OReilly64

Hello all:
I have finalised my itinerary for my trip in May. It looks as follows, but I have yet to book hotels, so it is fluid.

May 1st – May 7th: Polignano a Mare

May 7th – May 13th: Lecce

May 13th – May 15th: Matera

May 15th – May 16th: Bari

May 16th – May 17th: Pescara

May 17th – May 19th: Sulmona

May 19th: Rome Airport

I have just begun to research hotels (yes, rather late!).

I would welcome your recommendations for Hotels, B&Bs etc. for Polignano a Mare, Lecce, Matera, Pescara and Sulmona. For Polignano and Lecce (both 6 nights), I would also consider an apartment.

Price range preferred is under £150/US$200 per night, but am prepared to be flexible where required, given the relative short notice. UNDER as far as possible! I am used to traveling in Spain, where I rarely pay over £120 per night for a four-star hotel in a great location and often far less.

I need to be IN the towns, or a short walk to the towns, as I am not driving. Where possible and available, I would love a sea view, but this is not a ‘must have’.

If you are inclined, I would also welcome your restaurant recommendations.

I have downloaded all relevant Trip Reports from Fodors and am busy reading them – many thanks to all who have taken the time to provide such a wealth of information.

Kind regards .. Ger

kja

I don't know the current prices, but in Matera, I was very well satisfied with the Locanda di San Martino:
Home ? Locanda di San Martino

OReilly64

Thanks kja!

MyriamC

In Matera we stayed in a cave room at Antico Convicino, IN the sassi. Marvellous! http://www.anticoconvicino.it/
No recommendations for the other towns since in Puglia we stayed in masserie all the time, mostly very remote, where a car was essential.

marigross

Hi Ger! I never got around to posting my TR on this area but I think you will enjoy it.

I stayed at very cheap hotels (as in all under 70Euro), they were adequate. Keep in mind that my criteria is limited to clean room, comfortable bed, hot water, and wifi.

Polignano a Mare: B&B Donnapasqua - nice room, great breakfast, location OK, only view from the terrace, wifi functional. Not staffed 24/7. It was cheap and I would stay there again.

Lecce: I 4 Balconi - funky, rather cool place but not staffed 24/7. Had to wait quite a while for someone to show up, open up, and check us in. Everything was good after that. Two restaurants stood out: Trattoria Le Zie and Il Vico del Gusto (still can taste an awesome shrimp and scallop carpaccio).

Matera: San Domenico al Piano - above the sassi and selected because it had parking. Wifi virtually non existent. Find another place. We had a remarkable dinner at L'Arco Osteria Cafetteria. The place does not look like much, and we almost walked out because they were serving two tour groups. Glad we didn't! Great steak with pepper sauce.

Adelaidean

HappyTrvlr

Rocket79

Hello - Here is the link for the Air BnB apartment we had planned to stay in. The host was very nice, very helpful, and understanding when we cancelled at the very last minute. We did not get nor expect a refund, but she was nice. Anyway, it might be a good option for you:



https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/9861602...s=1&s=wRONXDsw

zebec

Matera: La Corte dei Pastori-they have 3 rooms but their brand-new 4th luxe suite may finally be ready. Great people. Decent rooms. Good value. Outstanding locations and views.
Good luck Ger!
I am done. The end.

zebec

Lecce-Prestige B&B, which also rents an apartment on the ground floor.
Done. End.

plufmud

While my husband was working in Pescara we stayed at Victoria Hotel which is centrally located to shopping, restaurant and a short walk to beach. One day I drove to Chieti and enjoyed visiting the ancient Italian city. You certainly do not need a car in Pescara.

In Matera we stayed at Antico Convicino Rooms & Suites ~great experience in old settlings in the caves. Before our visit we read the book "When Christ Stopped at Eboli" by Carlo Levi and visited the Museo Nazionale d'Arte Medievale e Moderna della Basilicata to see his art.

ekscrunchy

I recently spent four nights in Sulmona at The Ovidus. It's at the edge of the city on the side close to the train station. Surely there is a bus between the two. The hotel is modern, with that odd blend of Italian Baroque and 1970s elements. Nice breakfast and helpful staff. Ten minute walk to center city.

I met an American couple who rent an apartment in Sulmona that looks quite nice; you said no apartment for that city but if you want the name, I can get it for you. I did not stay there, however.

A very good restaurant (casual with home-style food; menu changes daily; prices moderate) is Trattoria Don Ciccio. One could easily eat there a few nights in a row due to the daily menu variations. Reserve early in the day or day before if possible. There is also Locanda di Gino, open lunch only, very well regarded by locals but closed during our visit.

From Sulmona, see if you can get a bus that will take you up to the hill town of Scanno. And go in the morning or late in the day so as not to be there when the town is shut up for lunch.
The drive is dramatic and the town is charming.

In Matera I stayed at Locanda San Martino but I got the sense that you could do as good or better for the price. It's been about 8 years ago, more or less since I've been to Matera and there are so many newer options. Do not think you have to stay in the sassi. I might prefer to be up above for next time.

Leely2

I think Matera has become very popular. I have been considering a visit soon myself, and hotels are expensive and quite booked up. E.g., Locanda San Martino fully booked unless I want to stay only one night. Same with Antico Convicino, also mentioned above.

ekscrunchy

Leely, look at the B&Bs, and also at the hotels in the newer area, above the sassi. Maybe some help here for you and for Ger. I see that I paid 126 at the Locanda di San Martino, with breakfast, but imagine that's gone up quite a bit.

My sister stayed at the Sextantio and loved it, but it's likely booked. Would be dinteresting to compare with the one in Abruzzo!

PUGLIA AND MATERA: FROM PANE DI ALTAMURA TO PEPERONI DI SENISE..

kja

I'm sure there are good reasons to stay in the upper town, and certainly agree that spending time there is worthwhile, but FWIW (which may be very little!), I'm very glad that I stayed in a cave hotel within the sassi. I felt that it gave me just a tiny bit of insight into life in the sassi that I wouldn't otherwise have had. JMO.

ekscrunchy

To each his own. Next time I will stay in the Upper Town. Some good hotels and non-touristy places to eat, and great views of the sassi. Not to mention the parking, for those of us who drive.

kja

Some sassi hotels have parking.

Leely2

A cave doesn't sound particularly appealing to me, though I would of course consider it. I suppose I need a better map, as I'm having a hard time determining what is the new town and what areas are convenient for sightseeing, yet not mobbed with tourists. Of course, I am a tourist too. But when I go to street view on Google, I almost always see people pulling luggage. And I plan to spend a week in Venice first at Biennale, so I'll be getting loads of that already (again, myself included.)

eks, Sextantio is fully booked--and rather expensive. A friend stayed there and absolutely loved it. I've only stayed at the one in Abruzzo. For the price I would have preferred a less rustic experience. Wonderful staff, gorgeous environment.

I need to decide where I'm going, as I leave only a couple weeks after Ger!

ekscrunchy

Yes, they do. Locanda di San Martino has parking, but it is a PIA to drive in and out of the sassi, and you must pay for parking at not an inexpensive rate. Not only that, you need to "request" your car and have it brought to you and the stories of mishaps are not scarce online.

As I mentioned, I would stay in the upper town next trip. I've had 5 trips to Puglia so far and 3 of those have included Basilicata. Cannot get enough of that area. There is SO much more than Matera and much that one can see only with a car, or with lots of time and patience.

I've stayed at cave hotels in Tunisia, in Goreme, Turkey, in Matera, and who knows where else, maybe nowhere else. it gets old after a night or two, due to the possible dampness and the low lighting, often scarce reading lamps, and lack of windows. If I were a first time visitor I would probably stay, again, in a "cave hotel" but I am offering the benefit of my own experience.

One thing I do not like in any hotel is lack of reading lamps!

kja

I don't know what areas are or are not mobbed with tourists these days, but if you look at google maps, you can see the sassi, which show on my map as green lines rather than streets. You'll know if you are looking at the right area if you see the Locarno di San Martino. I think the Via Fiorentini is the only real street in the main sassi area, but could be mistaken. The area that I think of as being the new town, and that would be convenient for visiting the sassi and many of Matera's other treasures, is the area above and immediately surrounding the sassi. Hope that helps!