This is a very special place - the most beautiful guesthouse with wonderful hosts!
La Limonaia is set in the grounds of a stunning ancient Masseria or a country house which has been in the host's family for generations .
The guesthouse is beautifully renovated and surrounded by excellently maintained gardens. The swimming pool is absolutely huge and cleaned regularly in the mornings. There are lovely seating arrangements near the swimming pool positioned under the eaves, providing you with the shade and space to just relax and read a book when you want to hide from the sun. This area also has a shower and toilet attached so you don't have to go all the way back to your room if you wish to use the shower after a swim.
The bedrooms are just lovely and tastefully decorated with a mixture of antique furniture. The kitchen and living area is also very spacious and comfortable. All the rooms are equipped with brand new air conditioning and each bedroom has an en-suite. The villa is cleaned everyday by the lovely Roberta, who goes out of her way to help in any way she can (my son quite regularly locked himself out of his bedroom!).
When we arrived on Sunday afternoon, the shops were closed so Francesca and Roberto generously provided us with some supplies to make a meal which was so lovely! It was an extra gesture that was hugely appreciated.
Nearby in the town is a lovely bakery and a shop, but its a little further out if you want to experience the towns of Lecce and Grotagglie. Both are absolutely beautiful and definitely worth the drive. Francesca has also put together a great little booklet detailing the best beaches to visit and restaurants to eat at.
All in all, the La Limonaia was an idyllic stay and had all the personal touches which made it even better than we expected. It was so quiet and peaceful. Will definitely be recommending to all of our friends and hope to be back soon!