Santa Maria Del Morige Relais

Breakfast in the big pine grove was priceless, with plenty of choice and everything we needed. Mr. Carlo and Mrs. Annalisa were kind throughout our stay and always available if we needed anything. The property sits in lush Mediterranean scrub, and the quiet across the accommodations made the stay feel restorative. It’s an unusual, well-functioning place, with Gallipoli and Santa Maria al Bagno close by and the main tourist spots easy to reach. We’ll be back.

The place has a lot of potential, but there are many, many things to improve. It’s a beautiful traditional property, though upkeep was poor, especially the lawn, which was overgrown with weeds, and the manager was absent. Breakfast was good, but the plastic plates and cups felt out of place with the atmosphere. Our room was cleaned just once during our seven days, which we hadn’t expected.

We were three, and the third bed was just a very uncomfortable buttoned mattress-sofa. You could hear whoever was sleeping on it. The rooms themselves were large, but I left a bit disappointed. The breakfast area was dirty, and a neighbor’s dog was roaming around on its own, leaving feces everywhere, including by the breakfast tables, even though dogs were allowed. Then there was the water. The heater started leaking on day two and dripped all night. Mr. Carlo got it fixed after three days, but afterward it whistled and made noises. The bathroom faucet also began to leak. It turned into a holiday all about water!

The staff were very friendly, and the breakfast was good and generous. Our room was clean and very spacious. There were a few small maintenance problems, maybe because it was the end of the season.