels were changed after two days. We stayed 4 nights and the apartment was not cleaned during our stay other than the bin being emptied.The bed was not changed for the duration of our stay nor a change of bed clothes provided. In other places we stayed we had a fresh bed each day. I would have thought every 2 or 3 days is at least a basic requirement and when paying 200euro a night to stay!We ate at the restaurant on one night. It was a fixed price menu for 30 euro. There was a 'salad' which was a bowl of lettuce, fried potatoes, which was a small few slices of saut potatoes each and grilled meats. One of the meats was horse, which we said we didn't not eat. The rest was some fatty pork and sausage. That was it for 30 euro! A tiramisu was 6 euro each extra. Prices in Otranto Town restaurants and other local agrioturismos are so reasonable, this felt like a total rip-off.Most of the bicycles were broken - brakes not working, chains stuck as not oiled. We eventually picked out two that were usable, but they really need some tlc.Communication about check-in and paying the bill was by WhatsApp. No face to.face communication on this front. All felt very tranactional, not what I would expect. What I have found unique staying in Agrioturismo in Italy over many years is the service and country feel. This place just feels like chalets in a field, albeit a field in a nice location!The front patio has a table and two benches and two deckchairs, but there is no divide between you and your neighbours patio area - just a couple of plant pots.

Wonderful
Traveller Type: Traveling as Couple
  : Huge propperty with a lot gardens near wonderfull beaches with lidos or free beaches- as you prefer. I was also wonderfull to relax at the huge pool in the middle of nature.The appartement was spotless clean and had a minimalistic-design style, which we loved. Nice light-concept in the bedroom. It was equipped with everything you could want (ac, huge shower...also a kitchen if you like to cook) and a terrace. The included breakfast was marvelous with a typical italian sweet selection with homemade cakes and pasticcios and also with a savoury selection with typical products of the region. During breakfast you can decide, if you want to join dinner at the evening. There is a daily menu freshly prepared and with the best local ingredients. Normally we do not eat in our hotels, but in podere Santa Chiara we regret, that we just ate with them once during our 3 nights stay. There was a relaxing vibe and the food and the charme of the staff was out of this worldContact with Roberta previous to our arriving very nice.
  : I think we just picked the wrong appartements for our needs. We had a standard studio which was at the very end of the property next to loud outdoor-neighbours and barking dogs and with no view at all. The appartements with lake or pool view really looked amazing. As living at the end of the property, there were no paved ways so you had to carry your luggage all the way to the parking-place- so pack light and take a flashlight with you to find the way during nighttime. Umbrellas at the pool would be nice, because the existing cabanas and natural shade don't work in the afternoon.

Wonderful
Traveller Type: Family with Young Children
  : quiet place with several rooms, nice staff, private parking, sufficient breakfast and possibility of dinner
  : you have to count on using a car for trips to the beach and the city

Good
Traveller Type: Traveling as Couple