Borgo Egnazia

The Borgo Egnezia looks like it has been nestled among the olive groves for 100 years. The architecture is Moorish-influenced, with soaring archways and vaulted stone buildings that blend seamlessly with the rocky Mediterranean landscape. The hotel has three separate sections: Il Borgo is designed like a traditional Apulian village with a central piazza for events and parties; Corto feels like a sophisticated manor house; and the villas each have a private pool. Decor throughout Il Borgo is rustic, with baskets, lanterns, hanging herbs and branches, while Corto is more contemporary. Buttery, cream-colored stone is the predominant building material, with spotless white and cream furniture tucked into nooks and crannies, clustered around fireplaces, and lining patios and wraparound terraces. Much of the furniture is made of rough-hewn local wood, and the menus feature local ingredients. Outside, grape arbors and cactus gardens are quintessentially Mediterranean. Although the hotel is family-friendly, there are plenty of adults-only areas as well.

The Borgo Egnezia sits among the olive groves of the Itria Valley, near the small fishing village of Savelletri di Fasano, and within walking distance from the rocky beaches of the Adriatic Sea. The hotel has its own 18-hole golf course. The area is not touristy or filled with constant activity and excitement, but Bari and Brindisi are less than an hour away, and easily accessible via rental car. The airport is an hour from the hotel.

Rooms at the Borgo Egnezia are peaceful and private, with balconies, private gardens, or, in the case of the villas, private pools that look like they are set among Roman ruins. The mostly cream and white decor is bright, and all the rooms are spacious. Care has been taken with every detail, from the airy canopy beds to the stunning carved stone sinks in the bathrooms, and the wall niches that contain flat-screen TVs, minibars, and other modern conveniences. Quality is apparent everywhere; even the in-room espresso machines are the real thing, not pod coffeemakers. Simply put, the rooms and villas feel like beautiful homes, not hotel rooms.

The Borgo Egnezia stands out for its family-friendly offerings. Kids and teens have their own designated activities, and there is even a designated restaurant for kids, Da Puccetta, with appealing, quality food that is more than French fries and pizza. Cooking classes, golf, and tennis are some of the activities available for guests. The hotel's private beach is stony, but the club there is both comfortable and sophisticated, with sunbeds and gorgeous Ibiza-style beds with curtains that sway in the ocean breeze.

The hotel has three restaurants: Pescheria da Vito is an airy fish restaurant by the beach; La Frasca Ristorante feels like a village taverna, with farm fresh food, a porch with a thatched roof, barn doors, and a wood burning pizza oven; and Due Camini is an elegant fine dining restaurant.The Vair Spa offers a complete menu of bodywork, beauty treatments, and aromatherapy, in a beautifully designed, candlelit cavern. All the spa products are made in Italy. One downside, however, is that the fees for services -- from room service and a la carte food, to babysitting -- run high.