Il Tabacchificio Hotel

A lovely place. I’d recommend it.

The pool and sweet breakfast were the only real bright spots for us. The hotel feels neglected and doesn’t match its advertised four stars or the price. Our room had dated furniture, a broken shower shelf, a grimy window, and an old hairdryer that barely worked. The TV signal kept dropping out too. Reception shuts in the evening and was often unattended during the day. Housekeepers came in without knocking and didn’t replace toilet paper or shower gel, so we had to ask at reception every time. For a whole day, one wing was filled with an unbearable noise, apparently from the air conditioning. It stopped only after I complained several times and asked to move rooms. If this is a four-star hotel...

The pool was pleasant and the sweet breakfast was good, though the savory options were poor. Still, I left disappointed. For a four-star hotel at such a high price, I expected something more refined. The property felt run-down, with dated rooms, dirty windows, uncomfortable mattresses, an unreliable TV signal, and an old fridge.

We only had two days here, and most of the stay was lovely: warm welcome, good breakfast, clean rooms, nice pool and service, plus a great base for Leuca, Castro and the rest of lower Salento. What spoiled it was one afternoon at the pool. We’d enjoyed a quiet cold spritz there the first day, so the next day we came back early from the beach hoping to have lunch by the pool. Instead it was packed and noisy, with things being thrown into the water and people diving, all afternoon. Several other guests complained too. There should be room for families and other guests alike, but it felt unfair that others couldn’t use a service they’d paid for. I left disappointed, feeling that a whole afternoon had been wasted. Otherwise, I’d recommend the place.