Well Heeled: Puglia has an old soul, now its getting fresh polish

I first encountered Pugliese hospitality years ago while working as a journalist in Milan, where I had the great fortune to befriend a gaggle of twentysomething Apulians.They plied me with pasta, wine and conversation, inviting me to visit their native region on the heel of Italy’s boot.The area was still fairly sleepy in 2003.

At the time, budget airlines were beginning to connect the region to European capitals, and the entrepreneurial Melpignano family had only recently pioneered luxury hospitality on the coast south of Bari, with the opening of Masseria San Domenico in 1996.Returning last summer, I discovered a region just as welcoming, but notably more focused on upscale international visitors.Today, an abundance of excellent hotels dot the landscape, from the Borgo Egnazia resort opened by the Melpignanos in 2010 to “grande dame” masserie (renovated agricultural estates) like Masseria San Domenico and newer bella boutiques like Vista Ostuni and Palazzo Tafuri.And the boom in the boot is far from over: In 2028, the Four Seasons opens its first property, and Rocco Forte Hotels will add its second.Puglia’s boosters laud development, saying it makes the region a year-round destination.

They’re not worried about overcrowding: Puglia spans nearly 7,500 square miles.Zoning regulations prohibit excessive construction and protect nature preserves on the Adriatic and Ionian coasts.On a recent visit, Masseria San Domenico exuded old-world luxury: linens were hand-embroidered, breakfast arrived on bespoke porcelain and ancient olive trees flanked the serene saltwater pool.Nearby in Savelletri, Rocco Forte Hotels opened Masseria Torre Maizza in 2019.

Awash in bougainvillea, the resort highlights local strengths: menus feature produce from the masseria’s organic gardens, and the hotel brings guests to artisanal leather and textile workshops.Eighteen miles south and with an entirely contemporary vibe, Vista Ostuni opened last summer, after an ambitious renovat...