Headed to Italy this summer? You might want to check out the stunning new Vista Ostuni boutique hotel set in the ‘White City’ of Ostuni.
The new hideaway is set within a restored 14th-Century palazzo that was originally built as a convent in the 1300s. It was transformed nearly 500 years later, when Sister Maria Raimonda Fuentes provided shelter and education for underprivileged girls. In the early 20th century, it became the Manifattura Tabacchi, a tobacco-processing factory, employing around 600 female cigar rollers at its peak, before closing in 1969.
Now the historic palazzo is being transformed into a serene hotel with just 28 rooms and suites, offering the utmost privacy for guests looking for a new way to experience one of Italy’s most enchanting regions. Guests of Vista Ostuni will find themselves far from the crowds, yet right in the heart of Ostuni.
The vision for Vista Ostuni derives from the unique partnership of Bianca and Luigi Passera – third and fourth generations of the Passera family of hoteliers – who, with the Vista brand, aim to curate exceptional experiences in Italy’s iconic yet underrated locations away from the typical tourist trails.
The project will bring one of Ostuni’s most emblematic buildings back to life, with a sensitive design by architect Roberto Murgia, of Milan’s RMA Studio, that reflects the property’s original design, its history, and the surrounding Apulian environment.
More than 6,000 square metres of interior space has been delicately restored to enhance traces of the building’s history, from the entrance to the sky-high ceilings, to the surprising cloister on the first floor, with its geometric design and natural light that pours in through a glass ceiling.
Vista Ostuni’s design is a luminous tribute to Mediterranean vitality, featuring soaring ceilings, a generous and spacious year-round spa, and a sun-drenched pool terrace that will bask in natural light from dawn until dusk.
It will also be the first hotel in Italy with the green touch of Erik Dhont, a Belgian landscape designer chosen by the Passera family for his appreciation of native vegetation and his ability to craft landscapes that tell stories deeply rooted in the local region.
The culinary offering will be led by Andrea Berton, one of Italy’s most renowned Michelin-starred chefs. He will oversee Berton al Vista, a fine dining restaurant; Bianca Bistrot, a lively garden restaurant open from breakfast until aperitivo; the intimate and unexpected Library Bar; and the rooftop bar, a convivial spot for conversations and cocktails with unparalleled panoramas of the Apulian countryside and Ostuni.
Ostuni itself is a place of culture rooted in its coastal geography. Private transfers will take guests to the region’s finest beach clubs, just minutes from the hotel, or guests can embark on daily discoveries to nearby destinations like Lecce, Matera and Alberobello.