VIA’s Travel Editor picks the most beautiful, family-friendly private villas in Puglia
Open all year round, these real estate gems are the place to retreat, refresh, and reconnect back to the world.
There are obvious advantages to being in a hotel: room service, turn-down service, reading the newspaper in bed, open pool bars until the early evening, and mingling with other travelers. With all the exceptional services, there is also a certain rhythm that feels somewhat restrictive to others. Many leading hotels around the world have already understood this and honed in on the next service tier for luxury travelers: private residences and villas where time beats to someone else’s drum and always – the client.
The hospitality scene in Puglia has been growing significantly over the last several years with new hotels – from well-respected names to chic boutique properties – and an impressive collection of private villas. Being not only in Italy but particularly in Puglia, guests will love the wide-open spaces, the services, the (sometimes, scenic) outdoor pool accessible under the stars, delectable cuisine, and extraordinary attention to service that you simply won’t find anywhere else in Italy. What’s more, these properties are open all year round.
The featured villas are each rented as a whole for one party/group and for an entire week – you’re the only VIP at this address.
Pettolecchia Collection
Located in the most prestigious strip of countryside terroir, the Pettolecchia Collection comprises a set of two villas that are each rented on a weekly basis (7-night minimum). Masseria Pettolecchia La Residenza is just under five years old and captures the hearts of everyone who sets their eyes on the place. A seemingly infinite garden extends a long way out and a beautiful, historic masseria stands assured down to its foundations and drenched in beauty, character, and surprise. The villa has five bedrooms, each distanced from one another to give guests of the same party/family enough privacy on holiday. Outside is an irresistible, 200 square-meter outdoor heated pool, surrounded by bougainvillea, sunbeds, loungers and outdoor dining tables to enjoy all meals by the pool should you wish.
You’ll be able to roam, run, meditate, and even practice your cartwheels. Nearby is an outdoor Technogym perfectly set up in the shade and equipped with a range of equipment including treadmills, steppers, weights, yoga mats, and complimentary bicycles. Inside is an elegant lounge and dining room decked in prestigious private art collections including works by Lautrec, followed by the kitchen where the masseria’s in-house chef Maria works her culinary magic. Rooms are fully equipped with wifi, plush robes, toiletries, iPads, flatscreen TVs, wardrobes, air conditioning, and private patios and sun loungers. Oh, you’ll also have a private butler, concierge, daily housekeeping, and a nightguard nearby.
Nearby is La Piccola, the contemporary sister property of La Residenza. Launched in the summer of 2019, the villa faces the sea, affording uninterrupted views from morning to night. Designed for outdoor living, everything about this chic villa is easy-going, relaxed, and comfort-first. You can easily roll from the outdoor dining table to the sprawling gardens and flow effortlessly into the crisp outdoor pool (heatable on request), complete with the plushest of towels – perfect for midnight swims. There are outdoor showers, a bar, and an outdoor kitchen for dining al fresco, Apulian style.
Back in the villa, the sleek kitchen is discrete, elegant, and fully equipped beyond imagination. The spaces are easy to move through, inviting you to stop at every corner and explore. There are three bedrooms accommodating a total of 6 guests, each a good distance from one another to give adequate privacy to a family or a group of friends. Beds are exquisite, matched by fine linen and in-room accessories. The wardrobes and ensuite baths are hidden behind smart doors to offer privacy and comfort. The third bedroom is located on the first floor, along with two solarium terraces to enjoy sun-kissed afternoons. Here too, guests can enjoy a private butler, concierge, daily housekeeping, and a night guard.
Both properties offer its guests exclusive access to the Pettolecchia Collections’ private beach club, Il Lido. Dedicated, daily chef service is available upon request at each villa (charged separately), as well as outdoor yoga, meditation, pilates, and wellness treatments.
Prices for La Residenza start at 12,000 euros per week; La Piccola from 6,000 euros per week
For booking and availability, send an inquiry.
Villa Ostuni Art
Hosting 14 guests in 7 double bedrooms, this quaint villa just outside the White City of Ostuni is a traditional yet playful property set across three wings and surrounded by olive groves, fruit trees, and spacious gardens. The property is an easy drive to the beautiful beaches of the Adriatic Sea and the Ionian Sea while the city center is just a ten-minute drive away. Kickstart the day with some laps in the outdoor swimming pool, indulge in a rich breakfast on the shaded outdoor patio, and let your instinct guide you. There are several verandas and patios to choose from so you can experience them all and find the space that inspired you most.
The theme of this property is laid-back outdoor living and alfresco dining. Guests can experiment with local cuisine and enjoy a chance to pick fresh produce from the vegetable garden. In between pool dives, you can try your hand at table tennis and the famous Italian table football – popular even among adults at the coolest eateries across the country. While Apulian cuisine will keep you fit on holiday, there’s an outdoor gym by the pool house to make sure you don’t slack.
With a variety of living units, there are many sleeping options for families and groups. The traditional ‘Trulli’ has two double guestrooms with ensuite baths, while ‘The Lamia’ houses 4 bedrooms with ensuite baths, and ‘The Saraceno’ can either be a couple’s unit or fit for a small family with one double bedroom and a double bed in the living room. Each of the spaces beautifully incorporates original features, accents, and historic details while infusing an air of contemporaneity with walk-in showers, smooth parquette floors, a fireplace, Netflix service, air conditioning, WiFi, and office space with PC & printer,
Services include meet & greet at the airport, mid-week cleaning, linen & towel change, pool & garden maintenance, toiletries, and continental breakfast. Clients who would like extra services are welcome to book ahead of time or on location with pizza nights (there’s an oven onsite), cooking classes, wine tastings, organizing traditional dance parties, wellness treatments, lunch and dinner services, babysitting, private driver, as well as dry cleaning and laundry services.
Price start from 12,600 euros per week
For booking and availability, send an inquiry.
Masseria Lamacoppa
We’ve featured this estate on the cover of our 2019 issue dubbing it ‘the finest estate in the heartland of Puglia’ (we mean it), and we could have dedicated an entire edition to it – not a bad idea, actually. There’s so much to explore here in this 120-acre haven that one week is simply not enough. Located just ten minutes from the heart of Ostuni, Masseria Lamacoppa welcomes you with a picturesque pathway that while grand does not give away what is about to present itself to you.
The property is bathed in love from the inside out, every single day, by a team of in-house staff. The consecrated church has witnessed bonds of love formed between its historic walls and the vegetable garden sources produce all year round. After all, this is a working farm and country house. It just happens to exude irresistible style and charm, too.
Beyond a discreet door is the main residence with a lemon grove and alfresco kitchen for summer nights. Inside, interiors are eclectic and every object is a conversation starter. Alongside classic figurines hang modern works of art; alongside plush Moroccan-style sofas are antique units, and rustic carpets cozy up to authentic stone floors. Books are everywhere; you could spend an entire week here by yourself and still call it a holiday. Everything seems to have accidentally come together in total aesthetic harmony. Kind of like the French bronchée.
During the winter months the fireplace is the centerpiece of the estate while during the summer, holidays are spent by the pool. The ground floor houses separate lounge areas, a gorgeous light-filled study, and a dining space that has graced the covers of prestigious magazines. Behind a modest door is the country-style kitchen that opens up to a patio while the other end has a small corner where private lunches can be held – one of our favorite spaces, too. Five guestrooms are located upstairs and lead to an outdoor unit (double occupancy) that extends from the property – in total, 6 bedrooms accommodating 12 guests. The divided living spaces are great for families, giving couples adequate privacy and allowing children to sleep together.
The same design aesthetic follows upstairs; high beds, classic fixtures, plush linen, and lovely ensuites. Paintings, books, and decorative pieces are placed throughout. Onsite is also a Hammam, walking path, privately-owned horses on the estate, a pool house, indoor gym, cinema, and an enormous pool with a built-in Jacuzzi. Must be seen and live in to be understood.
Services include full-time staff, daily housekeeping, night guard, House Manager, pool maintenance, and in-house chef (meals are additional). Guests will have access to complimentary WiFi, air conditioning, towels, linen & toiletries, a sound system, gym, and hammam. The owners of Masseria Lamacoppa also produce homemade almonds, dried tomatoes, spicy peppers, pasta sauce and olive oil – all of these ingredients and more will accompany the meals during your stay, and should you wish to send home Apulian magic, that too can be arranged.
Prices start from 40,000 euros per week
For booking and availability, send an inquiry.
Masseria Lamacerase
Drenched in white and blessed with gorgeous open spaces, there is so much to love about this traditional property that does a beautiful job of taking you back centuries while being one click away from contemporary comfort. Masseria Lamacerase is an oasis of relaxation, ideal for multi-generational family holidays. The masseria can accommodate up to 16 guests in 8 double guestrooms. You can easily shift from holiday mode by day to elegant evenings or Apulian-style celebrations. There’s even enough space to dedicate a couple of nights to just lounge around and relish in the sheer delight of doing nothing.
The property offers a 2-hectare garden, two swimming pools, a solarium, and outdoor dining areas. Interiors have a cosmopolitan meets country vibe, with soft-toned wooden elements and furniture pieces as well as modern touches and amenities in the kitchen and ensuites shower rooms. Guests can choose from a range of setups and styles available in the 3 two-bedroom apartments (circa 100 square meters in size) and 2 one-bedroom units (55 square meters) located just close enough to keep everyone connected yet independent.
Each apartment affords its own independent entrance, with a lounge, kitchenette, and a private outdoor patio. The two ground-floor apartments feature private garden patios, whilst the first-floor apartment has a private roof terrace that can be used as a solarium. The two one-bedroom units combine privacy and easy access to the communal outdoor areas, including the second swimming pool. Alongside a double guestroom, each has an ensuite, lounge, kitchenette, and garden patio.
Services include welcome basket, daily housekeeping, house manager, mid-week linen & towel change, six complimentary bicycles, bathrobes, toiletries, coffee machines, satellite & SKY TV, and in-room safe deposits. Upon requests, the house manager can provide dedicated chef services, luxury car hire, tours, excursions, cooking classes, and boat trips. What else is left? Request to book, of course.
Price start from 10,500 euros per week
For booking and availability, send an inquiry
Talea Collection
A member of Small Leading Hotels, the Talea Collection is best known for its two charming seafront properties, Il Melograno and La Peschiera – a stylistic and ambient mix between Italy and Greece. The best of both worlds. This year the hotel expanded its portfolio and launched a private villa collection to its brand, with a series of residences ‘Made in Puglia’. Two properties in this collection are particularly inspiring for family getaways
What we like is the sense of privacy here – you’re hidden but you can see everything. There is nothing but thousands of olive trees and endless sea views before you, while all around are cascading plants and lush greenery. The property has a minimal interior aesthetic which is good for families who like hassle-free and no-obstruction movement during their stay. You’ll be spending a lot of time under the shaded patio.
Services at each of the villas and masserias in the Talea Collection include breakfast with an in-house Chef, a welcome basket featuring Apulian delicacies, butler service, event management (private parties, dinner, birthdays, and anniversaries), car rentals, boat excursions, bike tours, access to Le Tamerici Beach Club and the Petramare Spa at the five-star Il Melograno where guests can also use the tennis and paddleball courts.
Prices start from 571 euros per night + extra services
For booking and general inquiries, send an inquiry
The mix between historic and north European-chic is charming here, wandering from trulli to garden to the contemporary kitchen. While rooms are slightly on the small side, they are cozy, fully-equipped and offer scenic views. The pool and outdoor patio area are great for all-day lounging while the stone patio by the bedrooms is ideal for sunset drinks and getting lost in a good book.
Prices start from 314 euros per night + extra services
For booking and availability, send an inquiry
