The Salento Manor Houses

The Stone House (sleeps 10)

The Stone House has five elegantly pared back double bedrooms. Two bedrooms are downstairs, while the two upstairs (both with long views) are reached via the preserved flagstone staircase, where sensor lights ease the way. We stayed downstairs in a room overlooking the garden, with the bed under an ornate alcove and the headboard echoing the shape of the arch.

Two bedrooms can be made up as twins on request. There’s another double in an outbuilding, with exposed flagstone walls, an ensuite bathroom and a large glass arched doorway framing the garden view.

In the house there are three large bathrooms across both floors with separate toilet cubicles. One has a large wet-room-style shower in an arched alcove, with great shower pressure and blessedly simple controls, plus a fresco of the Madonna. Another, upstairs, has a huge fireplace and a large bespoke tub that’s great fun, especially for kids. Basins resemble the historic carvings of the interior. This is a design in subtle and pleasing tune with its surroundings.

The kitchen is a place where you feel inspired to cook. Good olive oil and balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper are supplied, and there are fresh herbs growing in the small walled garden outside. When we arrived there was also a bowl of fresh figs and pears, picked from the garden, and some bottled water. With an open plan layout, sharing the space a large L-shaped sofa and open fireplace, the kitchen has all the usual appliances along the side wall, and a beautiful wood-hewn table centre stage. Or eat outside if you prefer – there’s a barbecue ideal for grilling some local fish. Help yourself to fig, nut and citrus trees around in season, and fresh eggs laid by the resident hens for breakfast (children will enjoy collecting these).

The Pink House (sleeps 8)

Surrounded by vivid green lawns,The Pink House gets its name from the romantic rose-coloured façade that greets you as you roll up the driveway, faded from years under the Puglian sun. Inside, pale limewashed walls and stone floors decorated with traditional tiles flow throughout to create a cool, calming feel.

There are four beautiful double bedrooms. Three are downstairs, one of which opens directly onto the garden. Though not especially large, the concave ceilings add plenty of height and allow the rooms to fill with light, so they feel much bigger than they are. The master suite claims the entire first floor: a vast loft under a pitched roof with an antique wardrobe, designer chairs and a private wraparound terrace that looks across the garden over to The Stone House.

All bedrooms have ensuite bathrooms with rainfall showers set in cosy alcoves, modern hardware and attractive ceramic basins. There are no bathtubs here, so if that’s a must, opt for The Stone House or The Priest's House.

The sleek kitchen looks perfect for creating family meals. Along with the essential ingredients (salt, pepper, olive oil etc.), you get an oven, induction hob, full fridge-freezer, and plenty of crockery to dress the wooden dining tables, one inside beneath a curved frescoed ceiling and one in the garden under the shade of a verandah.

The Priest's House (sleeps 10)

This two-storey five-bedroom villa dates to the 17th Century, as seen in original details such as the ornate stonework that surrounds the colonnaded loggia, the frescoed Tafuri coat of arms and the vaulted salons. As with the other two houses, this historic residence has been transformed into a contemporary haven of comfort and style, with beautifully pared back, almost monastic interiors. The Priest's House has a similar aesthetic of exposed bricks and plasterwork, soft natural colours and uncluttered living spaces. The details are exquisite: long oval marble sinks, quirky lamps, vintage porcelain, a green armoire, alcoves and sideboards, a few framed prints.

Four of the bedrooms are on the ground floor (all come with ensuite shower bathrooms, one also has a tub), along with the living and dining rooms (which flow into each other) and small kitchen that opens to the terrace outside. Upstairs is the master bedroom and large ensuite shower bathroom, complete with its own private terrace. Outside, there's a two-hectare park and garden of dry-stone walls, olive trees, stone seating, and a venerable walnut tree to the rear offering shade for al fresco lunches and dinners. The lap pool has shaded loungers and is flanked by lawns and fruit trees. 

The kitchen comes with an induction hob, sleek wooden units topped with marble work surfaces, an oven and fridge-freezer. 

Kids

This is a wonderful place to come as a family, with big gardens, pools, and plenty to see and do in the surrounding area to please all ages. Children staying in Stone House will love going to collect eggs from the hens in the morning, or picking fruit from the trees. There’s a wide range of games and arts and crafts in a kitchen dresser in Stone House.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

The Stone House may suit families best as it has two rooms that can be set up as twins. Teens might like the room in the outbuilding which sleeps two. The Pink House has ensuite bathrooms but no bathtubs, whereas both The Stone House and The Priest's House have a bathtub in one of the bathrooms.

Cots Available

Distances:

• Airport: 1 hour (Brindisi)
• Hospital: 12 minutes (Galatina)
• Shops: 3 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

The Salento Manor House is 2km from the town of Galatone, and 8km from Nardò, in the southern Puglia peninsula. It's 10km from the coast.

By Air:
Brindisi (Salento) is 1 hour's drive; Bari is 2 hours.

From the Airport
You will need a rental car. The villa has ample parking.

Detailed directions will be sent when you book through i-escape.