Masseria Almadava

The rooms felt a bit small for the price, though the place itself is gorgeous and well maintained. The real problem was the owners and their awful sense of hospitality. I can’t remember seeing a single welcoming smile from anyone in the family. We were watched constantly, which made us very uncomfortable, and even simple requests like an ashtray or ice bucket turned into a dreadful back-and-forth and a headache. They wouldn’t let us use the pool without showering first, which felt insulting. We couldn’t get coffee after a certain time, even though the machine was right there, and we weren’t allowed to have friends in our room. It’s unfortunate, because the space is beautiful, but we couldn’t enjoy it and just wanted to get the hell away.

The garden is so large that it’s easy to find a quiet corner and feel on your own, whether on one of the swings or in the hammock. There’s also an enormous pool. The stone, wood, and other natural materials in the beautifully restored rooms and facilities make the whole place feel lovely. With just six rooms and a setting in the Puglia countryside, Masseria Almadava is a peaceful getaway, only a 15-minute drive from Polignano A Mare. Breakfast had plenty to choose from, including salads, cheeses, yoghurt, cereal, and lots of sweets. For dinner or lunch, don’t miss the newly opened restaurant Euforia. Chef Ermanno and his team make a different menu each day with fresh ingredients from the masseria's own garden. Alessandro and Marica were wonderful, accommodating hosts. Ask them about the property's history and have them show you the beautiful wine cellar. We’ll be back soon. A real gem!

We booked all six rooms as a group in July 2018, and the owners basically ruined our holiday. We ended up avoiding the pool and going somewhere else. The masseria itself is gorgeous and well maintained, but the owners, who manage it, gave us a horrible experience. If you want Pugliese hospitality and a real local experience, I’d go to a masseria run by people from Puglia. These owners aren’t from Puglia and seem to be in the wrong business. They kept coming into our rooms to check whether we had visitors and watched what we were doing all the time. We weren’t given a remote for the main gate, so every time we wanted to drive in or out, we had to wait for them to open it. They cleaned the pool while we were using it, closed it after 4 or 5pm, and invaded our privacy constantly. They called it a B&B and wouldn’t let us bring in food from outside when their kitchen was closed from 12 to 4pm. For what they charge, I’d recommend a hotel.

We went for a week in April. The rooms were comfortable, nice, and very clean, and the pool was great. Breakfast was fresh and really good, with lots of choices like fruit, cereal, cake, tea, and juices, plus perfect cappuccino.