Turning the barrel-vaulted interiors of a 1930s tobacco processing plant in Puglia into a luxurious six-bedroom boutique villa now seems something of a no-brainer, but full kudos to its owners – an Italian diplomat and his Vietnamese lifestyle-blogger wife – for recognising the building’s potential.
Applause, too, for Lecce-based architect Raffaele Centonze for his sensitive rehabilitation of the building and the grounds, the latter stylishly landscaped with silver olive trees and ancient dry stone walls. The high-ceilinged bright rooms are lined with polished concrete and recycled timber and, with more than a passing nod to the Japanese ideal of wabi sabi, eclectically decorated with choice vintage pieces collected by the owners on their travels.
In high summer, a garden lap-pool and the clear waters of nearby Castro Marina are a delight, though the lodge loses none of its charms in winter as guests retreat indoors for home-cooked meals in the bijou cinema.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
Diso, Puglia
-
The world’s most exclusive auto show? The Quail is now a hotspot of high-end car launchesThe Quail, A Motorsports Gathering brings a few thousand well-heeled car buyers to a Californian golf course to showcase the latest in luxury and sporting auto design
-
Why everyone in LA is talking about Café TondoHelmed by chef Valeria Velásquez and designed by Aunt Studio, this new spot delivers Latin American buzz all day long
-
Inside the Waldorf Astoria's dazzling restoration, from cigar smoke to snowy owlsHow a team of architects from SOM and a group of art conservationists brought New York's grand dame back to her original Art Deco splendor
-
At this elegant new aparthotel in Florence, local living is done rightThis Time Tomorrow offers bespoke itineraries and neoclassical interiors that echo the city’s layered soul
-
Do luxury hotels need a farmer-in-residence?From Ibiza to Indonesia, hospitality brands are cultivating a new travel experience, where wellness begins in the soil and ends at the table
-
Il Sereno’s new Listening Suite is what phonophiles’ dreams are made ofDesigned by Patricia Urquiola and Il Sereno founder and audiophile Luis Contreras, the new Lake Como-facing suite unites Japanese listening culture with Italian design
-
Inside Belmond’s most exclusive holiday villa yet, a lavish Ligurian palazzoOnce the theatre of lavish parties, Villa Beatrice is now a palatial haven of seclusion with easy access to Portofino’s Splendido, a Belmond hotel
-
The most stylish hotel takeovers to pop up at this summerFrom Capri to Ibiza, luxury fashion brands are taking over seaside resorts with exclusive boutique pop-ups and bespoke poolside accessories
-
Detour Discotheque is bringing ‘the world’s dreamiest party’ to PugliaThe pop-up event, La Dolce Vita Disco, promises dancing, good food and sunshine in a 16th-century Italian farmhouse
-
Five tranquil suites by Patricia Urquiola suspend visitors ‘between sea and sky’ in CapriPatricia Urquiola dreams up a study in contrast and tradition for the next chapter of Jumeirah Capri Palace
-
Sun-soaked European destinations to visit in springDreaming of Florentine palazzos and Greek islands now that the weather is starting to turn? Check into one of these beautiful European hotels and holiday homes
