Palazzo Guglielmo Vignacastrisi - Puglia

For centuries Palazzo Guglielmo played an important role in the development of Vignacastrisi: providing work for many of its inhabitants and contributing to the gradual economic growth of this small town situated in what was once the Shire of Castro. Despite being less than 3kms from the sea at Salento, the Palazzo proudly conserves the signs of its original agricultural vocation. The rooms of today's residence were, in fact, once used as stores, stables, kitchens, and lodgings for the farm workers who toiled on the surrounding lands and lived in the Palazzo together with the owners, the Rossi family, who resided in rooms on the first floor of the building.

In 2008 Palazzo Guglielmo was completely renovated and the property was transformed into an exclusive guest house. The hotel's 4 double rooms and 2 suites are accessed via the pretty internal courtyard of the palazzo. All guestrooms are elegantly decorated using a pleasing combination of traditional furnishings and modern-day amenities. Whilst Wi-Fi internet connectivity is available throughout the building, the owners have deliberately chosen to leave Palazzo Guglielmo's bedrooms free of televisions.

Three large halls on the first floor of the building house Palazzo Guglielmo's library, reading room, and lounge bar, the latter is the ideal place in which to enjoy a glass of one of the excellent wines produced in the Salento area. The halls, together with the terraces, provide unique venues for elegant social events, wine tastings, and even cooking lessons. On the ground floor of Palazzo Guglielmo, facing onto the internal courtyard, there is another hall, in which a typical Italian breakfast is served each morning.

As they stroll through the gardens which encircle Palazzo Guglielmo, guests soon come across the property's large orange grove: the exquisitely scented setting for the hotel's small swimming pool and charming outdoor sitting room. For those eager to spend time on the nearby beaches of Salento, a shuttle bus service is available from Palazzo Guglielmo to the sea.