This is an innovative project that combines a far-sighted, original and “artisanal” business vision with a strong sense of belonging to the land of origin. This concept marks deeply he hotel façade, entirely made of Lecce stone, which reflects the distinctive feature of local churches and buildings that makes the world-known city as the capital of Baroque art.
The origin of the hotel’s whole building project was Viaggio Nel Salento, a design competition for hotel rooms addressed to young local architects in cooperation with the Faculty of Design at the Polytechnic of Milan.

The competition reflected the hotel design trend where the standardization of rooms was replaced by a modern and exclusive concept, yet rich with Salento’s traditional welcome and typical traits of this area.
The project guidelines was based on the idea of overcoming the notion of a hotel as a simple accommodation facility in favor of a new idea of warm welcome, according to which the hotel is considered a place where the story of a setting is told and more attention is given to the quality of life and the environment, by choosing bio and eco-friendly materials.
The jury panel of Viaggio Nel Salento, which included the owner Andrea Montinari, the architect Luca Scacchetti, Prof. Giuliano Simonelli, Prof. Francesco Scullica, Prof. Luisa Collina and Prof. Francesco Zurlo of Poli.Design in Milan, selected the projects presented according to originality, innovation, technical feasibility, cost-effectiveness and above all proximity to the Salento area.
The evident result of the competition was the building of a 3-star hotel, classified according to national standards, whose purpose was to improve the quality provided to customers by paying attention to the use of durable materials, also suitable for the climatic features of the area, while still creating a space where innovation and tradition live together.