Borgo Egnazia

Borgo Egnazia is a genuinely outstanding property — luxurious and impeccably maintained down to the smallest detail. The food is excellent too, both in quality and variety. The whole resort is designed to recreate the feel of an authentic local Italian village, and it does so remarkably well. As an Italian myself, I'll admit I personally prefer visiting a real, original village over a recreated one, but that's more a matter of taste than a flaw — the execution here is genuinely impressive, and most guests will love it.

The starters are bland with no flavour, the meat is overcooked (asked for a medium rare, got a medium to well done). The creamy mashed potatoes were lumpy and the bone marrow was baked to within an inch of its life. The best part to the $816 meal was the bread.

After hearing so much about Borgo Egnazia, my expectations were incredibly high, and I'm happy to say that the resort delivered one of the most memorable luxury stays I've ever had. Breathtaking, the entire property felt like an authentic Puglian village rather than a hotel. Every corner is beautifully designed, with white stone architecture, olive trees, peaceful courtyards and immaculate gardens that create a sense of calm. It's a place where you immediately slow down. Our room was elegant, spacious and incredibly comfortable. The housekeeping team kept everything spotless, and every interaction with the staff felt warm and genuine. The service throughout the stay was polished without ever feeling formal or forced. Breakfast deserves a special mention because it was honestly one of the best hotel breakfasts I've experienced. The selection of fresh pastries, local cheeses, seasonal fruit, freshly baked breads and made-to-order egg dishes was exceptional. Everything tasted fresh and showcased the flavours of Puglia. Throughout the day I enjoyed several restaurants and bars, and every meal was consistently excellent. The seafood was incredibly fresh, the handmade pasta was outstanding and the local olive oil and wines elevated every dish. Cocktails at sunset were another highlight, beautifully crafted and served in a relaxed atmosphere. The Vair Spa is absolutely worth visiting. The treatment areas are peaceful and beautifully designed, and my massage was one of the best I've had. The thermal facilities, relaxation spaces and wellness experience made it easy to spend several hours there without feeling rushed. It truly feels like a sanctuary. The fitness facilities also exceeded expectations. The gym is modern, well-equipped and never overcrowded. There were plenty of wellness activities available, from morning fitness sessions to cycling around the surrounding countryside, making it easy to stay active while still enjoying a relaxing holiday. One evening we had the opportunity to experience one of the resort's special events, and it was unforgettable. The atmosphere, live entertainment, local food stations and attention to detail made it feel like a celebration of Puglian culture rather than a typical hotel event. It's easy to understand why Borgo Egnazia has earned such a strong reputation for hosting weddings, celebrations and international events. Is it expensive? Absolutely, however, the combination of exceptional hospitality, outstanding food and beverage, world-class spa facilities, excellent fitness amenities and the unique atmosphere made it feel like much more than just another luxury hotel. If you're looking for a destination that combines authentic Italian charm with five-star comfort and unforgettable experiences, Borgo Egnazia is truly something special.

I never write bad reviews, but feel strongly inclined to do so. This is my first bad review ever! My husband and I have stayed in luxury properties all over the world (Four Seasons, Belmond Properties, Ritz) and understand great experiences. This fell short in all categories. The property is beautiful, but feels cold and lacks a soul. It feels like Las Vegas's Cesars Palace in Puglia (without the shopping). Over the top extravagance (we could not believe how huge it is) - but contrived and extremely fake. The staff is very robotic and lacks the polish and warmth that we are used to in 5 star resorts. The biggest disappointment was that this is essentially a kid's camp. Nothing against children and families, but we were surprised that during what we thought would be a romantic experience - we were surrounded by children in all areas of the property (no joke - crying babies in strollers). We left dinner one night to sit at the bar because the chaos of the family dynamic at La Frasca was unacceptable. Certain areas of the property are dedicated to children - and they even have puppet shows for children in the main square during the evening. We did bring our service dog (very well-trained miniature poodle) with us and I think discriminated against us because of that. When we arrived they refused to put us in the ocean view suite that we booked in the main building because of our dog and "upgraded us" to a villa in the main village. The villa was nice, but in the middle of the family chaos. Not expected! To top it off - Puglia has some of the best food in all of Italy and the food quality at Borgo Egnazia was the worst we had in all of Puglia. Couples looking for a romantic, calm get-away - Beware. This is a Kid's Camp.

Undoubtedly one of the worst hotel experiences ever. We checked out and fled after six hours. Avoid this overpriced tourist trap at all costs. Some of their spectacular errors: No airport transfer, although it had been confirmed well in advance. After waiting for 20 minutes at the airport, we called the hotel and they scrambled to find a driver. When checking in, I asked about the status of tours I had requested via email. I was told they receive so many emails that they cannot respond to all of them. They had no clue if anything had been scheduled. We were told we needed to wait for someone to show us around the place before we could check it. Four hours later, the person showed up. One of his memorable quotes when I asked about the status of tours I had requested was "well, sales won't like me telling you this, but you really don't need to do those, they're not worth it." Waited two hours for room service to deliver two vodka tonics to the room. After calling again, they delivered two bottles of mixers. Two days after our six-hour stay (we moved to a fantastic hotel nearby), I finally received a response from the concierge on my email requesting tours. My email had been sent a week before we got to the hotel. Definitely not worth the money or aggravation. There are so many other lovely hotels that are welcoming and have wonderful customer service. Don't waste your time or money at a place that doesn't deserve either of them.