Exclusive Villa with swimming pool near Otranto: relax and sea in Salento 3km Castro

I booked the villa to celebrate my 60th birthday with 12 of my friends (we were originally 16, but a few couldn’t make it). The villa was the perfect holiday retreat, and everyone truly enjoyed their time together. The place itself was beautiful, and while the pool—with its comfy loungers and grassy area—was our favorite hangout, there were plenty of other cozy spots to relax and chat, all with ample seating. The villa was surrounded by lots of beautiful, colourful flowers and plants, which added to the ambiance of the place. Each bedroom was lovely, with its own ensuite. Most had air conditioning, except for one which had a fan, but it was still very comfortable. The villa isn’t far from town (about a 15-minute walk), so we often strolled in to explore.What really made our stay extra special was the hospitality of our host, Gracia. From the start, she helped us arrange transfers to and from the airport and took care of our car hire. She greeted us warmly on arrival and gave us a thorough tour of the villa, making us feel right at home. Gracia was always easy to reach and happy to help—whether we needed tips for local excursions or a taxi into town, she was quick to respond and nothing was ever too much trouble. Everything she did made our holiday and my birthday celebration truly memorable.I can’t recommend this villa enough for large groups. We all left with wonderful memories and lots of gratitude!

Villa Pardonise is fabulous for large groups. The outside space is particularly good with 5 or 6 different areas to sit either in the shade or the sun. We loved the outside kitchen and ate every meal there. The inside kitchen is not large but there is everything you need in it; 2 large fridges, huge cooker, 5 ring hob, lots of large platters and bowls etc. I loved that there was loads of ice made and bottles of water for our arrival. The bedrooms & bathrooms are well equipped & although it takes a little time for the hot water to come through there was plenty of it for everyone & at one stage we had 14 people staying. Grazia was a very good host & popped in on our first morning with a tray of fresh pastries. She recommend a local restaurant in Diso to go to - Al Giardino which was great & we could walk to it. Then she booked us in a fabulous fish restaurant in Castro. The younger members of our party (in their 30s) ran to the coast a few mornings & found a lovely little cove to swim in. The older members walked!! All in all the villa is excellent value for money.

I honestly don’t k know where to begin. The host Grazia and Pino were at the Villa to welcome us and show us round. Such a lovely family. The Villa is just fantastic. You can look online at the photos and you know it is going to be a great place to stay but you do not realise how big the villa and grounds actually are. All the bedrooms are large with good size bathrooms. There is also cots and z-beds for extras if needed. There is a large dining room , lounge area. The kitchen has everything you could possibly need. Utility area and downstairs toilet. The Outside area includes the most beautiful swimming pool along with sun beds and tables. There are also other different areas around the gardens with sun beds , tables and chairs , sofas, hammock, swing etc. There is a large outside dining kitchen and BBQ area, which we used every evening. A table tennis table , lots of pool toys . There is also a cupboard of toys for young children to play indoors. I had to contact Grazia as we had no air con working in our bedroom and it was so so hot. Grazia said someone would come and take a look. The day after it was changed for a brand new unit and everything working again . Grazia and Pino are an amazing couple . If you need anything or need advice or help nothing is to much trouble for them. The supermarket is 5 mins by car and you can walk into Diso village which takes 15-20 mins where you will find a small supermarket, coffee shop , restaurant and a toy shop . Beaches are about 15-20 mins by car. We have thoroughly enjoyed our time at Villa Pardonise and definitely hope to return soon. Thank you for having us.

Lovely responsive owner, but a few problems. Mostly solar powered so on cloudy days hot water not great. Kitchen needed better cleaning and not set up for anything but basic cooking. No real counter space. Pool is great as are the grounds. Nice bedrooms.