Palazzo Daniele

There’s no greater cliché in travel writing than “land of contrasts,” but it’s a description that’s well suited to the way Puglia is at once Italy’s most rough and rustic region and also, in places, home to some truly spectacular examples of contemporary design. That’s the story here in Gagliano del Capo, at the very tip of the heel of Italy’s boot, where the Roman hotelier Gabriele Salini and the Puglian art collector Francesco Petrucci have transformed the 150-year-old Palazzo Daniele into a fantastically stylish (and incredibly small) luxury boutique hotel.

With just nine suites it feels more like a private residence, though in terms of comforts and details it’s on the level of just about any high-end hotel. The style recalls that of its sister hotel, Rome’s G-Rough — the spaces are minimalist compositions where contemporary Italian design pieces contrast with the patina of the palazzo’s well-aged walls and tiles.

Common spaces include a distinctive black-bottomed swimming pool with a summertime tapas bar, as well as a courtyard, an orangerie, and the old Kaffeehaus, now a private dining venue for two. The main culinary event, however, is in Palazzo Daniele’s kitchen, which serves robust yet elevated Puglian fare and can be booked for cooking classes with a little notice.