We pulled into Borgo Egnazia at night, seeing its tufa-limestone walls lit up and a warm glow emanating from its windows. From a distance, the hotel’s myriad buildings could have been any one of the whitewashed Puglian borghi (hamlets) we had driven past – Fasano, Cisternino or Ostuni, ‘the White City’ in the heel of Italy’s boot. But instead we were checking in at the smartest hotel in Puglia. Led to our rooms along a set of narrow, cobbled streets overgrown with pink bougainvillea, we walked into a festa in the main piazza, packed with people singing and dancing. Laughter and chatter filled the air, as families dined at tables under lights strung up around olive trees.
Borgo Egnazia may be only 16 years old, but it has been so cleverly planned and designed that it seems as if it has always been here. Despite its sizeable footprint, it feels intimate and quiet, like a village lost in time. Staying among other guests is like being part of a community, with space for slow days by the hotel’s pools, eating hearty food, or riding out on bikes to explore the surrounding countryside or descend to the beach along quiet lanes through olive groves.
Once you’re checked in, you can do as little or as much as you like – if you can manage to get your children out of the Trullalleri Kids Club by the family pool. There’s also tennis, cookery classes, festivals, markets, visits to masserias for olive oil tastings, and afternoon outings to towns along the Adriatic coast, such as Polignano a Mare and Monopoli.
The hotel’s rooms are spread out within La Corte, the large main building beyond the entrance arch, as well as further out in Il Borgo, in lanes lined with two-storey stone buildings. Some are standalone casettas and larger casas, with their own gardens and sitting areas, while other rooms are interconnected to accommodate family arrangements. Within the maze, bars and restaurants are scattered around, as you might find them in a sleepy village.
There’s Michelin-star dining at Due Camini but, for families, the pizzeria A Pizzeri and La Frasca trattoria offer comfort-food favourites, and Da Frisella is entirely dedicated to kids. At the beach, there’s also Cala Masciola, with a DJ playing tunes to help break up the day.
Best for
Families of all ages who crave a cultural break without the pressure of packing in a lot of sightseeing. The hotel brings the charms of Puglia within reach if you don’t wish to leave its stone walls.
Design notes
Designed like a traditional Puglian stone borgo, it looks and feels like a village that has long existed, recreating the cobbled lanes, piazzas and chapels of nearby towns.
Essentials
A casetta costs from €790 a night for a family of four.
