Masseria & Spa Luciagiovanniin Lecce

What the property says

Masseria & Spa Luciagiovanni is a masseria that decided to look like Morocco. The resort says the traditions of Salento and Northern Africa meet here, in ancient Moorish art and Western comfort, and the rooms, the restaurant and the spa all follow that line.

That sets it apart from the Baroque palazzi in town and from the rural masseria on the coast. You come to Luciagiovanni for the atmosphere of a Maghrebi palace in the countryside just outside Lecce.

It also sits in estimated price band 1, the lowest band in this area, and still has a large pool, a spa and a restaurant. That combination is the second reason it earns a place.

Where you sleep

There are 28 rooms, reached from a central courtyard. The hotel describes handcrafted Moroccan furniture, ornate inlaid doors, rich textiles and four-poster beds. Some rooms have their own garden area, and others a central bathtub.

The Deluxe Room is a master bedroom in Moroccan style with a double bed and a sofa that can serve as a single bed on request, for three guests at most. Its brass bathtub stands in view of the room.

The Garden Room has a double bed and a patio or garden reached by stairs. It cannot take extra beds, cots or separate twin beds, so it is a room for two adults.

Eating and drinking

The restaurant serves the cooking of Salento, with what the resort calls research into ancient and traditional recipes, and a wine list of Puglia labels. The hotel says its fish and seafood are caught in the nearby Adriatic and its fruit and vegetables come from local farms.

The dining room has Moorish interiors, like the rest of the resort, so a Salento dinner comes with a North African backdrop.

Beyond the table, the resort offers cooking lessons, olive oil and wine tours and bike tours, along with an artisan workshop tour and art guides. Some outings run in the old center of Lecce, such as a pasta class with a wine tasting.

The setting

The resort is at Torre Venere, in the comune of Lecce, in the country just outside the city. Its center is the pool, about 1,600 m² with a jacuzzi, with a solarium beside it. The resort also has a gym, squash and beach tennis courts and a pool for counter-current swimming.

The spa, La Medina, has a wellness path with a sauna, a Turkish bath, emotional showers and a hot salty pool with whirlpool. It has two pools, one inside and one in the park. It is open every afternoon, so plan massages and treatments for after lunch.

The resort calls the spa a state-of-the-art medical spa, and lists hi-tech beauty procedures such as Botox and laser therapy next to the Orient-inspired rituals.

Good to know

• The spa is open in the afternoon only, from 3:30 to 8 pm. Massage cancellation is free until 1 pm on the day.
• The resort has one meeting room for up to 100 people, so groups and conferences may be on site.
• The Garden Room cannot take extra beds or cots. The Deluxe Room fits three guests at most.
• The coast can be reached from the resort, which lists a partner beach.
• Rooms list free Wi-Fi and satellite flat-screen TV.
• Not confirmed here: pets, opening months and weddings.
• Price band: 1 of 5 (estimated: no official rate found).

Who it suits, and who should look elsewhere

It suits couples and friends who want a pool day, a spa afternoon and a Salento dinner at a low price band, and who enjoy a theme. The Moroccan style is the point, so check it appeals before you book. Guests who like to stay active will find a gym and courts on site.

Look elsewhere if you want a rustic masseria and silence: Masseria Borgo Sentinella is closer to that and sits by the sea at Torre dell’Orso. If you want Baroque Lecce on foot, Patria Palace is in the old town.

Getting there

The resort is at Torre Venere, in the comune of Lecce (the postal address is Via Caliò, Torre Venere), within Lecce and the North Salento coast. You will want a car: the resort is outside the city and the beaches are on the coast.

Lecce itself is close enough for a day or an evening out. For the sea, the resort lists a partner beach at Cesine that you can book, and the coast has equipped beaches with sun beds and umbrellas. Ask the resort about transfers and about opening months before you fix your dates.