La Peschiera
S. Italy: Puglia: Monopoli
The newest creation of Camillo Guerra, owner and creator of the wonderful Il Melograno, La Peschiera shimmers on the edge of the clear waters of the Adriatic coast in Puglia. Encompassing a full service spa, the facilities of this 14-room gem are all state of the art. The pool is enormous and is filled with unfiltered seawater so it is full of good minerals, etc. There is also a thalassotherapy pool divided into three different sections, each with a different temperature. And in between is a long, narrow hydromassage pool. Included in the 14 rooms are two suites, each with two bathrooms. All rooms have a seafront terrace, a terrace facing the pool, and built-in beds made of stone (with comfortable mattresses!) and draped with a sheer fabric. Interior doors are crafted with strips of bamboo to allow ventilation. On the roof of the building, each room has a built-in stone sun bed for two! The sea is a beautiful turquoise color and while there are large rocks on the beach, there is access to the sea for swimming. The dining terrace has ample space for seafront dining in the evening. There is also a bar adjoining the restaurant as well as a bar near the pool. According to the owner, the rock-strewn sand beach at the hotel is private as the property was acquired before the law was passed giving the state rights to all shoreline. Property is not appropriate for children. Every manner of spa treatment is available here. AD (the Architectural Digest Italy edition) did a shoot at the hotel when it first opened in the spring of 2003. This one is going to be a BIG hit!