Words: Helen Longstreth
Masseria Petrarolo, Puglia
For self-catering with a difference, Masseria Petrarolo is set across a 35-acre estate right in the heart of Puglia’s olive groves, just a few miles from Southern Italy’s Adriatic Coast. Formerly a 17th century farmhouse, the building has been restored by London and New York-based Alexander Waterworth Interiors to the brief ‘Soho House meets Southern Italy’. The result is a unique and meticulously detailed blend of rusticity and luxury. The house hosts eight ensuite bedrooms, two drawing rooms, three kitchens, a hammam, a wine room and a formal dining room (with a 25-foot table!). To top it all off, reached by a candlelit staircase, the house boasts a decadent rooftop pool, with stunning country views. On the grounds of the estate are a selection of shaded terraces, orange groves, a herb and vegetable garden, a small church and a hundred acres of grass and meadows. And if you get tired of all this beauty and luxury – yeah, right – the estate is located a short drive away from the historical coastal town of Monopoli.
The property is available during select periods during the year; prices available on request.
Masseria Petrarolo, 16 Contrada Petrarolo, Monopoli, 70043 Puglia; masseriapetrarolo.com
G-Rough, Rome
G-Rough, the latest designer concept hotel to open in Rome, could be taken right out of Paulo Sorrentino’s 2013 film The Great Beauty. Self-described as ancient Rome meets modern Italy, G Rough celebrates Italian luxury, Felliniesque baroque and early 20th century interior design within an Ancient Roman building dating back to the 1600s.Emanuelle Garosci and Gabrrielle Salini, the entrepreneurs behind the hotel, have drawn inspiration from Italy’s rich history and beauty. As Salini explains: “we’re presenting a very Italian sense of luxury here—one with history, design, and a touch of whimsy”. The hotel has five floors with 11 suite apartments; each one inspired by a different Italian designer from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. It also has a café and bar on the ground floor which also hosts art and design exhibitions. The hotel also offers ‘custom-crafted’ luxury experiences, including access to a lifestyle manager, spa packages and exclusive tours of hidden Rome. If that isn’t enough, the hotel is situated a stone’s throw away from Rome’s most celebrated square the Piazza Navona, an old Baroque market square now filled with fashionable shops, restaurants and bars among its grand, historical fountains.
Bookable from 1 March 2015; €329 per night.
G-Rough, Piazza Pasquino 69, Rome 00186, Italy; designhotels.com
