Masseria Montepaolo

The breakfast was amazing, and the place itself is charming. It also has beautiful scenery and views. Still, our stay was disappointing because the service fell short in two major ways. There was no hot water during our stay, and for most of it we had no running water either. We told both the front desk and hotels.com, but nothing came of it. Just a few days before check-in, the hotel contacted me to offer cancellation because it planned to host a party with a DJ. That was difficult to deal with after we'd already travelled across an ocean for a reservation we were looking forward to. Luckily, the hotel where we were staying agreed to keep us for one more night. It took several attempts by hotels.com to get the refund, too. The front desk was "unresponsive” and said they only spoke Italian, even though we'd spoken with them in English in person. We went ahead with the stay, but loud music continued late into the night and could be heard uncomfortably clearly from our bedroom. Oddly, hotels.com won't let me post a review of this property. I suspect it's because I told customer service about the negative experience, since I've been able to review every other booking I've made with them. After several tries, customer service kept directing me to leave a review on Google Maps. So I'm not sure how valid the ratings on their site are, and there may be something fishy going on. I probably won't book through them again.

The setting is really beautiful, but the rooms were a letdown. Mine was tiny and nothing like the photos. The TV was a little computer monitor and didn't work, and the shower kept changing from hot to cold.

Polignano a Mare, a lovely little city on the Adriatic, is about a 15-minute drive away. The hotel itself is a mid-sized place surrounded by olive trees, with lovely decor, an outdoor lounge area, a pool, and free parking. Breakfast is a full buffet. You'll need to ask if you want eggs. Our room was small, and the double bed moved around more than it should have. The ventilator made an awful noise. Rooms come with a small fridge and two bottles of water. The TV is really just a small PC monitor, and there's no kettle or tea and coffee, which would've been handy. Room sizes vary, and they could be more comfortable.

Getting to our second-floor room meant dealing with several staircases and hallways. There's no elevator, so this place may be difficult if you have heavy luggage or mobility issues. The dinner setting had a charming garden, nice lighting, and good local products, but loud techno music from a beach bar spoiled the meal. Another couple and we complained. The staff suggested we move inside or accept a slight reduction in volume. We came looking for quiet, not a beach club atmosphere. The spa was advertised on Expedia as a major feature, so on a rainy day we asked to use the "fully-equipped spa.” It turned out to be under construction and unavailable. The receptionist offered to arrange a visit to the spa at their sister hotel in Alberobello, but despite repeated promises, nothing was organized. We left after three days without using a spa at all. It felt like the hotel was advertising facilities that weren't ready. We arrived at 3:00 PM, but our room wasn't ready. They said it would take 5-10 minutes, then kept saying "just 10 more minutes" while we waited for an hour and a half. Eventually they said they'd upgraded us to a larger room to make up for it. The room was still small, and with the hotel fully booked, we suspect it wasn't actually an upgrade. The place has a lot of potential, but the photos suggest a luxurious, relaxing stay that poor management and maintenance don't deliver. Shower temperature and pressure kept changing, and on our first morning there was only cold water. We reported it, and staff promised immediate fixes, but the problems continued. This property needs someone competent to take responsibility and deal with these issues. Being clear about what is and isn't available would be better than making promises guests can't rely on.