La Locanda del Carruboin Mattinata

Why it’s on the Edit

La Locanda del Carrubo is a small resort and spa at Montelci on the Gulf of Gargano, near Mattinata. The hotel calls itself one of the exclusive Small Luxury 5 Star Hotels in Puglia, and the Regione Puglia register lists it at five stars with the luxury designation. It is furnished with Italian art.

The case for it is the spa and the sea outlook. The spa is over 500 m², and one of the four room types has a heated pool of its own.

The hotel talks about a family atmosphere with high-quality service, and it takes receptions and banquets. A children’s program and the number of rooms are not confirmed here, so ask if either matters. The price band is 2 of 5, an estimate, since no official rate was found.

The rooms

There are four room types. Deluxe and Deluxe Sea View measure 22 m² plus a veranda, with a bathroom that has either a shower or a Jacuzzi tub. The Junior Suite Sea View is 30 m², split into two rooms that can be independent or joined by a door, with a lounge area and a table for meals in the room.

The Suite is the one to look at. It measures 42 m², with a small indoor heated pool in the room and a fireplace with a lounge area. It adds a large private veranda with a solarium and direct access to the spa without crossing the common areas.

The rooms list free Wi-Fi, Sky TV, indoor parking, a safe and a minibar with a gin and tonic selection and Slow Food snacks. A maid and linen service runs daily. How many rooms of each type exist is not confirmed, so ask how many Suites there are before you plan a stay around the heated pool.

Eating and drinking

The restaurant overlooks the sea of the Gargano and serves seafood. The hotel calls the dishes refined and genuine, with flavor always at the center.

Breakfast, bar service and the wine list are not described on the official pages. Ask what is open at the time of year you travel.

The hotel also takes receptions and banquets, so a private dinner is possible.

The setting

The hotel stands at km 4 of the SP53, at Montelci, in the commune of Mattinata. The official text describes the Gulf of Gargano as a pristine corner where colors and scents have stayed intact for centuries.

Most of the hotel’s pitch is the spa, and it should be judged that way. The Carrubo Sky Spa has a heated indoor pool with seawater, a thalassotherapy pool, a Jacuzzi, a sauna, a Turkish bath and a Salt Cave with micronized Dead Sea salt.

A massage cabin and a relax area with herbal tea serve the spa, and a panoramic veranda opens onto the gulf.

For days out, the hotel offers a full-day trip on a private yacht with a crew, leaving from the port of Manfredonia. The yacht is private, and the crew comes with it. The route passes Mattinata, the Baia delle Zagare with its sea stacks, and Vignanotica Beach.

Good to know

• The Suite has a small heated pool in the room and direct spa access.
• A private beach is not confirmed on the official pages.
• Yacht excursions are an optional extra and leave from Manfredonia, not from the hotel.
• Pets, children and opening months are not confirmed here.
• Price band: 2 of 5 (estimated: no official rate found).

Who it suits, and who should look elsewhere

Couples who want a spa, a sea view and a room that can be a retreat, especially in the Suite, are the match. Small private events fit too, since the hotel takes receptions.

If a beach at the door, a children’s club or a large resort program decides the trip, look elsewhere. See Gattarella Family Resort, and for a sea hotel with a pool and a beach club, Hotel Gargano. The Gargano hub lists the rest.

Getting there

La Locanda del Carrubo is at Montelci near Mattinata, on the Gargano. Bari airport is the one to fly into.

You need a car. The hotel’s address is km 4 of the SP53, Loc. Montelci, Mattinata, and the yacht excursion starts from a different town, so ask how long the transfer to Manfredonia takes.