Mantvyde Kudabaite
I arrived at Ikigai at the end of October and initially booked a one-month stay. Unfortunately, my first impressions were not great. The house itself felt neglected and lacked basic care and maintenance. The welcoming atmosphere was also disappointing, especially for a place that markets itself as a “coliving community.” It actually took me a few months to write this review because I’m not usually the type of person to complain publicly. However, I feel it’s important to speak honestly, especially because of my experience with the owner. As a woman, I want future female guests to be cautious when considering this place. Before I arrived, the owner was responsive and helpful through messages. However, once he was physically present in the house, things quickly changed. It didn’t take long to notice several red flags: frequent drinking, emotional outbursts about past relationships, and conversations about “spiritual sessions” he mainly does with women. The atmosphere often felt uncomfortable and inappropriate. I won’t go into every detail publicly, but I’m open to sharing more privately if needed. What finally pushed me to write this review was the experience of another girl who joined the house during my stay. From the beginning, the owner’s behavior toward her was deeply concerning. He constantly focused his attention on her, stalked her around the house, repeatedly invited her to sleep in his trailer, took her personal belongings without permission, and asked her to cook for him — despite the fact that she was paying to stay there as a guest. It was extremely uncomfortable to witness, and she ended up feeling genuinely traumatized by the experience. Many of us in the house were shocked by his behavior. There were also multiple situations where he would walk around half naked in shared spaces, open people’s fridges, and take food without asking. It all felt highly unprofessional and invasive. The only reason I still managed to have some positive moments there was because of the amazing volunteers and other colivers. The volunteers were doing most of the actual work — cleaning, organizing, and keeping the place functioning — while the community of guests themselves was lovely. It’s also important to mention that there was very little actual “coliving” structure or organization provided. No meaningful activities, no real management, and overall it felt like paying extremely high prices simply to rent a room in a chaotic environment. I’ve stayed in multiple colivings across Italy and the Canary Islands, and none of them compared to this experience. This was by far the most unprofessional setup I’ve encountered. I genuinely wish the owner well, but I also believe women’s experiences should not be ignored or silenced. Please be mindful and cautious before booking this place.