La Dolce Vita Ravello - Apartment with Balcony & Amazing View of the Amalfi Coast

We booked more than three months in advance and were told by phone that we would have two apartments next to each other. We were not newcomers to Ravello and had stayed in a lovely b&b next door previously. Madalina, the manager, promised two full bedrooms, a living room, and a terrace. We were asked to pay in full thirty days in advance, but after only a week Madalina phoned us to ask where the money was. We were surprised, but paid. When we arrived, we were given an apartment that had no living room or terrace and which had as a second bedroom a windowless space with a narrow sleeper sofa, which was not shown on the website. The adjacent apartment, with one bedroom, a living room and a terrace, had been rented to someone else, despite our understanding that it would be for us. This was the first night of our trip and we were upset and disappointed. The receptionist telephoned Madalina for us; she was extremely rude, saying that if we didn’t like it, we were free to leave. When we arrived the receptionist told us we would be getting a full fresh breakfast, but that offer was withdrawn by Madalina and we were left a basket of dry cookies and crackers. Madalina, a non-Italian who speaks English, berated two of our group in successive phone calls, including the person who had made the reservation. Eventually she offered another room, which was up three flights of stairs with no outside space. We refused. They also offered a terrace which was down another flight of steps (we had climbed close to fifty steps to get where we were). Wifi was non-existent in the sleeping areas and the only common space was a narrow “kitchen” where it was almost impossible for four people to sit at the table. The positives? A well-finished space with nice bathrooms. A beautiful view if only we had been able to enjoy it.

We had the best stay at La Dolce Vita. The apartment is very clean and the views are the best. We had no problems getting there. Ravello shopping is very good. Lots of cafes and restaurants nearby. The host is also very helpful. We had a very memorable experience.