Tenuta Centoporte

Hotel Tenuta Centoporte is a dream combination, a hotel in the same family from its beginnings, mixed with real boutique style and unmistaken hints of Puglia. Maybe, in theory, the hotel is a little large to be genuinely boutique, but its style is undeniably boutique. The modern building of Tenuta Centoporte sparkles gleaming white against the blue sky. The aquamarine paintwork reminds you that you are near a sea as aquamarine as they come. Inside-outside living is the order of the day at Tenuta Centoporte hotel, as comfortable lounge and dining rooms spill out onto wonderful terraces to make the most of the Salento’s mild climate. White and tints of white are de rigueur in the bedrooms and public areas. Sumptuously comfy white sofas tempt you to relax. Sheer white curtains billow in the breeze. Large white umbrellas glisten in the bright Salento sunshine. Actually, at times, it feels as if you have been transported to another continent or some chic resort on a secret island somewhere, very relaxing and laid back. Yet, the hotel Tenuta Centoporte has a real Pugliese identity and typical Pugliese ceramics adorn every nook and cranny.

Family friendly Tenuta Centoporte’s gardens are a joy. Beautifully kept and lush, they teem with bougainvillea, colourful flowers, perfumed herbs, palms and, of course, the ubiquitous olive trees. Clipped hedges line paths and lawns, which are punctuated now and then with gazebos and places to sit and relax by the pool, surrounded by huge daybeds, more gazebos and sunbeds. The small spa chalet is well worth a visit to be pampered as well as the poolside bar which is just too tempting, those light lunches are irresistible & the fancy cocktails at dusk (or actually any time of day!) are simply unavoidable. The restaurant serves tantalising dishes, based very much on Pugliese cuisine.

About 4km from wonderful Otranto, less than 15 minutes from the sea and beaches going south or north along the coast. Hotel Tenuta Centoporte’s rural location is glorious. Surrounded by plains, dotted with olive trees, which stretch to the beautiful Salento coastline and the sparkling blue sea, go north and you will find some of Otranto’s loveliest sandy beaches. Go south and the coast is wilder and untouched, until you reach Porto Badisco (approximately 14km away), a natural narrow and deep inlet, with a pretty little sheltered bay, crystal clear water, surrounded by prickly pear and patches of myrtle. Mostly frequented by locals and quite undiscovered by tourists, it tends to be busy in July and August and on summer weekends, but otherwise quieter. It is great for snorkelling along the bottom of the rocky cliff edge, for a picnic in the pine grove on the promontory, or for a visit to the nearby Grotta dei Cervi (Cave of the Deer), dating back 4000 years to the Neolithic era, to see the bat guano and red ochre cave paintings of deer and other inscriptions, the perfect family day out. In fact, if you can tear yourself away from the hotel, fabulous Otranto and the beaches, Tenuta Centoporte’s location is perfect for exploring the Salento and for visiting Lecce, which is only about a 40-minute drive away.