Masseria Grofoleo

What the property says

Masseria Grofoleo is an 18th-century court of trulli and cummerse in the countryside of Locorotondo. Cummerse are the rectangular houses with sloping roofs built with chiancarelle, a stone found in the local subsoil. The court looks over the area it calls the lungomare, a mosaic of small vineyards bordered by dry-stone walls.

The rooms occupy areas once given over to livestock, and the old threshing floor, where farmers once worked cereals, is still there. The masseria says it was made for people who seek simplicity without renouncing beauty and silence.

Estimated price band 2 of 5 and a short walk to the historic center are what make it useful.

The rooms

There are three types. Classic rooms sit in the main building and measure 15 to 20 m², and some have a private terrace over the Locorotondo landscape. Selected ones carry an armchair or a sofa bed.

Junior Suites measure 25 to 34 m² and have independent access, and some come with a private garden enclosed by dry-stone walls. Trulli measure 20 to 22 m² and are authentic 19th-century stone dwellings with a private garden and sun loungers.

The Classic room page lists 100% cotton bed linen, independent temperature control, air conditioning, underfloor heating, a safe, a minibar and free Wi-Fi. At 15 m² a Classic room is compact, so check the category.

Food and drink

The rate includes a buffet breakfast, served from 7:30 to 10:30. The services list names an in-room minibar but no restaurant, so plan dinner in Locorotondo.

The masseria’s page on the town points to its local wine and its 146 contrade, the rural districts. Ask reception about a table, or walk into the old town.

Laundry, taxi, electric bicycles, boat excursions, massages, yoga classes and a personal trainer are not included in the rate.

The setting

Locorotondo sits on a circular hilltop, and its name refers to the rounded shape of the hill. The town carries the Touring Club Italiano’s Orange Flag, awarded in 2012, and the Yellow Flag as a bicycle-friendly town since 2017.

The address is Contrada Grofoleo 24. The masseria has an outdoor pool with hydromassage and a solarium with parasols, sun loungers and towels. Bicycles are listed among the services, electric ones at extra cost, and a cycle route appears on the page about the surroundings.

The masseria lists a shuttle service and an airport shuttle, both for an extra charge.

Good to know

• Pets are not allowed.
• August bookings need a minimum stay of two nights.
• Check-in is from 3 pm and check-out by 11 am.
• Buffet breakfast runs from 7:30 to 10:30.
• Free parking with a charging station for electric vehicles is included.
• There is an elevator, and the reception is open 24 hours.
• A baby crib is available free of charge on request, and luggage storage with a porter service is listed.
• The rates page sets no penalty for cancellations up to 30 days before arrival and a separate rule for cancellations within 48 hours, so read it before you pay.
• Massages, yoga, a personal trainer, boat excursions and electric bicycles are not included in the rate.
• Price band: 2 of 5 (estimated: no official rate found).

Is it right for you?

Independent travelers who like to walk into an old town for dinner fit best, as do couples who want price band 2 of 5 within walking distance of town, and cyclists who want bicycles on site. Families with a baby can ask for the baby crib, which is free on request.

Pets are not allowed, and neither a restaurant nor a spa is listed. Masseria Torricella sits in the same price band and has a restaurant and a spa, though the farm itself recommends arriving by car. Ottolire Resort, in the same town, has a gym and a spa suite.

Getting there

Masseria Grofoleo is at Contrada Grofoleo 24, in Locorotondo, in the Valle d’Itria. The masseria lists an airport shuttle for an extra charge.

The reception is open round the clock. A car still opens up the rest of the valley, though the old town itself is within walking distance.

The elevator and the luggage storage with porter service help if you arrive with more than a carry-on.