Hotel Grotta Palazzese or Masseria Auraterrae? How to choose
There is no winner here: two different places, for different people.
The short version
Hotel Grotta Palazzese and Masseria Auraterrae are both in the comune of Polignano a Mare. Grotta Palazzese has 18 rooms perched above the sea in the historic center, on top of the cave that houses its namesake restaurant. Auraterrae is a masseria of 22 rooms with two outdoor infinity pools, a fitness area and weddings for 50 to 300 guests.
Side by side
| No. 401 Hotel Grotta Palazzese | No. 402 Masseria Auraterrae | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Boutique hotel | Masseria |
| Rooms | 18 | 22 |
| Sea | less than 0.1 km | 3.5 km (2 mi) |
| Pool | not confirmed | Yes |
| Children | No children under 12 | not confirmed |
| Pets | No pets | not confirmed |
| Weddings | Yes | up to 300 guests |
| Area | Monopoli and Polignano | Monopoli and Polignano |
| Price band | Band 4, estimatedBand range: €750 to €1,200 a night | Band 4, estimatedBand range: €750 to €1,200 a night |
| Restaurant | Yes | Yes |
| not confirmed | Open, Spa | |
Facts come from each property's official pages, listed with their sources on the two stay pages, and were last verified on October 26, 2026. Our editors have not visited either property.
Choose Hotel Grotta Palazzese if
- You want to sleep in Polignano's historic center, with your room suspended over the water.
- Dinner in the cave restaurant is the reason for the trip.
- You are planning an exclusive wedding, reception or private dinner and are ready to ask about numbers: the hotel names these events but publishes no capacity.
Choose Masseria Auraterrae if
- You want pools: Auraterrae has two outdoor infinity pools and a 70 square meter hydromassage pool heated in cooler periods.
- You are planning a wedding: Auraterrae hosts from 50 to 300 guests, with civil and symbolic ceremonies on site.
- You want a gym and cooking classes: Auraterrae has a panoramic fitness area and classes with Chef Antonio.
How do they differ?
Grotta Palazzese is built around one position. Its 18 rooms are, in the hotel’s words, truly suspended over the water, in the historic center and on top of the cave where the restaurant serves dinner. No pool is confirmed on its official website.
Auraterrae sits within the ancient stone walls of a masseria. It has 22 rooms, no two alike, two outdoor infinity pools, a hydromassage pool heated in cooler periods, a panoramic fitness area and a restaurant that opens to non-residents on reservation.
Which suits which trip?
Choose Grotta Palazzese if a room over the sea and a dinner in the cave decide the trip. Choose Auraterrae if you want pools, a gym or a wedding for up to 300 guests.
Questions travelers ask
Is Grotta Palazzese a hotel or a restaurant?
Both. Hotel Grotta Palazzese has 18 rooms in the historic center of Polignano a Mare, perched above the sea, and it stands on top of the cave that houses the restaurant of the same name. Its website also presents Casanova as the gastronomic heart of Palazzo Suono del Mare.
Does Grotta Palazzese have a pool?
The official website of Hotel Grotta Palazzese does not mention a pool, so we show it as not confirmed. If a pool matters to you, Masseria Auraterrae, in the same comune, has two outdoor infinity pools and a 70 square meter hydromassage pool heated in the cooler periods.
Which has a stated wedding capacity?
Masseria Auraterrae states a capacity of 50 to 300 guests and civil or symbolic ceremonies on site. Hotel Grotta Palazzese describes itself as a choice for exclusive weddings, receptions, private dinners and corporate events without giving a capacity, so ask it directly about numbers.