We (4 adults, 4 children aged from 5 to 11) spent a week here in August. Francesco and Maria looked after us throughout our stay, ensuring that we had a wonderful week and made the most of the house and the area, advising us on where to shop, eat and visit.
We can happily suggest a couple of evenings in nearby Manduria. Book a meal at Color Vinaccia: the food and wine are incredible and the staff are clearly and rightly proud of what they produce. It helps that the outdoor tables are in an enclosed medieval courtyard which when lit up at night is more quintessentially Italian than Mozarella, olive oil and over complicated bureaucracy.
Maria works at a nearby masseria / winery and kindly arranged an evening of wine tasting for us. I know nothing about wine so wasn't sure I would like it, but the reality was that we spent the evening sat underneath the almond trees outside a 500 year old farmhouse, being fed local specialities and drinking wine from the vines around us while the sun set beyond the far side of the fields. Its sounds a bit twee as I read it back, but if Maria offers it, bite her hand off. It was a truly memorable, relaxing evening and the kids can play with twigs while you eat cheese drizzled in honey from the farm. You'll have the place to yourself too, so no one can judge your lazy parenting.
The house and pool are beautiful and the air con was invaluable on the hotter afternoons. You'll find some basic kitchen essentials - olive oil, herbs, but you might want to pick up some milk and other basics on the way there just so you don't need to rush out after you arrive. The four dogs who live there are exceptionally relaxed, probably because of the heat and the two cats must be even more chilled out because I never even saw them all week.
The beaches are only ten minutes drive away and the sea is the constant temperature of a tepid bath. There are places there to eat lunch which serve good Italian food so warn the kids (or wife) beforehand that they'll be no chips by the seaside, it's not Whitby.
If you keep on searching here you may find more stylish (if you like white walls and minimalist shelving), cheaper or better equipped homes but they will lack the reliable addition of Francesco and Maria who clearly wanted us to truly enjoy both the villa and Puglia.
We had a wonderful holiday. Book it.