Tivoli Hotels & Resorts has opened its first hotel in Puglia, transforming a 19th-century palazzo in the heart of Lecce into a 48-room five-star property set between Piazza Sant’Oronzo and Piazzetta Santa Chiara, steps from the city’s honey-gold Baroque façades and its Roman Amphitheatre.
Few of us need an excuse to day dream about a week spent in Italy’s Puglia region, but if you’re still on the fence, the region’s newest luxury hideaway just might be the persuasive push you needed.
Lecce, often called the “Florence of the South” for its ornate Pietra Leccese stonework, has become one of Italy’s fastest-growing luxury destinations, and the new Tivoli Palazzo 1880 Lecce Hotel, located in the centre of the old town, if only going to bolster that reputation.
Housed in a building that carries a layered history — a 15th-century inn reborn as a noble hotel in 1880, the year that now names the property — a full renovation has positioned the urban retreat as the ideal base from which to explore Salento’s UNESCO-listed sites and both of Puglia’s coastlines.
The 48 rooms and suites span Superior and Deluxe categories through Premium rooms with balconies or views, with an enhanced suite tier including Junior Suites, suites with a jacuzzi or private spa, and a Presidential Suite with a private terrace overlooking the Roman Amphitheatre.
Meanwhile, dining runs across three venues, with Godot Restaurant, named for Beckett’s play and built around the idea of long-anticipated arrival, serving Mediterranean menus of artisan pasta and seasonal Puglian produce; and an elegant Lobby Bar for those afternoon caffine pick-me-ups. Also look out for the Rooftop Terrace & Lounge Bar, with its views across Lecce Cathedral’s bell tower.
Wellness facilities include two treatment rooms, an indoor heated saltwater pool, a steam room, a sauna, a relaxation lounge with a tisaneria (herbal tea bar), and a gym with direct rooftop access.
Guests also get arranged access to beach clubs on both the Adriatic and Ionian coasts, plus a nearby swimming pool with reserved areas.
For travelers based in Asia, Lecce sits well outside the usual Italian circuit of Rome, Florence and the Amalfi Coast. However, it’s relative remoteness is part of the appeal: a heritage property in a city that hasn’t yet been absorbed into the standard Puglia itinerary, better suited to travellers extending a longer Italian trip into its less-crowded south than to a quick weekend stop.
