The desire to travel and escape the city is being compounded by travel restrictions triggered by the global pandemic. With travel confined to destinations accessible by car, we are launching a Staycation Series, to provide you with unique staycation options around the world, spanning the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, and beyond. Join us as we explore Paragon 700 Boutique Hotel & Spa, a stylish and historic boutique stay situated in the heart of Italy’s White City.

Paragon 700 Boutique Hotel & Spa is an oasis-like retreat in the heart of Italy’s White City — Puglia.

Differentiated by its red-brick facade against the sea of surrounding white buildings dotting the landscape, Paragon 700 had previously been known as Palazzo Rosso, the ‘Red Palace’, and the stone building had always been at the center of the city’s social and cultural scene and was once home to Ostuni’s first mayor.

Paragon 700’s owners, Pascale Lauber and Ulrike Bauschke, had been in love with Puglia a few years prior to their visit to the historic Palazzo Rosso. The building had sat asleep for over 40 years, and upon the arrangement of an Ostunian friend to visit the property, Pascale and Ulrike instantly fell in love with the building. The two partners and entrepreneurs have shaken up the rules of real estate and interior design with their projects around the globe from Romont, Lausanne and Verbier, Switzerland to Paris, New York, and Cape Town, and now counts Paragon 700 amongst their storied creations. The project had required the owners’ intense attention for several years, but the resulting stylish and elegant boutique accommodations were well worth the commitment.

The onset of the global pandemic had stalled the hotel’s inaugural opening, but on June 18th the team finally managed to open its doors to guests. The elegantly restored red palace in the heart of Puglia’s White City, Ostuni, has been meticulously restored to boast 11 individually curated rooms, meaning guest numbers are naturally limited and exclusive takeovers are possible.

The hotel’s red brick façade cocoons a lush garden and swimming pool, a rare green space in the heart of the city, offering a spacious, tranquil and exclusive oasis, just a five-minute walk from the main square. The team has put in place a full range of cleanliness and safety measures in light of Covid-19, including daily temperature checks for staff and for guests on arrival, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all those who wish to enjoy this exciting new boutique hotel.

INTERIORS

A unique decor, down to the smallest detail, the hotel features repurposed monumental light fixtures, South African sofas and headboards, gazebos from India turned into bathtubs, closets, and night-stands from Puglia, unconventional sculptures and gorgeous paintings by the London artist Suzanne Lipsey or Giuseppe Ciraci. The creative association of old and new art, objects, and furnishings in a head-spinning and yet personal mix is Pascale’s trademark. Her keen sense of observation was sharpened not only during a lifetime of travel and countless visits to international art and trade shows but also at the local flea-markets. Her vision of worldly elegance is multicultural and original down to the smallest detail. The unique result being coherent, deeply modern, and stimulating at the same time is at the root of the exceptional atmosphere permeating every room at Paragon 700.

ROOMS AND SUITES

The team painstakingly restored every inch of the former Italian palace using traditional handcrafted techniques, while injecting a splash of modern flair. French parquet flooring extends throughout all 11 rooms and suites, which feature stonewashed bed linen, cathedral ceilings, period frescos, and fireplaces. Each guest room is different, some offering terraces, balconies, or in the case of the Paragon Suite, a sunken bathtub and a private terrace with sun loungers. Guests who fall in love with the chic interiors will be delighted to discover that they can buy select furniture and décor to take home as the ultimate holiday memento. Any sold pieces will be replaced by the boutique hotel’s stylish owners, who will be happy of an excuse to indulge their passion for sourcing eclectic items.  

GOURMET

Rest assured that this boutique hotel offers the full experience, from gourmet cuisine to a wellness spa to nourish your body and alleviate any stressors. Paragon 700 Boutique Hotel & Spa will bring a fresh taste to Ostuni, with the opening of Restaurant 700. Head chef Giovanni Cerroni, the protégé of Michelin-starred Paulo Airaudo, offers an enticing menu that celebrates outstanding local ingredients and cuisine. Open to guests and locals alike, this new venue will offer an intimate dining experience, with impeccable service and the finest local vintages from the hotel’s impressive wine cellar. Bar 700 will be the perfect place to relax with an aperitif, nightcap, or creative cocktail.

WELLNESS

Paragon 700 is the only hotel in the heart of the White City to offer a swimming pool and garden, making it an unrivaled haven for visitors looking to unwind and recharge. After mornings wandering Ostuni’s alleys, there will be nothing more inviting than diving into the cool water, relaxing with a novel in the fragrant citrus orchard, or stretching out with a personalized yoga or Pilates classes in a secluded corner of the garden. The palace’s former water chamber has been transformed into a unique spa offering a Turkish bath, Himalayan salt wall, multi-sensory shower, and a natural whirlpool dug into the ground. Couples booking the two mezzanine-level treatment rooms can enjoy exclusive access to the spa, essentially their very own private wellness sanctuary.

Open year-round, Paragon 700 Boutique Hotel & Spa is the ideal destination for well-traveled guests in search of an authentic Puglian experience combined with contemporary style. The hotel offers a private underground car park, so guests can come and go in the comfort and safety of their own vehicles. A 30-minute scenic drive from Brindisi Airport or 1-hour from Bari Airport, the hotel offers an effortless and elegant escape with outstanding design and service coupled with unrivaled experiences.

To find out more about this coveted boutique retreat, visit the hotel’s website.