Tenuta Belvedere Guest House

The staff were the one bright spot. A few guys were always on hand, kind, helpful, and likeable, and they did their best to make our stay bearable. The private parking was useful too, and the location is convenient: a supermarket with everything is five minutes away, and the sea is about a 15-minute walk. Otranto itself is a beautiful, interesting little city with nice beaches and plenty going on at night. But the accommodation at Tenuta Belvedere was in terrible shape, and the price didn't match what we got. The owner's only apparent interest was getting paid, with no willingness to make even basic maintenance investments. Our suite had broken door handles and shutters, a crooked shower-curtain bar that looked ready to fall, and rusty metal fixtures, including the shower head. The closets and cabinets smelled damp enough that we couldn't put clothes in them. We had to live out of our suitcases, which still got ants in them, even on the second floor. The kitchen had a few dishes, but not enough for three people, despite the suite's stated maximum of four. Even the loose toilet paper holder let the roll slide off every time. The water was another serious problem. As the staff explained, hot weather heats the tank until the water comes out boiling. We were told to leave it running for about 15 minutes to cool it, which we tried, but then there was almost no water left for showering. That wasn't an issue anywhere else in Apulia. The windows were also very thin and shaky, letting in heat and bugs even when shut. Closing one slowly at night made the others tremble and rattle through the whole house, waking everyone and making a shivering noise in the dark at 1am. Around July, the heat makes a comfortable stay difficult because there's no air conditioning. We knew that in advance, but wrongly thought the two old portable fans would be enough. The gardens are lovely, but in July it was too hot to enjoy them, and anyone sensitive to bugs should know there are lots of bees and wasps in the gardens that aren't shy about coming into the apartment. This was the least suitable place we stayed in the Apulia region, so we can't give it more than two stars.

The spacious, modern apartments and peaceful setting made for a really good stay. Everything advertised at Tenuta Belvedere was delivered, and Otranto's lively restaurants and entertainment were only a few minutes away by taxi. Benedict, the resident owner, was always available to help, and the staff were just as attentive to guests' requests. Well done, Tenuta, and thank you.

Really good, top marks!

Work in progress.