Masseria Torre Maizza

near Fasano, Puglia & Basilicata, Italy
Book from GBP Book from £461 per night

Masseria Torre Maizza

near Fasano, Puglia & Basilicata, Italy

Contemporary chic meets rustic idyll: a hip, glamorous masseria conversion among orchards and olive groves.

Contemporary chic meets rustic idyll: a hip, glamorous masseria conversion among orchards and olive groves.

Against the intense blue sky and rich green land, these white buildings dazzle, silhouetting twisted tree trunks. You don’t expect to find this kind of luxurious chic among the olive and lemon groves that fill the southern Italian countryside. Torre Maizza feels purposefully more sophisticated than its equally wonderful neighbour Torre Coccaro (owned by the same family). It’s more of a couples’ haunt - peaceful, discreet and glamorous.

It’s a converted fortified farm, or masseria, peculiar to Puglia. Centred around a gleaming-white tower, the outhouses – once welcoming passing pilgrims and monks - have been converted into 40 understated, luxurious rooms. The tower houses the Torre Maizza Spa, specialising in Mediterranean botanicals, while the grounds roll out all around, lush and flower-filled. A lovely large heated pool, set amid fruit trees, is surrounded by decking and luxurious oversized loungers at various levels. The hotel’s serene, white-sanded, sun-shaded beach club - with restaurant and sushi bar - is about 4km away on the Adriatic sea and there’s a pea-green golf course too.

Highs

  • Gorgeously understated design that’s one part country to one part cutting-edge
  • Fabulous spa which uses Italian homespun products imbued with ingredients grown on Rocco Forte's own organic farm
  • Sophisticated restaurant set in the former stables with a splendid wine list: think handmade pasta, wild herbs, fresh fish and local cheese
  • Rooftop bar with floor cushions and white lanterns on summer evenings
  • A 14-metre manned yacht is available for trips along the coast

Lows

  • It's expensive - meals and the spa match London prices - but the experience is truly 5*
  • The local beaches are not the Med's best, and they get crowded in August - but towel space is no problem at the hotel's beach club

Best time to go

Puglia’s finest hour is spring (May-June), when the weather’s perfect, wild flowers run riot and the beaches and towns uncrowded, though September and October are also great. Puglia is packed and baking in August, and high season runs from July to August.

Our top tips

Make the most of the masseria's private beach club overlooking the serene Adriatic. There are private gazebos and soft, white tents providing shade, fresh fish served at the beach restaurant, massages in the pavilion on the sand, aperitivo hour and excursions arranged to nearby caves and ports.

Great for...

Beach
Foodie
Romantic
Spa
  • Boutique Hotel
  • 28 rooms
  • Restaurants and bars
  • Children over 10 during August only.
  • Open all year
  • Heated Pool
  • Spa Treatments
  • Beach Nearby
  • Pet Friendly
  • Disabled Access
  • Car recommended
  • Parking
  • Restaurants Nearby
  • WiFi
  • Air Conditioning
  • Guest Lounge
  • Terrace
  • Garden
  • Gym
  • Bicycles Available
Room:

Rooms

In new-built, whitewashed tufa outhouses with cathedral-arched ceilings, rooms share a design ethic of bone whites, duck egg green and pale mustard, creating a feeling of light, tranquillity and space. The flagstone floors are occasionally broken by woven woollen mats, set against wooden wardrobes and elegant extra-large beds. Local Puglian objects d'art and off-white fabrics give the country style a sophisticated twist.

Beds luxuriate in 600-ply satin sheets, goosedown pillows and duvets. Pale-palette bathrooms made using local Trani stone, boast tubs, luxurious Irene Forte Skincare toiletries and sumptuous robes.

There are seven categories (though all share the same luxurious standards), from the generous Superior Rooms to the stunning two-bedroom Torre Suite - sitting atop of the masseria's tower like a crown. The suites between differ by size and whether or not they have a bathtub, plunge pool or terrace.

Features include:

  • Fan
  • Hairdryer
  • Minibar
  • Safe box

Eating

The white-arched restaurant, Carosello - named after a native regional vegetable - is located in the now-unrecognisable former stables. Its focus is on seasonal produce and local traditions, but it’s also sleekly sophisticated. Take, as a start, the frisellini you might be served as an aperitivofriselli are a traditional Pugliese peasant dish of dried bread, often served topped by tomatoes and olive oil. Here they are turned into a bite-sized delicacy served alongside a choice of many drinks. The cuisine is Mediterranean, mostly Italian, and features many regional specialities – from orrechiette pasta to the freshest fish. There’s an impressive wine list.

Before dinner, you could adjourn to the rooftop bar for pre-dinner drinks and fabulous views across the countryside as the sun sets. Throughout the day, Bougainvillea Bar served an Apulian-inspired menu of light meals and bar snacks. Fresh salads, pizzette, gelatos and fresh fruits are served from the poolside bar throughout the day - the perfect place to cool off with a cocktail in the shade.

Breakfast is a sumptuous, help-yourself feast, including cold cuts, local cheeses – including divine mini burrata (mozzarella filled with cream) – pastries, homemade cakes, yoghurt, juice and choice of tea, coffee, cappuccino, etc.

Features include:

  • Bar
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner by arrangement
  • Lunch by arrangement
  • Organic produce
  • Restaurant
  • Room service
  • Vegetarian options
Eating:
Activity:

Activities

  • Laze, laze, laze: by the heated pool (open April-October), with its solarium areas, poolside bar, and double-bed loungers during the day or lounging on cushions at the rooftop bar in summer evenings

  • Or down at the beach club on the Adriatic coast - it has a lounge area, fish restaurant, bar services and snacks, massages, and volleyball

  • Go sailing from the beach club on a 14m yacht to the caves of Polignano a Mare, or the ancient harbour of Monopoli

  • Stables near the beach club offer riding along the beach

  • The sporty among you can make use of the on-site gym, go jet-skiing, windsurfing, go-kart racing, play tennis on floodlit courts, take quad bikes along the beach or through the olive groves, practice your aim on a clay-pigeon shooting range, or kick a ball around the 5-a-side artificial pitch - all are close by

  • Disappear into, and float out of, the Torre Maizza Spa, which is found in the ancient watchtower - try the Earth & Sea Toning treatment, volcanic hot stone massage, Puglian olive oil full-body wrap or book a private yoga session

  • Play golf at the 9-hole course of sister hotel Torre Coccaro, a couple of tee-shots away; practice on their putting green and bunker area, or try one of the four 18-hole courses within an hour's drive, best of which is the San Domenico

  • Explore trulli country - where the hills are dotted with squat cone-shaped buildings, scrub, olive and fruit trees - on foot, by bike or on horseback; the town of Alberobello is trulli central, and a UNESCO World Heritage site

  • Wander through the narrow cobbled streets of beautiful white-stone town Ostuni, which gleams on a nearby hilltop

Activities on site or nearby include:

  • Cooking classes
  • Cycling
  • Golf
  • Hiking
  • Horse riding
  • Sailing
  • Shopping / markets
  • Swimming
  • Tennis
  • Well being
  • Windsurfing
  • Wine tasting

Kids

Children are welcome. Under 3 year olds are free; over 3s are charged. NB in August only children over 10 are accepted.
The policy of only accepting over-10s in August indicates the vibe of this place – although they welcome children, families with kids would probably be better off in the more family-friendly Torre Coccaro next door.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

Babysitting:

Babysitting available by arrangement

Baby equipment:

Baby cots available on request

Remember  baby and child equipment may be limited or need pre-booking

Kids Activities on site:

  • Kids' and teen spa treatments are available

  • Kid Friendly:

    Location

    Masseria Torre Maizza is near the village of Savelletri, about 1km from the coast, 3km from the town of Fasano, and 50 km from both Brindisi and Bari, the nearest airports.

    By Air
    The closest airports are Brindisi (50km) and Bari (50km). The main hub for travel from the USA and Canada to Italy is Rome; from there, ongoing flights to Brindisi and Bari are numerous.

    From the Airport
    The hotel is a 40-minute drive from Brindisi airport and a 50-minute drive from Bari airport.

    By Car
    If you want to hire a car see our car rental recommendations.

    By Train
    There are trains from Rome to Fasano (but not direct) and you could hire a bicycle to get to the beach club - but you will really need a hire car to make the most of your stay here.

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

    Read our guide to Getting to Italy and Getting around

    Airports:

    • Brindisi 50.0 km BDS
    • Brindisi 50.0 km BRI

    Other:

    • Beach 3.0 km
    • Shops 3.0 km
    • Restaurant 3.0 km

    Rates for Masseria Torre Maizza

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