Palazzo Bozzi Corso — Lecce, Italy

Antonia Filali and her brother Giacomo-Fouad were clearly so taken by the experience of opening their first boutique hotel La Fiermontina in Lecce, that less than three years later, they have debuted a second in the ancient Puglian town.
Wisely, French studio Laboratoire Design Rabat have worked light touches on the aristocratic bones of the 1775 baroque palazzo to carve out ten large suites, whose original high ceilings and light-filled volumes are contrasted by long creamy drapes, Le Corbusier Escargots lamps, and classic furniture by Gio Ponti and Ettore Sottsass.
What is unexpected, though, is the colour palette of plum, teal and green which creates a dramatic backdrop for the owners’ tastefully curated art and sculpture collection – the latter a stylish teaser for their family’s modern art museum, nearby.
In this part of Italy, there is no shortage of diversions, not least a day’s cruise on the Adriatic, a picnic in an oak orchard on the Byzantine Road, or, a post-nap lap in sister hotel La Fiermontina’s pool. Chef Maria Carla Pennetta, meanwhile, tempts with a cucina povera menu based on her family’s recipes – think, stuffed eggplants grilled with mink, alongside farm-fresh caciocavallo and cacioricotta cheeses.
ADDRESS
Via Umberto I
38-73100
Lecce
Italy
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Daven Wu is the Singapore Editor at Wallpaper*. A former corporate lawyer, he has been covering Singapore and the neighbouring South-East Asian region since 1999, writing extensively about architecture, design, and travel for both the magazine and website. He is also the City Editor for the Phaidon Wallpaper* City Guide to Singapore.
-
Goldwin 0’s first-ever performance wear is body-mapped to keep you cool
The ‘Performance Capsule’ from Goldwin 0 – an experimental offshoot of Japanese technical wear label Goldwin – draws inspiration from trail running for its meticulously tested sportswear, which uses experimental ventilation techniques to help you work out in the heat
-
Shop the gloriously mad inner workings of Gary Card’s brain in London’s Soho
Set designer and artist Gary Card has taken over London's Plaster Store – expect chaos and some really good accessories
-
Venerable British car-maker AC goes OTT with the high-output, low-slung AC GT SuperSport
Pitched at all-American fans of the original AC Cobra, the GT SuperSport is a fearsome two-seat roadster with more muscle than ever before
-
Il Sereno’s new Listening Suite is what phonophiles’ dreams are made of
Designed 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 palazzo
Once 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 summer
From 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 Puglia
The 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 Capri
Patricia Urquiola dreams up a study in contrast and tradition for the next chapter of Jumeirah Capri Palace
-
Sun-soaked European destinations to visit in spring
Dreaming 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
-
Everything you need to know about Italy's Lake Maggiore, according to Formafantasma
From baroque gardens to panoramic views, Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin show us around this Italian escape
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Romeo Roma: a new hotel that’s one of Zaha Hadid’s last projects
Located within Rome’s Tridente, Romeo Roma is a palimpsest of periods in which the late Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid left her avant-garde mark