Belia Lofts

The address is Unterrainer Strasse 48, in the hamlet of Unterrain in the municipality of Appiano sulla Strada del Vino: so writes the house's website, which speaks of fourteen new lofts at Unterrain. We are in the middle of the vineyards of the Oltradige: Bolzano airport is seven kilometres away, the Bolzano trade fair a little less than seven, Lago di Monticolo eleven, Lago di Caldaro eight, and the stations of Settequerce and Ponte d'Adige are both about four kilometres away.

They are not rooms but lofts with a kitchenette equipped with utensils, a dining area, air conditioning, a flat screen television and a private bathroom with bidet, toiletries and hairdryer; there are a fridge, a dishwasher, a hob, a coffee machine and a kettle. Some have a garden, others a balcony, and there is also a penthouse. Under the building there is a large garage, connected to the floors by stairs and a lift. Breakfast, which the house's website declares as paid for and on request, arrives in a basket brought to the door of the loft.

On age: the name under which the house presents itself on Booking says "adults only", and the children's conditions on the same page say that children are not allowed. No figure is published, neither by Booking nor by the property's website, so this page records the exclusion of minors without a threshold. Booking states that no minimum age is required for check-in, which is a different piece of information, and that cots and extra beds are not available.

The outdoor part is the heart of the place: a large garden with the pool, the solarium terrace, snacks at the poolside and a small self service bar. Sauna, steam bath and treatment room there are not, so anyone looking for a spa should know this beforehand. Seven metres away is the restaurant and pizzeria Wiesenheim, run by the same family; around it the cycle paths set off towards Bolzano, Merano, Appiano and Caldaro.

Worth knowing: pets are allowed on request, but only in some lofts and no more than four dogs a day in the whole property, so it is best to ask before booking; the reviews mention a dog run. There is no smoking, parties are not organised, and for bookings of more than three units the house may apply different conditions. Arrival is from 15.00 to 18.00 and must be communicated in advance.