Palazzo Presta

The cancellation came by email just a week before our stay, with no warning or explanation. When I called three times, the hotel said each time that the booking had been cancelled because a payment had failed. But no one had contacted me about a failed payment, and my card has worked perfectly elsewhere. I’d booked directly through Palazzo Presta’s website well in advance and emailed two weeks before arrival to check how payment would work. They said they’d charge it 10 days before we arrived, so I expected a link or instructions. Nothing came. What’s left me most disappointed is that nobody has tried to help us book again, find another option, or even apologize. I suspect the room may have been double-booked. If they’d admitted to a mistake, we would have understood, but instead I feel they avoided responsibility and left us without support. I feel misled and let down. This caused needless stress and disrupted our travel plans. I’d strongly advise being cautious about relying on this hotel, and against booking directly through its website. The basic courtesy, transparency, and professionalism were completely missing.

The house and its decor are charming, and breakfast was good. The service was very nice, with prompt replies. They have three different venues. I booked the one with a sea view, but it was close to the street and parking lot, so we could hear wind and traffic noise at night. Even with the noise, I enjoyed our relaxing two days there. Spending a lazy afternoon in the room, looking out at the ocean, was memorable.

Really great place, just around the corner from the beach. The breakfast was tasty and the staff were excellent. I’d highly recommend staying here.

The staff were so kind, helpful, and accommodating. On our first night, the music from the rooftop bar, which plays until midnight, was a problem for my child. They quickly moved us to another suite, and it was an upgrade. We’d first been put in a beautiful rooftop suite. The bar is popular and was packed the night we checked it out, but the music wasn’t terribly loud. The a la carte breakfast works well for two small properties. Everything is fresh, there’s no waste, and while the menu limits how many dishes you can order, they weren’t strict about it and made sure we were fed and happy. The food was great. We were a family of three, and I can’t thank the staff enough for making the stay special. This place is seriously underrated. Palazzo Presta sits in a historic building in the heart of the old town, with very narrow streets, so expect some street noise. In return, you’re steps from a great public beach, the best restaurants, and everything this cute little town has to offer. We checked out the pool at the sister property, palazzo flora, and it’s beautiful. Its common areas may even be prettier than Presta’s. I’ve seen complaints about guests being moved to flora, and I’m not sure why that’s seen as bad. It’s just a minute from Presta and has a lovely pool. Gallipoli itself is clean and authentic. The restaurants we tried exceeded our expectations, and prices are reasonable. We parked in a public lot where you can pay for two days and extend later. The hotel can arrange a golf car pickup. We ended up walking with our luggage, which took about 5-6 minutes. We’d planned to explore elsewhere but stayed in Gallipoli for most of the trip. You won’t be disappointed.