We spent 2 weeks in July in Giovanna’s lovely apartment and had a wonderful stay
there. Upon our arrival Giovanna greeted us warmly as if we were family or old
friends.
She made us feel immediately welcome and at home and took the time to show us all
the features of the apartment and pool area, as well as giving us lots of useful tips on
places to go and things to do.
She also left us a welcome pack and the Prosecco was a lovely touch, though the kids
were probably more excited by the Nutella!
As others have said, the apartment is bigger than the pictures indicate and is
spotlessly clean and very well equipped (lovely soft bath towels, beach towels, bed
linen etc.) as well as kitchen basics like salt, pepper, coffee and olive oil.
We got regular updates on WhatsApp from Giovanna, and she was on call if needed,
and was genuinely interested in how our holiday was going.
The pool is large, clean and attended by a lifeguard. It is a mainly residential
complex, so it’s very quiet in the mornings, a little busier in the afternoon and again
at weekends. The sun loungers are allocated to each apartment so you can come and
go as you please.
There is a decent sized kitchen for cooking with all the utensils you’d need. The main
terrace is perfect for eating, as it never gets the sun directly but is warm and pleasant
with a view to the lake and mountains. A second terrace overlooks the pool and is
nice to sit on in the evenings when the sun goes down. The beds are very
comfortable, and the main bathroom is large with a good shower.
The area itself is lovely and quiet – a 10 min walk to train station, 10 min to a nice
park with a great playground for kids & a café, 15 mins (downhill) into Desenzano.
The town itself is fabulous with lots of shops and restaurants, a market on Tuesday, and White Night on Wednesday nights, when shops open
late and there is live music in the square and a lively buzz in the town.
There are a few nice pebbly beaches where you can hire loungers and pedal boats to
go out on the lake. It has a long boardwalk all along the shore for anybody who likes
to run or walk – especially early in the morning when it is quiet and breezy.
The other towns around the lake are easily accessible by ferry and neighbouring
Sirmione is only a 20 minute journey away. Venice was well worth a 90 min train trip.
Overall it was a wonderful place to visit and Giovanna’s warmth and friendliness
makes it a really great place to stay