Thank you very much Kathleen for your reply,
I think it can be really useful for next guests,
as I told you I am very sorry and embarrassed about this experience, it the first time it happens to me, frankly I think I have given all the infos required as I always do - and done all the work needed, also more then usual, because I did not have any news about you until the moment of your check in and normally people arrange the time of their arrival with me because this is not an hotel - just unfortunately you have not read them until less then one hour before the check in without giving any news about you until then.
It's not easy to communicate with people that are not reading the instruction I send, "Civita is not and easy place", I write, "please read well the following instruction". Normally guests respond and know where they are going.
To reply to what you say in your review: on the phone at 6.45 pm of the day of your supposed check in you have not explained anything to me (you have also asked me to book a restaurant for you which on a Saturday night, last minute, is quite complicated and I have done it), I have arranged a minicar to bring uphill the luggage that is available until 7 pm and we were lucky to be in time - you have just asked if you could come up with the luggage, so I have replied that it is not possible, and as I always say that the secret to come up is to walk slowly, enjoy the landscape and take your time, as also my 83 years old father does - but your luggage was not on the minicar at 7.00, that's why I have written to you back to have news and only an hour later had your few words reply back, without even saying sorry and just saying some of you could not walk uphill. At that moment my reply was: "it's a pity to have arrived in the area have an apartment booked for 2 nights and not to visit Civita", I have proposed to organize a trip with the red cross tractor for the morning after but had no answer until 7 pm of the next day when you just asked about our cancellation terms.
Sorry if after 2 days - and some days before - worrying about your arrival I have replied that cancellation is normally asked in advance and I did not think your cancellation inquiry could be recognized. As you could understand I had my apartment reserved for you both days because I did not know what you wanted to do.
A better communication would help, always, and in particular in Civita.
Thanks again anyway for your interest in our apartment and Civita and as I already told you, think to come back sometime with a better organization and communication, you have a night paid :).