Masseria Tutosa

The Masseria has charm, and the setting is beautiful, but the room and its upkeep need significant work before it feels like a four-star stay. The room we got fell short of what we'd expect at that level: the toilet wouldn't flush properly, so reception gave us a bucket as a workaround, and the shower was tiny. For the price, the quality didn't match the advertised four-star standard.

We travel every week for business, from five-star resorts to modest family-run hotels, and Masseria Tutosa was the worst value for money we've encountered. It presents itself as a four-star hotel but felt like a worn-down Airbnb at premium prices. Breakfast was mediocre and plagued by wasps, and the experience ended badly: returning late with my tired children the night before checkout, I asked politely to discuss the bill in the morning, but the receptionist kept insisting, so I had to walk away. The place has attractive surroundings and some charm, but our stay fell far short of the advertised standard. I booked a “villa” for our family through booking.com. The receptionist had recommended an “apartment” for families, but never said the villa was a separate, weather-stained little house a ten-minute drive away. We only learned we had to drive there after checking in at the hotel reception. When I said that wasn't what we'd agreed to, they eventually moved us into an apartment on the hotel grounds at no extra cost. That apartment was in poor shape. Its furniture and kitchenware were old and cheap, nowhere near four-star quality. There was only one steak knife for four people, and the utensils were bent, mismatched and incomplete. Bathroom fixtures were rusty and covered in limescale, with wiring and plumbing exposed. The “double bed” was two singles pushed together, very uncomfortable for a couple. Towels were cheap and thin. There were exposed wires in the rooms, no benches on the lawns, maintenance and utility doors left open, and the grounds generally looked unkempt. We had no cleaning service. We had to ask for fresh towels despite a bathroom sign saying they'd be replaced, and nobody collected the trash, so we had to dispose of it ourselves. Toilet paper wasn't restocked unless requested, and even then they couldn't do it in the afternoon. It took three days to get bedroom keys. Wi-Fi was virtually unusable across the complex. Several networks were listed, but none worked consistently; the only reliable signal, presumably the owner's private network, wasn't available to guests. There was no reliable mobile reception either, so we were cut off. That made remote work, which we specifically needed to do, extremely difficult and frustrating. Access was overly complicated too, with sensors and fobs in illogical, inconvenient places. Using the oven tripped the breaker, as did the cooktop whenever another appliance was running. A sign asked guests not to set the AC below 20°C. Even reception was stifling, since staff weren't allowed to run cooling for themselves. The owners live in one of the hotel's rooms and treat the grounds like their backyard. They feed their cats scraps outside their door, and the cats kept wandering into our apartment. The owners also drove and parked inside the gated complex, although guest vehicles weren't allowed, which added to the feeling of staying in someone's private, poorly managed home. Staff were polite and tried their best, but seemed untrained and underqualified for hospitality. There was a general confusion and lack of professional standards. I got the sense they knew about the problems but couldn't do better because of the owners' politics. I think staff were told to meet guest requests, but the sheer number and range of issues at a supposed four-star resort was too much for them to manage.

This is a peaceful place surrounded by olive trees, with a large all-white masseria and a medium-sized pool. It's about a 10-15 minute drive from Ostuni. You'll wake to birdsong and enjoy the quiet, and the helpful staff and cats sunning themselves around the property add to the relaxed feel. We found it a good spot to get away and unwind. If you're after luxury, this probably isn't the place. I gave it four stars because they offer only a small breakfast and lunch service, with no dinner, so you'll need to bring food or drive out each evening.

The waitress was very friendly, the one good part of our stay. At €200 a night, though, I wouldn't recommend it. The room had very cheap furniture, the shower had broken parts, and Wi-Fi cost extra. It felt overpriced for what was on offer.