Paragon 700
Ostuni, ItalyThe precious historical features uncovered during the restoration works have been carefully recovered and mixed with unique antique pieces collected by the owners during their trips all over the world, resulting in an extraordinarily beautiful décor.
This is the only hotel in the historical centre of Ostuni offering a swimming pool and a garden – the latter boasting a splendid orange grove that provides the perfect setting for sweet breakfasts and candlelit dinners during the summer months. There is also a relaxation area for private yoga and pilates sessions or a calming al-fresco massage.
For further relaxation, the hotel’s fabulous spa is not to be missed. Housed in the palace’s old water cistern, it’s complete with a hydromassage pool, a steam bath, a spa shower with chromotherapy and a relaxation area with Himalayan salt walls.
Also part of the hotel is P Beach, an elegant beach resort in nearby Specchiolla, just 20 minutes’ drive from the hotel, offering loungers with parasols, a waterfront restaurant serving breakfast and light meals throughout the day, and a little boutique.
The prime spot to linger over a drink is Bar 700, where you find great wines and innovative cocktails served with delicious finger foods. There is also a beautiful fireplace that offers a warm respite on chilly winter days.
Local aperitifs are served by the pool during the summer season, while wine tastings can been arranged in the hotel’s cellar all year round.
The hotel offers 11 individually styled rooms in various layouts and sizes, all exuding great comfort and personality. They are kitted out with a palette of earthy hues, french parquet with underfloor heating and an exclusive décor made of countless unique pieces gathered around the world, such as custom-made headboards from South Africa and Indian gazebos turned into bathtubs. All rooms are generous-sized, with the Paragon Suite offering also a large furnished terrace.
In-room perks include welcome gift, complimentary minibar with non-alcoholic drinks, fine bedlinen, and geek-friendly gadgetry like iPads Pro packed with useful info and tips for your stay. The spacious bathrooms include walk in shower or bathtub with spa shower, a range of LA:BRUKET products and linen bathrobes and slippers.
The walls of Palazzo Rosso are steeped in history: once a convent and later a Neapolitan estate, during the 19th century it became the gathering place of Apulian patriots fighting to turn Italy into a democratic republic. This resulted in Ostuni being the first town in Apulia to proclaim Italy’s unification.
Interior designers Pascale Lauber and Ulrike Bauschke, the current owners of Palazzo Rosso, have given the palace a truly unique personality, mixing local history and world cultures, new and repurposed pieces, including South African custom-made sofas and old closets found in flea-markets.
The hotel is deeply committed to reduce its environmental impact by implementing a number of sustainable initiatives, from using local construction materials and buying seasonal, local food supplies for the restaurants to eliminating plastic and recovering rainwater to irrigate the garden.
Ostuni shines like a pearl across three lush hills, with its white houses and the oriental allure.
It’s the end of the Trulli district and the beginning of the flat Salento, a perfect location to embark in glorious excursions to the nearby towns and villages, such as Locorotonto, Alberobello, Lecce, Polignano and much more.
Largo Michele Ayroldi Carissimo, 14, Ostuni, 72017, Italy