From Polignano to Sant’Omero, the Relais & Châteaux group is expanding in Italia
Relais & Châteaux is expanding with ten new properties worldwide. In Italia, the network’s latest additions are Masseria AuraTerrae, in Polignano a Mare (Bari), and Villa Corallo, in Sant’Omero, in the province of Teramo. Two family-run ventures in high-end rural tourism: just 33 rooms in total, spread across 104 hectares of vineyards, olive groves, orchards, vegetable gardens and farmland.
The network’s other new members are spread across the globe, including France, England, Switzerland, Portugal, Japan, Mexico and the United States. The association, founded in France in 1954, now brings together more than 500 establishments; for its president, Laurent Gardinier, this represents “a sustainable journey aimed at contributing, through cuisine and hospitality, to the creation of a more respectful and supportive world, in harmony with the planet”.
The farmhouse overlooking the Adriatic
The first new Italian property belongs to the Valentini family. An 18th-century farmhouse, built on a hill overlooking the Adriatic, has been restored without losing its character as a small farming village. The 22 rooms, two of which are suites, are also housed in the old cistern, the sheepfold and the dovecote. The property is set in 24 hectares of grounds and features two panoramic swimming pools.
The restaurant is called Mareincielo, and it specialises in seasonal produce: fish from the Adriatic, ingredients from the Murgia and the Itria Valley, and vegetables and grains, some of which are grown on the estate.
