Podere Santa Chiara

Lovely place for holiday. Apartment was very great for family of four, breakfast delicious by the pool, nice clean pool, great view from apartment. The owners were always there when we needed them. You must have a car is this location as the nearest town is a few minutes drive from apartment

Nothing

quiet place with several rooms, nice staff, private parking, sufficient breakfast and possibility of dinner

you have to count on using a car for trips to the beach and the city

Wonderfully located property, overlooking one of the Alimini lakes. It includes a few apartments at a small distance from the area with the pool and the bar-restaurant. The rooms are spacious, comfortable, fully equipped and with a minimalistic decoration, in full harmony with the fantastic landscape. We fully enjoyed the pool, the delicious breakfast and dinners prepared with local ingredients at the restaurant (dinner is offered at a very reasonable price, every morning the menu is announced and one needs to make a reservation). In all, an ideal place, whether one wishes to spend a few days in calm within the property or use it as a base to travel around. Tip: do not miss Ronny's boat trip!

Huge propperty with a lot gardens near wonderfull beaches with lidos or free beaches- as you prefer. I was also wonderfull to relax at the huge pool in the middle of nature.The appartement was spotless clean and had a minimalistic-design style, which we loved. Nice light-concept in the bedroom. It was equipped with everything you could want (ac, huge shower...also a kitchen if you like to cook) and a terrace. The included breakfast was marvelous with a typical italian sweet selection with homemade cakes and pasticcios and also with a savoury selection with typical products of the region. During breakfast you can decide, if you want to join dinner at the evening. There is a daily menu freshly prepared and with the best local ingredients. Normally we do not eat in our hotels, but in podere Santa Chiara we regret, that we just ate with them once during our 3 nights stay. There was a relaxing vibe and the food and the charme of the staff was out of this world Contact with Roberta previous to our arriving very nice.

I think we just picked the wrong appartements for our needs. We had a standard studio which was at the very end of the property next to loud outdoor-neighbours and barking dogs and with no view at all. The appartements with lake or pool view really looked amazing. As living at the end of the property, there were no paved ways so you had to carry your luggage all the way to the parking-place- so pack light and take a flashlight with you to find the way during nighttime. Umbrellas at the pool would be nice, because the existing cabanas and natural shade don't work in the afternoon.

The positives: The location is very peaceful, with amazing sunsets. Beautiful pool area, a lovely space to relax that is kept immaculate.. Nice brekfast room by the pool, and the girl serving was very pleasant. Breakfast food was nice. Ronny dropped off our bags and was very friendly, offering boat trips, etc. Bicycles were provided, which allowed us to explore many of the nearby beaches - see negatives below.

The negatives: The apartment is very, very basic - feels like a chalet. Very basic furnishings and not very comfortable. This was not what I expected and based on the prices for other accommodations on our stay, seemed way off the mark. Plenty of insects crawling in under the back door, dead insect marks on wall and floor. The towels were changed after two days. We stayed 4 nights and the apartment was not cleaned during our stay other than the bin being emptied.The bed was not changed for the duration of our stay nor a change of bed clothes provided. In other places we stayed we had a fresh bed each day. I would have thought every 2 or 3 days is at least a basic requirement and when paying 200euro a night to stay! We ate at the restaurant on one night. It was a fixed price menu for 30 euro. There was a 'salad' which was a bowl of lettuce, fried potatoes, which was a small few slices of sauté potatoes each and grilled meats. One of the meats was horse, which we said we didn't not eat. The rest was some fatty pork and sausage. That was it for 30 euro! A tiramisu was 6 euro each extra. Prices in Otranto Town restaurants and other local agrioturismos are so reasonable, this felt like a total rip-off. Most of the bicycles were broken - brakes not working, chains stuck as not oiled. We eventually picked out two that were usable, but they really need some tlc. Communication about check-in and paying the bill was by WhatsApp. No face to.face communication on this front. All felt very tranactional, not what I would expect. What I have found unique staying in Agrioturismo in Italy over many years is the service and country feel. This place just feels like chalets in a field, albeit a field in a nice location! The front patio has a table and two benches and two deckchairs, but there is no divide between you and your neighbours patio area - just a couple of plant pots.

Gorgeous location, perfect pool, great choice of beaches nearby, lovely staff, some delicious food, great bedroom & shower, super view from comfortable apartment terrace

Amazing stay, great and welcoming host; she provided us with lot of recommendations to do. Good and free parking. We loved the restaurant they had in their garden: a set menu but great food, great atmosphere and kind people. Big and clean pool, amazing view on the lake. Room was modern. Location is good; short drive to Poetry Cave (north) and Otranto (south).