Villa Lara

The host was great and offered to drive us around Bari at affordable prices. There's a nearby beach and a few restaurants with a friendly atmosphere. The location isn't ideal if you don't have a car.

The welcome was confusing. Nobody spoke English, and we couldn't tell which parts of the property we were allowed to use. Some family members were sitting around, so it seemed like part of the villa was just for them. After being shown our room, we were left to figure things out ourselves. Dino made a big difference when he was there, though we didn't meet him until the morning we checked out. He was good company and quickly put us at ease. We stopped for one beach day on the way from Matera to Lecce. The room was nice, and breakfast on the terrace was lovely, even if it was just the usual sparse Italian spread of cornetti and coffee. The beach is close enough, but Coco Beach is rocky, so it's worth checking ahead. The fairly short walk from Villa Lara takes you along a busy road and through an underpass with no pavement, which was pretty grim, though manageable. If Dino had been around from the beginning, I think things would have been fine. Given what we paid, though, we felt short changed at check-in.

The place is set in a nice garden and has good amenities. The rooms themselves felt a little bare, though, and the walls are thin enough that you can hear the neighbors.

Dino gives the place the feel of a private villa. The rooms and bathrooms are modern and very nice, and the beds are comfortable.