Right on Puglia's Adriatic coast, near the fishing village of Savelletri, is the dreamily beautiful Borgo Egnazia. Built by the Melpignano family from scratch to resemble a traditional Puglian village, the hotel opened in 2010, and is all flawless tufo limestone, hidden pools and blooms of rosemary and jasmine around every corner. There are of course, some spectacular added extras too, including a Michelin-starred restaurant, a spa rooted in ancient Puglian wellness traditions, an 18-hole championship golf course and two private beaches. It's big (183 rooms across three different areas), but the winding alleyways, candlelit corridors and bougainvillea-draped piazzas make it feel surprisingly intimate.
The resort is split into three areas: La Corte, the castle-like main building complete with sweeping stone staircases and candlelit alcoves; Il Borgo, a maze of townhouses arranged around a central piazza; and the Villas, all tucked into the pretty gardens. Dining options are plentiful: the Michelin-starred Due Camini is helmed by genius Chef Domingo Schingaro, while La Frasca serves wood-fired pizzas and Il Cortile Ofers excellent barbecue buffets (and that's just a few of what;'s on offer). The 2,800-square-metre Vair Spa is inspired by ancient Roman baths and offers treatments using beautiful, locally made products. Four pools, padel courts and a yoga studio round things off nicely.
La Corte's 63 rooms are in the main building and are perfectly peaceful (especially from mid-June to mid-September when it's adults-only). All are dressed in creamy limestone, soft linens and understated Puglian decor — think dried herbs, rope knots and glass bottles. Over in Il Borgo, the 92 casette look like proper little townhouses with private entrances, stone floors, veiled four-poster beds and rooftop terraces for sunset watching. For families or groups, the 28 three-bedroom villas come with private pools, Mediterranean gardens and a dedicated massaia to prepare eggs in the morning.
With Puglia's greatest hits within easy reach, there's no shortage of day trips. Alberobello's fairy-tale trulli, the dazzling white city of Ostuni, and cliff-perched Polignano a Mare are all less than 20 minutes away. Closer to home, the ancient Greco-Roman ruins of Egnazia are practically next door. On-site, hire a bike and pedal through olive groves to the San Domenico golf course, or catch a shuttle to one of two private beaches — Cala Masciola for a pebbly, local feel, or La Fonte for proper sandy-toed family days. Kids are brilliantly catered for with age-specific clubs running from tots to teens.
The absolute commitment to Puglia and the land, from the zero-kilometre menus to the team who are almost all local. Everything here is designed to make you feel the region rather than just visit it.
Sign up for a cooking class at Mia Cucina and learn to make orecchiette from the local nonnas. It's hands-on, messy and absolutely brilliant!
It's a large resort so if you're after a more intimate boutique feel, this probably isn't it.
Whitewashed towns, ancient olive groves and sun-bleached villages above the Adriatic.
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