Estimated reading time: 17 minutes

Love at first sight. From the moment we stepped through the enormous wooden doors, we knew this hotel was something special. The Pollicastro Boutique Hotel combines historic baroque architecture with elegant Italian Art Deco, creating an atmosphere that feels both luxurious and welcoming. Although the nightly rate sits toward the upper end of our affordable luxury budget, the overall experience exceeded our expectations.

Pollicastro Boutique Hotel Review

Location and Arrival at Pollicastro Boutique Hotel

Getting There

Lecce is the southern-most city in the Puglia region which the heel of Italy’s boot.  We wanted to go somewhere different than the masses—though gaining Instagram popularity, the Puglia region is still a hidden gem in the Mediterranean.  

We took a road trip from Rome to Puglia, stopping midway through the 6.5 hour drive for a short stay in Pompeii. The more direct way to arrive is to fly into the Brindisi or Bari Regional Airport. The Pollicastro Hotel has an airport shuttle service and cars to rent.

Walkability, Parking and Safety

In pre-stay communication, the hotel gave us detailed instructions for how to drive to the hotel since it is located in the limited driving access area. The hotel valet took care of the car after that, we did pay an additional fee of $25/day for the parking.

The hotel is tucked along a pedestrian street facing the San Mateo Chiesa, a stunning baroque church. This boutique hotel of just 12 rooms has a large wooden door as the entry (with a human-size door within it). During arrival times, the door was open, otherwise, the large doors were closed. It is easy to miss without the detailed instructions.

The street was so beautiful. The old city of Lecce was built with a creamy white limestone and is kept impeccably clean. Prepare to be floored—the hotel is even prettier inside. Apart from Europe’s great cathedrals, this may be the prettiest building I’ve ever experienced.

Review of the Welcome Areas at the Pollicastro Boutique Hotel in Lecce

Front Desk

The Pollicastro Hotel has a front desk which we really appreciated; it was like having someone to look out for you. Some boutique hotels do not have this feature. The front-facing staff spoke excellent English and were very willing to help.

We prefer to travel off-season to avoid crowds. I continue to be surprised by hotels that do not give extra special attention to the guests who do show up. A discount in the off-season is wonderful but excellent customer service when you are on site–that is the real deal.

Doing things like spacing the occupied rooms apart from each other, writing a personal welcome note, having their typical choices of food even for fewer guests, and fulfilling on the promised amenities. That is what the Pollicastro Boutique Hotel did for us and we felt appreciated for being there.

Lobby and Decor

The décor is inspired by 1920s Italian Art Deco, with rich wood, metal accents, and a warm, romantic atmosphere. Everywhere we looked there were thoughtful design details that made us stop and look a little longer. Plus, Christmas décor and lights were going up all over the Old City. A full-size, wooden replica of a vintage Italian racecar adorns the lobby!

The Hotel’s Common Areas

The hotel has several common areas. A small bar offered coffee drinks and cocktails and extended into the breakfast nook which was a grouping of high tops. This opened to a lounge with a large half circle couch and fireplace.

Review of our Superior Double Room with Balcony

It’s amazing how a spacious room adds to the luxury feel of the entire hotel.

The Room’s Functionality

Our Superior double room was much larger than we expected for a historic European city hotel. We had plenty of room to lay out the suitcases and walk around the room without bumping into anything or each other.

The room was well-furnished, in good repair and classy but also a lot of useful pieces of furniture without overcrowding: a desk, table, couch and coffee table, and two chairs along with a storage closet and shelving. Wi-Fi was great, lots of outlets, air temperature was excellent the entire time.

The Room’s Comfort Level

Not only was the room functional, it also felt luxuriously comfortable. Additionally, the room was filled with natural light that was accentuated by the creamy yellow stone of the walls. Large picture windows on the doors to the balcony had window doors and curtains to keep out the city light at night.

Review of the Pollicastro Boutique Hotel Balcony

Most Italian balconies seem to have been built for aristocrats’ daughters to wave at the military men on parade below. This room had two of those balconies, each accessible from either side of the bed. These balconies were big enough for us to stand side by side but not big enough for a café table and chairs.

The metal railings were entwined with twinkle lights and at times a man was playing piano in the street creating a very magical experience. The view from our balconies was lovely especially of San Mateo Basilica and the quiet street below.

Bathroom Review

The spacious bathroom included a stone shower and stone bowl sinks with a generous amount of space for our toiletries. Somehow, I did not get pictures of the bathroom.

Review of Amenities at the Pollicastro Boutique Hotel

The rooftop garden deserves to be ranked as the hotel’s best feature. I wasn’t expecting much when they suggested we visit the rooftop garden. It quickly became our favorite place in the hotel. As a gardener myself, I appreciated how thoughtfully the space had been designed.

We actually spent quite a bit of our time in Lecce at this garden: In the evening with a glass of wine to watch the sunset, after dinner with a cocktail, in the morning with a cup of coffee. Little “rooms” made the garden even more intimate. Some areas had sun loungers, others simple benches, and others were large tables and chairs for group dining. Potted plants were everywhere giving it a Mediterranean feel.

Review of Dining Options at the Pollicastro Boutique Hotel

The Pollicastro Hotel did not have a bar or restaurant open to the public. Typically we prefer a hotel with a restaurant because find that the food service is better from a dedicated restaurant and there are more options. Yet, the Pollicastro again exceeded our expectations with the included breakfast.

The Included Breakfast

The included breakfast was very good. The offerings included a wide variety of buffet-style cold items such as breads and pastries, jams and fruit, cereals and yogurt, cold cuts and cheeses. They also offered a small selection of cooked eggs and vegetables. The bartenders served excellent cappuccino and Americano. The setting is particularly classy with an eclectic collection of wood burl tables and vintage décor.

Dining Options Beyond the Hotel

Puglia is a traditional area of Italy which includes the adherence to eating late. Make sure to have a pastry at the Martinucci Lecce Bakery in the main square of the Old City to tide you over to a late lunch outside at the Gusto Liberrima, a five minute walk north and west from the hotel.

After an aperitivo at the Pollicastro’s bar to last us until dinner, we paced the Old City for an open restaurant. Finally an Italian Nonna took pity on our skinny bodies and opened early for us at 7:30 at this kitschy—and probably totally authentic–Knights Templar style restaurant, Il Ristoro dei Templari, with fantastic food. This trattoria is just a couple minutes walk NE from the hotel. Many more options are available after 8 pm.

Things to Know Before Booking a Stay at the Pollicastro Boutique Hotel

Who this hotel is perfect for…

• Couples and empty nesters
• Slow travelers
• Architecture and history lovers
• Walkable city vacations
• Romantic getaways

Who might look elsewhere…

• Families looking for child-friendly amenities
• Travelers wanting multiple on-site dining options
• Guests who want to spend the day at the pool
• Those who prefer full-services resort hotels

Sightseeing in Lecce

We spent two days exploring Lecce on foot just meandering along the tight streets to look at the architecture. We felt safe walking the old city, it is extremely clean and mostly graffiti-free. The baroque architecture and amazing carvings are of the local, creamy yellow stone. Make sure to bring a small pair of binoculars to see the faces of the statues on the building facades—they are all so different and so human! We also took a walk outside of the tourist area and also found it to be a sleepy city. 

Nearby attractions included the Roman Amphitheater with a couple minutes walk of the hotel. This was under renovation so we could not go in but the whole thing can be seen from the street above. The basilicas and museums were included on a paid for pass which we chose not to get. I found tourism literature about walks to do in Lecce to discover either the history or the art and architecture, but I wound up not using any of them. Instead we just made the three-night stay a slow travel stop that was so relaxing and romantic.

Touring in Puglia, Italy

If you plan to spend more time in the Puglia area, our recommendation is to have two hubs—this one in Lecce in the south, and another in the northern area of Puglia. This would cut down on the day trip driving time to visit the cute villages of Trani, Polignano del Mare, Santa Maria di Leuca.

Final Thoughts in our review about the Pollicastro Boutique Hotel

What we loved the most …

• Gorgeous and spacious from entry to rooftop
• Very good breakfast
• Walkable location
• Helpful staff

The whole hotel exuded luxury and romance—the large rooms, the décor in the common areas, the rooftop garden, the quiet street across from the basilica. This felt like the Italian vacation we’d imagined before the trip. When you stay, plan to spend a fair amount of time enjoying this hotel as well as sightseeing in Lecce.

What could Have been better …

• Parking was not on site, but that helped to keep the area quiet and calm.
• No included restaurant, but there were many options within walking distance.
• The pool and spa that looked so amazing in the hotel’s photos were actually private to their best suite. (Just for fun… Check out the price for that suite and see if it’s in your splurge budget!)

Was the Stay Worth the Cost?

Yes.

What really set Pollicastro apart wasn’t one spectacular feature—it was how every part of the experience worked together.The beautiful architecture, genuinely helpful staff, spacious room, rooftop garden, and quiet location all reinforced the feeling that this hotel had been carefully designed for guests to slow down and enjoy Lecce rather than simply have a place to sleep.

Read about our second trip to Italy. We visited Sicily in January!

My Top Travel Products for Visiting Lecce, Puglia, Italy