Relais Masseria Le Cesine CDSHotels

We visited during the week of October 6 because my husband’s work booked us here. We’ve travelled to various places around the world, and this hotel was below par. It’s in the middle of nowhere, and you can’t get around without a car. There are no shuttle buses. A taxi for four cost 75 Euros each way, which felt like highway robbery. I was lucky to meet friends and split the fare. The taxi prices also seemed to change: we were first told 57 Euros each way to Lecce, then 75, and a friend was quoted one airport price that later changed. The food was mediocre, which was disappointing in Italy, and there’s no coffee in the dining hall at dinner, so you have to go to the cafe outside. There was no iron in our room. Staff could iron a shirt, but charged $3. The gym was in a makeshift room outside, and it was too hot for me to work out. Staff tried to help but came across as almost fake nice. If you forget toiletries, you’re out of luck since there’s no general store. Breakfast was included but mediocre, and the pool was beautiful. There’s also a spa, but you pay separately for a massage and then again to use the spa room, which I think should be included with a massage. Massage prices were fairly reasonable. Maybe it was because we were there off season, but it would be friendlier if the hotel offered guests transportation and activities. I’d never stay here again.

The hotel is very clean and the surroundings are beautiful, with great weather and climate in Puglia. The shuttle takes you to a private beach with crystal clear water. Still, there’s not much to do, though the place has plenty of potential. Some staff were blunt and arrogant, the bar had no atmosphere, and if you want to explore, you need a car. I stayed with my partner from 14/06/2025 to 28/06/2025. I’d been to Italy twice before using Airbnb, and it was my partner’s first visit, so I hoped this would show off the country well. For an all-inclusive, there were very limited dinner choices, especially for kids. I’ve been to Greece, Turkey, and Egypt, where hotels always had a kids’ food section. There wasn’t one here. The hotel had at most 10 hot meal options, which isn’t enough even for a smaller hotel. For a four-star hotel in a country known for its cuisine, I’d rate the food around 6/10. Having the chefs serve the food became frustrating too. They’d put one portion of each item on your plate unless you asked for more. One evening I asked for cauliflower and got just three florets, LOL. As a Polish Brit, I noticed around 90% of guests were Italian or German. That would have been fine, but the looks we got and the service from some staff were disgusting. Germans were loud with their kids as if they owned the place, which didn’t surprise me. There was no respect for other guests. There’s a lot of potential for a much better stay. The Fitness Centre is basically a hut with a few dumbbells and broken machines, the food needs a major glow-up, and the entertainment doesn’t make good use of all the space. I might come back for 50% off because it was very quiet and relaxing, but I’d pay a little more for a more memorable holiday.

We went in the off season, so it was much quieter around the pool, sometimes with just us there. We missed some evening entertainment and a bit more buzz, but with two children under two, the slower pace was actually a nice change from home. The staff were amazing with our kids, always saying hello and making them feel loved in the true Italian way. The complex is picturesque day and night, especially the Masseria. It was a gem of a find, and we can’t wait to come back and make more memories. Big thanks to Salvatoire’ the Matrie’d, and to the reception and restaurant staff who were always on hand and couldn’t do enough for us. After a week’s family holiday, we can only say it was our most perfect family trip. Fantastic stay, amazing people, thank you for the best holiday for us.

My family and I had a great time at Masseria Le Cesine. We chose the all-inclusive stay to relax and enjoy Puglia, and both the good and less good parts matched what we expected. The setting is perfect, well kept, and well connected to the beach. The pools, seaside, and bar were all well cared for, and service was high quality, especially from the fantastic animation team. Our son was excited every night to go to the show, dance, and sing with the other kids. Food was the one sore spot. It was my first time trying all-inclusive, and based on the food, it seems we made the wrong choice. I missed the local food, a gem of Italian cuisine. Breakfast was ordinary and not very original, even with the international selection. I have to say, though, the pizza every day was yummy. The pizzaiolo rocks! I’d recommend Masseria Le Cesine to families with kids. We had an excellent time.