Vista Ostuni

Style

Picturesque Puglian

Setting

Beside the citadel

Vista Ostuni is that rare hotel where the city views outdo the spectacle of the sea. That’s because this former 14th-century palazzo — previously a convent and a tobacco factory — sits just outside Puglia’s dream-like Città Bianca. And true, it’s hard to ignore that dazzling hilltop citadel, but a dramatic glass-ceilinged lobby, two pristine outdoor pools, a locally inspired spa and rooms dressed in rich shades and mid-century details will also draw your eye.

Facilities

Rooms

28, including 19 suites.

Checkout

11am, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 3pm.

More Details

Rates usually include a Continental breakfast.

Fitness Center

Free Internet Access

Laundry

Pet Friendly

Pool

On-Site Restaurant

Room Service

Spa

At the Hotel

Paid laundry service and free WiFi throughout. In rooms: HD TV, Nespresso coffee machine, tea-making kit, minibar, free bottled water, Rivolta bathrobes and J&C bath products.

Our Favourite Rooms

All rooms have the hallmark of excellent Italian craftsmanship, from the antique leather footstools to the mid-century-style light fittings and pastel-hued drapery, and artwork. Softening all of this are the blush-tinted Venetian-plaster walls and the rattan details, which in some rooms amounts to just an easy chair, in others constitutes entire wall panels. Every room has buckets of personality, but corner suites benefit from having views of the city and the sea.

Poolside

There are three pools here: one in the subterranean spa; a panoramic lap pool on the roof; and a larger pool with a natty chessboard design in the garden created by landscape guru Erik Dhont. It’s conveniently beside the bistro and bathes you in cooling glimpses of the Adriatic.

Spa

A cocooning space with hammam-like arches, where you can help yourself to herbal tea, juice and fresh fruit. As well as the heated lap pool, there’s a Jacuzzi, sauna, three treatment rooms and a beauty salon.

Packing Tips

Bring a copy of Francesca Marciano’s Casa Rossa. Set amid Apulian olive groves, it’s a real page-turner that delves into the region’s turbulent 20th century through the lens of three generations of a wealthy Italian family.

Also

Feminist history is in Vista Ostuni’s DNA. Originally a Dominican convent, the building was later repurposed as a school for girls. In the early 20th century, as a tobacco factory, it employed over 300 women and became a symbol of social progress.

Children

Vista Ostuni is quite adult-oriented, meaning there are no crèche or babysitting services available, nor is there a children’s menu in the restaurants. However, cots are free and available on request.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

In winter, cosy up at a candlelit table for two inside Berton al Vista. When the weather is hot, head for the garden terrace at Bianca Bistrot.

Dress Code

Avoid shorts or sandals at Berton; cotton shirts and flowing dresses will better suit the surrounds. Bianca Bistrot is a little less formal.

Hotel Restaurant

With a low-lit indoor dining room and covered terrace that frames the Adriatic, restaurant Berton al Vista is helmed by Michelin-starred chef Andrea Berton, who uses local flavours in imaginative ways: lamb with roasted plums and sweet potato, or grilled oysters with aubergine and caviar. This being Puglia, the wine list is comprehensive, and two sommeliers are on hand to help you sort the primitivos from the negroamaros. Your alfresco option, Bianca Bistrot looks out over the pool, garden and sea beyond, and serves lighter bites such as Puglian bombette with caciocavallo cheese, and roast chicken with peppers.

Hotel Bar

You can imagine Sixties heartthrob Marcello Mastroianni in a sharp suit courting Sophia Loren over Negronis at the Chiostro bar, which under the glass of its vaulted ceiling — and either side of its sheer wall of spirits and liqueurs — flaunts blood-orange velvet banquettes and dark, classically Italian wallpaper. On the rooftop, the Infinity bar has panoramic views of the olive groves that roll away to the Adriatic.

Last Orders

A Continental breakfast is served daily at Bianca Bistrot. Lunch is served at both restaurants between noon and 2pm. Dinner is from 7pm until 10:30pm.

Room Service

A reduced version of the Bianca Bistrot menu is available 24 hours a day for an extra charge.

Planes

Brindisi Airport (BDS) is the closest to the hotel, just a 30-minute drive away. Alternatively, fly into Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport (BRI), an hour’s drive away. Staff can arrange private transfers from either airport, from €55 one-way for Brindisi; from €100 one-way for Bari.

Trains

While it’s possible to reach Ostuni using Trenitalia services, routes from major cities are a little complicated. If you do arrive by rail, take note that the station is a 10-minute drive from the hilltop citadel, so you’ll need to take a bus or a taxi from there.

Automobiles

A car would be useful for day trips to the coast, Lecce and further along Italy’s heel. You can hire a set of wheels at Brindisi or Bari airport, and there’s a free carpark at the hotel.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

Once you’ve had your fill of Ostuni from beyond the old walls, it’s time to hop from Vista Ostuni to inside the citadel, where there’s a sensuous pleasure in just strolling the stairways, alleys and terraces. These ancient neighbourhoods reflect the light in photogenic ways — especially at sunrise or sunset. You may want to dip into Ostuni Cathedral, the Diocesan Museum or the Museum of Preclassic Civilisation, or just pause in a piazza under a parasol for an espresso.

Further afield, there are wine tours to the Salento region, and magnificent locations such as Matera, the ancient city of caves; or Lecce, the Florence of the South, with its old town built from honey-hued sandstone. The hotel's location also provides easy access to the region's renowned beaches, with private transfers to premier beach clubs available.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .