‘Welcome to my home,’ Fernando greeted us warmly. We had arrived at the Corte San Pietro Hotel in the panoramic city of Matera in Basilicata.

Lugging our suitcases into his inner courtyard in the cool air of the night, I was utterly amazed by the simple splendour of the luxurious hotel. With the clean and polished rock walls of the ancient stones of Matera, it certainly brought an ambience that was relaxing and luxury personified.

 

The Room

I squealed with delight as I ran amok in my room. Everything was a wonderful delight to my eyes, the intricate quaintness of an imbued Italian traditional furniture and furnishings moulded into the spacious cave room. I rather thought I had the Romeo and Juliet room. My living room and hallway was on the ground floor, a rock staircase wound to a mezzanine floor above holding a rather plush and grand bed enough to make the Queen of Britain jealous!

 

The wooden shutters opened up through the cave wall to overlook both the quiet cobblestoned street and the inner courtyard below. The melancholy piano music played out through the complex wafted inside my room and I lay on my bed, listening, while I took in my surroundings.

The two nights I spent on my bedroom mezzanine was truly luxurious. The bed was soft, offering great night’s sleep and there wasn’t anything better than waking up to the earthy scents of Italy with a cooling breeze from my window.

There was a television I could use, which I never used as I preferred to chill out in the courtyard and talk with Fernando and his wife. There were plenty of power sockets you could use to charge your electronic devices and what’s more, you had your own fridge you could store food and drinks in.

I always say it’s always the small things that make your stay enjoyable. My favourite definitely has to be the wine bottle opener that was readily provided to you. How did they know I required this? They know me so well!

There was always a fresh jug of pure water waiting for you to quench your thirst from the lovely temperatures of Basilicata.

 

Bathroom

This was possibly my favourite part of my own room. A huge bathroom awaited you that made you feel like you were in a luxurious cave. A stone bath in the floor was used plenty of times and I squirted out complementary high-quality shampoo, shower gel and bath stuff after a day adventure in Basilicata. I could lay out fully (I’m 6ft3 or 193cm) and relax in style while I could often utter dreamily, ‘this is the life!’

What’s more, not only there’s a bath you could use, there was also a powerful and wide walk-in shower. The rainfall effect could soothe the stress and worries away and it was surreal thinking that I could get a special shower in a cave.

Fluffy towels were often provided and changed frequently. Bathroom essentials for your skin and hands were readily available for use.

The sink and toilet were always sparkling white and no trace of dirtiness could be found by my critical eye.

 

Courtyard

Definitely one of the Hotel’s best features. You can unwind with a glass of Tinto wine in the inner courtyard and chat with other guests and the family that run this hotel. It definitely was a great activity of mine in the hotel!

 

Service

This family run hotel offered you a place to call home in Basilicata. You felt that you were part of Fernando’s family and he always ensured you were comfortable and happy with your stay. He was very kind to offer us glasses of Italian wine to taste during our stay and often shared his stories with us and educated us the Italian way of life. In the end, he became a much-loved character, a special uncle that we wanted to hang out with and we really missed him as soon we left Matera.

His family and staff were very friendly and efficient particularly at Breakfast and check in. They spoke good English but I really do recommend to learn a few words of Italian from them to enjoy the Italian experience when talking with them.

 

Breakfast

Breakfast was one of the most enjoyable parts of my day while I was at Corte San Pietro. Strolling from my door, I would be greeted with a Ciao from a beautiful Italian woman who promptly served me an espresso to wake me from my slumber. The breakfast buffet was exceedingly and deliciously healthy and wide-ranging from fresh fruits, yogurts, cheeses, hams, cherries and much more. I smacked my lips with gusto as I gorged myself ready for the day ahead. Coffee was in plentiful supply and as I sipped, I would look around in the traditional family kitchen in front of my stocky wooden table and observe the abstract pieces of art partially hidden in discovered balconies and shelves.

 

Wi-fi

I’m happy to report that Wi-Fi was consistently present anywhere in the complex including my room and the courtyard. This was great as I always wanted to share my experience of the hotel while I was there.

 

Location

Based in the Old Town or ‘Sassi di Matera,’ Corte San Pietro is within walking distance to many attractions, restaurants and bars. The hotel is accessible by car and found on the main Via Bruno Buozzi road that circles Matera.

 

Verdict

I would definitely give Corte San Pietro five out of five stars. What made this hotel truly special was Fernando himself. His warmth and relaxed outlook on life whilst proud of his establishment was indeed the jewel in this hotel’s crown. It was certainly luxurious but in a delightfully simple way rather than the extravagance of high-quality hotels. The hotel was indeed a place I could look forward to coming back from my Italian adventures and really, it felt like home to me.

If you’re ever in Matera, I do recommend to look Corte San Pietro up. You won’t be disappointed.

 

Fact File

Address: Via Bruno Buozzi 97b, 75100, Matera 

Tel no: +39 0835 310813

E-mail: info@cortesanpietro.it

Website: http://www.cortesanpietro.it/

 

Other Posts

Why not check out my other posts on Matera?

Is it Worth Visiting Basilicata in Italy?

19 Pictures Why Matera Should be European Capital of Culture 2019

 

Disclaimer: My stay in Corte San Pietro was organized by Basilicata Tourism as part of their #HelloBasilicata blogger campaign. All content, thoughts and opinions on RexyEdventures are always my own.

 

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