Grand Hotel Masseria Santa Lucia

The pool was the saving grace, and the rooms were decent. Breakfast was quite lacking, though, and we wouldn't stay here again. The water isn't drinkable, which they don't advertise. It's salty, and their water prices are high, so you'd need to buy it at a grocery store to avoid paying those prices. Public transport isn't conveniently located, so I'd advise renting a car.

The property is gorgeous, but the staff and management weren't very helpful or communicative. We held our wedding there, and getting the details settled was nearly impossible. Often it felt like they replied without really addressing our questions or concerns. They also stopped communicating with us afterward and wouldn't give me the photographer's contact details, even though they had arranged the photographer for us. Four months after the wedding, we still don't have all our photos.

The pool is great, and there's a nice place to swim by the sea. For getting into town, there's a public bus, while taxis were quoted at E50 one way. The location is remote, and there's only one restaurant, so book early, plus three bars. The food was good most of the time. We found it a bit rough and tired for a 4-star place. If we'd booked somewhere rated 2 stars, the condition would have matched our expectations.

We had a very relaxing break and would definitely come back. The rooms were good, with excellent bathrooms and a lovely private patio with a small table and chairs. Dinner at the restaurant was leisurely, the food was excellent, and the wine list was good. The weekly 'festival', where all the guests sit at large tables, wasn't our thing. The pool area was good, and towels were available from the pool steward. Without a rental car, there's a shuttle to Ostuni, and the hotel has trip information from a good company called todomodo.