Stephen Bailey inspects the best hotels in Puglia, Italy’s hottest new destination.
Puglia combines most of the highlights that make Italy a favourite destination of so many.
Beautiful landscapes, from olive groves to turquoise waters. Charming villages and towns full of character. Interesting locals sharing their traditional ways of life.
Amazing food of course. Great wine. Beaches. Golf. Remarkable architecture. World Heritage Sites seemingly from another world.
Stephen Bailey visited Puglia and inspected the region’s best hotels. As well as gathering recommendations for a holiday in Italy’s sunny southeastern corner.
Introducing Puglia
Puglia is Italy’s heel, a region that reveals its history as part of Ancient Greece, the Roman and Byzantine Empires, Kingdom of Sicily and Kingdom of Naples.
Puglia has an amazing coastline but it’s not a classic beach destination. It’s as a destination for people who want to combine a leisurely holiday in the sun, with easy local exploration and experiences.
Until recently, Puglia was a destination only known to Italians. This is changing, quickly. It’s a region with a lot of amazing and very authentic things to experience, in a relatively small area.
Finally the region has developed some outstanding accommodation. Now it has converted farmhouses (masserias) to rival Tuscany and some very authentic places to stay. Stephen Bailey says:
I definitely recommend Puglia for couples. Families can also have a great holiday here, but if you’re looking to just flop in the sun with young kids, you won’t get the most out of the destination.
Inspecting Puglia’s Best Resorts
Most of Puglia’s best places to stay are clustered in an area around Fasano, between Puglia’s two airports. There are also good options in the far south of the region, in and around the ornate old city of Lecce.
Puglia’s properties are not easily comparable with five-star hotels and resorts elsewhere, partly because of their very strong historical and cultural roots. They’re not located directly on the beach, but in quiet, natural landscapes a very short distance from the sea.
Borgo Egnazia
Most top hotels in Puglia are beautiful conversions of old farm properties, known as masserias. Despite its appearance, Borgo Egnazia is a new build. Borgo means village.
The most extensive and overall the best Puglia hotel, especially for families, who will love the villas with pools.
Borgo Egnazia is designed like a traditional Puglian village and offers dozens of on-site experiences, some of them taking place in the village square.
This resort is hard to fault in terms of service and quality. However, some couples are likely to prefer smaller Puglian properties, which are genuinely historic rather than replica.
I found the rooms in the main building to be a little dark. There’s much more charm and seclusion in the villas, which are scattered across the large property.
From Borgo Egnazia it’s a complimentary car or golf buggy ride to the beach, where Borgo Egnazia has its own serviced beach club.
Masseria San Domenico
Masseria San Domenico has the same owner as Borgo Egnazia and also offers an exceptionally high level of service, gastronomy and Puglian traditions.
The Masseria is significantly smaller and more intimate than the Borgo. Most of the buildings are original and I personally think it’s more charming.
An excellent choice for couples who want a quiet stay, near to the beach, with real Puglian flavour.
The spa is stunning and on par with Borgo Egnazia, although it’s shared with far fewer guests.
It’s very convenient for Puglia’s best golf course, San Domenico. And the swimming pool is truly magnificent.
Masseria San Domenico is also a little closer to the beach than Borgo Egnazia, so rooms do have sea views, although it’s still a short ride down to the beach club.
Masseria Torre Maizza
Masseria Torre Maizza is a Rocco Forte hotel. In terms of sophistication and sublime service it can be compared to the better known Rocco Forte Hotel de Russie in Rome, although it’s a very different style of coastal property to Rocco Forte’s Verdura Resort in Sicily.
A super boutique property for couples. Perfect for mornings out exploring and afternoons chilling by the pool.
What I loved about this converted masseria was the intimacy. It’s a small property with lots of complimentary activities, like sundowners on the rooftop, or late afternoon cocktails by the pool.
The rooms and suites are smaller than I expected, although the Two Bedroom Torre Suite is a very impressive and historical option to consider.
All the accommodations are built into the original masseria buildings. I recommend either a Deluxe Suite or Grand Suite with Pool, as these are larger, newer and have nice gardens.
Masseria Montenapoleone
A rustic and delightful masseria that really feels like you’re staying on a Puglian farm, with the owners very active in hosting all the guests.
Officially this is a four-star property, which simply doesn’t do justice to the service, authenticity and quality of Masseria Montenapoleone. What it lacks in amenities, like a large spa, it more than compensates for with warm hospitality.
The most authentic of the best hotels in Puglia, a really genuine local experience that some couples will absolutely love.
The masseria produces its own wine and olive oil. The gastronomy isn’t a big menu, but pure Puglian dishes from grandma’s kitchen, with food straight from the farm.
I don’t recommend it if you want to spend a lot of time at the beach or by the pool. It’s best for explorers who really want to dive into the heart and soul of the region.
Lecce Hotels
Lecce is a magnificent baroque city in the south of Puglia, certainly worth a day trip. For longer stars, the best accommodation is in converted palaces (palazzos), which each only have a small handful of rooms.
Palazzo Maresgallo comes highly recommended from Puglian hotel owners I met, for its grandeur, original artworks and real sense of place. La Fiermontina Palazzo Bozzi Corso is also well regarded, although we have not personally inspected either of these.
Baglioni Masseria Muzza
Further south from Puglia, almost at the very end of Italy’s heel, is this converted Masseria owned and operated by Baglioni.
Again, we have not personally inspected this property. Some Baglioni properties are excellent, like Baglioni Rome, while others like Baglioni Resort Sardinia have been a disappointment.
Unmissable Experiences in Puglia
Explore the unusual houses of Alberobello, Puglia’s World Heritage Site. It’s easily done in half a day. One part of the village is off limits to tourism (e.g. no tourist shops allowed) and it’s where we can arrange a special local dinner.
Rent a classic Italian car for a day. Puglia’s winding country roads are a joy to drive.
Do a pasta making class. It’s so much fun. Do an olive oil tasting. Puglia produces 15% of the world’s olive oil and the olive groves are a beautiful part of every vista.
Taste the wine. Do an art class by the coast. Cycle the olive groves. Explore the remains of ancient Greece and Rome. There’s so much more, this is a region that really rewards the curious.
Planning a Trip to Puglia
The main travel season is from June to September, although most properties open in April or May, then stay open until early November.
Bari and Brindisi are the two main airports. They are equally convenient for Puglia’s best hotels.
Between June and September, Smartwings flies Mondays and Thursdays between Prague and Brindisi. Ryanair also has six flights per week between Prague and Bari.
These airports are well connected to the rest of Italy so Puglia can be easily combined with other destinations.
Is it a destination you want to explore? We can give you personal advice and recommendations.
