Palazzotto Residence and Winery

Nos Avis

Tucked into the honey-coloured honeycomb of the ancient Sassi di Matera, Il Palazzotto Residence & Winery offers a boutique stay that feels less like a hotel and more like stepping into history. The cave complex it is built in has been continuously occupied by humans - and until recently, their livestock too - for over 9000 years. It was only in the 1950s that the Italian government forcibly removed the last of the cave's inhabitants, rehousing them in modern tower blocks. Consequently, you get a real sense of this historical continuity while staying here. It's truly an other-worldly experience that you will find nowhere else in the world.

But first to practical details - the hotel is in the historic heart of Matera’s labyrinthine old town, just a short way down winding steps from the Cathedral. Set in the Rione Sasso Barisano, you need to arrive by foot or taxi, or transfer from one of the secure parking areas outside the city.

Each of their ten rooms is unique, housed as they are in caves of varied shapes and sizes. Subtly modern fittings, including plumbing (open showers and free-standing tubs), lighting and air-con, have been fitted unobtrusively into the structure alongside minimalist decor and furnishings so as not to disrupt the historic and romantic ambience of the caves. Considering that in the past the inhabitants used to keep livestock in here with them, the transformation from cave dwelling to luxury boutique dwelling is little short of remarkable.

The downsides of sleeping in a cave, of course, include limited natural light (there are no windows, simply glass doors leading outside). However, this is more than compensated for by the subtle lighting, which lends a romantic air. The vaulted walls of the rooms still retain the holes and niches carved by past generations to erect shelves, sleeping platforms or simply as places to burn candles. Stripped of their original use, they are a tangible reminder of those who have slept, eaten and lived here before you. In fact, before spending your first night here, it is highly recommended that you tour the small cave museum across the road to get an idea of how people lived here in the past.

As well as a hotel, this is also an organic winery, and they offer wine tastings, excursions and a cellar stocked with the property’s own organic vintages. They also have an excellent restaurant - km0 - in a cave of its own on the other side of the old town, a 20-minute walk away through the historic centre, offering seasonal dishes sourced from the area. Breakfast is served in a vaulted stone dining space, the morning light slanting across tufa walls and locally-sourced pastries and cheese offering a pleasing regional touch.

If you’re looking to experience Matera in depth, with a stay that mirrors the city’s own layering of time and texture, Il Palazzotto Residence & Winery is an inspired choice. It’s not a glitzy resort, but rather a refined refuge, where sleeping in a cave becomes something both comfortable and poetic. For a truly memorable stay in this ancient city with exceptional food and wine, Il Palzotto is a top choice.

James Dunford Wood