Palazzo Rollo

You can drive to this location with limited parking but we arrived by taxi out of hours and had a lengthy walk with cases. Reception staff are extremely helpful but close at 19.30. Once you navigate the entrance there is a lift to this ancient palazzo. Our room was huge with very high ceilings - not easy to heat out of season. Comfy bed, nice bathroom. Breakfast in a smallish room was adequate. You may have to share a large table if busy. The furnishings and artwork were impressive. It felt like being in someone's stately home. Location is superb within 5 minutes of the Duomo with easy access to all parts of the city centre.

The pros: an excellent location in the heart of Lecce. It’s contained in a large, leafy courtyard. The hotel is very interesting and maintains an entire floor of the palazzo in its original form. The rooftop terrace is filled with greenery and provides an excellent view of the basilica. The breakfast was robust and served in a beautiful dining room. Why three stars? One, the reception of the staff, which was unfriendly and bordered on rude. The woman at the front desk didn’t greet us, just handed us the key, and at high speed, told us how to use it, and then started working on her computer. She did not offer any other information. We later received a map from someone else. Second, the room, called Iris, was dingy and inadequate. It reminded me of my dorm room in the 1970s. The shower was impossibly tiny and there’s a large, limp piece of fabric hanging on the wall which served, I guess, as a headboard. If you stay, avoid a room facing the street, which although brighter, would be noisy. Also note they are closed for three hours midday, so you need to make special arrangements to leave your luggage if you arrive between 1:00 and 4:00. It is difficult to understand how a hotel or BnB simply shuts down like this. Lastly, the hotel should provide some written information on the history of the hotel. The building is amazing.

If you look up the word palazzo it's definition is 'a grand residence' and Palazzo Rollo fits that description perfectly. Impressive place. The interior courtyard (3 stories) is draped in vines and flowers, creating quite a first look. We walked through 3 beautfilu sitting rooms to get to our room, which had a study and bedroom. Ceilings had to be 20 ft (6m) high. Antiques everywhere. Staff was very friendly and accommodating. Breakfast was fine, coffee excellent. You are right in the center of the historic district so everything is close. Great stay. 2 nights in June, not totally overrun with people despite being a weekend. Almost forgot! Rooftop garden is lovely, open for drinks from 6p-8p. Guests only.