1783 Dimora d'Epoca

When planning our trip to Puglia, we knew we wanted to stay part of the time in the Bari area and the other half in the Lecce area. With that being said we had to decide whether to base in a B&B in a city within the Valle d’Itria (consisting of the provinces of Bari, Taranto and Brindisi) or stay in the countryside. We decided on staying in one of the many small towns within the valley and chose to base in Locorotondo, which is located between Martina Franca and Alberobello. The B&B we chose was 1783 Dimora d’Epoca in Locorotondo. We made a great decision. The 1783 (how I will refer to the B&B throughout this review) is an absolute great place to base in the Valle d’Itria. Locorotondo is perfectly located to allow easy drives to towns like I Alberobello, Martina Franca, Cisternino, Ostuni, Polignano a Mare, and Monopoli, each of which are between 15-30 minutes away by car. The real treat is the 1783 itself, where we spent six wonderful nights. Nando and his daughter Chiara have built a beautiful B&B, and you realize it immediately when you enter the door. You’ll see an arched entry and walls leading into the living room where breakfast is served every morning (or you can sit outside) that is elegantly painted in white in combination with sand colored buff stone. A calming look. There are six individual guest rooms at the 1783. Once you enter your room you will be really impressed. Our room, (room 3, superior) was spotlessly clean, very well appointed including a 6-foot-wide king bed, sitting chairs, TV, Internet, espresso machine, air conditioning, a refrigerator (honor bar-like) and a gorgeous armoire that worked perfectly for us as well as a hefty safe. The bathroom includes a very large shower with a. cascade shower head, toilet and bidet. Bottom line: A clean, well-appointed room that is much larger than typical European standards. The six rooms are on the two floors above the living room and breakfast area. An elevator is available to transport luggage to your floor. In addition, the level below the main entrance is a beautiful spa area with a spa pool in a very elegant and romantic environment. Every morning, Rosanna puts together a wonderful breakfast buffet. You can enjoy eggs or an omelet from the grill...with prosciutto. In addition, there are a host of pastries, (i.e. cakes, croissants, cinnamon rolls) cheeses, salumi, prosciutto, coppa and breads galore. This combined with juices, yogurt, an assortment of cereals and fruit make for a wonderful way to start your day. Oh, almost forgot: Cappuccino too. I hope you’re getting the picture...this is a must stay place if you decide to base your visit in Locorotondo. There is no doubt in our mind that should we return to Puglia in the near future, the 1783 Dimora d’Epoca will be our choice. I hope it is for you too. Enjoy the warm family like staff and the wealth of information that Nando and Chiara can provide you to help make your time in Puglia a wonderf