The Corte San Pietro, while offering all the qualities and features expected of a quality hotel, is much more than a boutique hotel: it offers the opportunity to immerse yourself in the thousand-year-old history of Matera, the town of the Sassi (cave dwellings), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and embodies the concept of a ’boutique hotel".’Albergo Diffuso (scattered hotel) in Basilicata, combining a deep historical heritage with contemporary and elegant design.
Situated in the heart of the historic area, the hotel makes it easy to explore the city on foot, including Matera Cathedral and other major sites such as the Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario just a few minutes away.
The owners, Marisa and Fernando Ponte, have restored old «cave-houses» to create 17 charming guest rooms carved out of tufa limestone, Matera's traditional building material.
They retain their vaulted ceilings and exposed stone walls, creating a rustic, fresh and paradoxically elegant atmosphere, centred around an inner courtyard, a serene living space where breakfast can be served, offering a contrast of light with the intimacy of the caves.
Italian refinement and charm
The design of the Corte San Pietro can be considered a balanced success, with its rustic elegance, furniture often made from ancient carved wood or limestone elements, combining the authenticity of the ancient habitat with modern comfort, comfortable bedding and a deep relaxing bath. Natural light floods into the rooms, but retains the intimate character of the caves. It filters through the original doors and the linen curtains, while the small «bouche-de-loup» windows gracefully illuminate the spaces carved out of the rock. Every decorative detail has been carefully considered.
Travellers' reviews praise several strong points. Staff are unanimously described as warm, smiling and very attentive, offering detailed explanations of the city and its major points of interest. Guests can visit the establishment's ancient underground system of eight vast cisterns, a fascinating insight into the city's hydraulic engineering.
Breakfast is often described as exceptional, showcasing local produce. It is served in a perfectly restored room, itself a former troglodyte dwelling, sometimes accompanied by the rhythms of a pianist whose presence may seem incongruous to some, but would be applauded by American tourists...
Hotel Corte San Pietro
Matera
T. +39 0835 310813
Text and Photos : Sylvain Grandadam
