Ottolire Resort

No longer uncharted territory for travelers, Puglia simply offers an alternative vision of Italian country living: rugged, sun-bleached hills, dotted with olive groves, and rough-hewn stone buildings that manage to feel elegant and rustic in roughly equal measure. Come to think of it, that’s an apt enough description of Ottolire Resort, a 20-room luxury boutique hotel in the Valle d’Itria, just under an hour from Bari.

It begins with a classic farmhouse estate, purchased in ruins in the Seventies but now much expanded and almost completely rebuilt, along with its trulli, the unique conical buildings that are specific to Puglia. This architectural heritage is visible in the rooms, but the dominant atmosphere is contemporary-luxe — in spite of their farmhouse surroundings, these interiors are as sophisticated as can be.

Meanwhile, outside the accommodations, Ottolire earns that “resort” designation with some outsize luxuries: the spa occupies a trullo of its own, and the restaurant, which casually spills out onto the terrace, features exquisite Puglian cooking, made from ingredients sources from the hotel’s vegetable garden and the best local producers. And for all its seclusion, you’re not isolated — the charming town of Ostuni is close by, as are the famous cave dwellings at Matera, and the Adriatic coast is even closer.