Matera Recommendations

Wendi,

You might try Hotel Sassi in Matera as it has nice views and the "cave rooms" are very comfortable. As I recall, THIS is a typical night view of the Sassi from the hotel.

Are you going to be near the Sassi area? We stayed in the Hotel Sassi very close to the old area of Matera. Love that area. I need to look at a map to see how close Matera is to Sassi - will you have a car? Several hotels in Taranto - coastal views. ( but I haven't personally stayed there.)

Looks like Ken and I were posting at the same time.....

use google earth for "walking" around the town, we do this all the time before we book a hotel/pension/etc. We also choose a place on the outer rim of the town for the best views.

Last year we spent five nights at the outstanding Palazzo Degli Abati located in the Sassi. The property is a former Abbey and the amenities are very unique. Our room was the former abbey kitchen and the shower was the former fireplace. We would definitely stay here again if we return to Matera.

The entire area is most unusual and worthy of a few nights stay. The restaurants we visited were also underground and very good.

Buon viaggio,

Hi all, yes... we will have a car, yet I haven't worked out those details yet. So we will be looking for someplace that can valet the car. Staying for 4 nights, using Matera as a base to visit other areas of the basilicata region. I will check out the hotel Sassi! Any other suggestions, please let me know. It will be my father and I and we will likely be getting 2 rooms. He has more simple tastes than me. I like more amenities and modern conveniences.

We spent 3 nights in the Hotel Sassi and had a large stone deck looking out over the Sassi to the Cathedral. What a view. Looks like the one Ken posted.

But to get to the hotel you must go down quite a few stone steps. There is nowhere to park a car at the hotel.
They might be able to refer you to a paid lot in the town uphill from the hotel. It was totally worth it to walk down the hill with our small suitcases, and then back uphill upon check out. We were on the RS South Italy tour, and we all had different unique rooms. Ours happened to be the one with the deck, so we congregated there in the evening with our wine as it got dark and the lights went on. It was quiet and beautiful. We had a local guide one day who took us on a walking tour all around the Sassi. It was very interesting. I don't have the contact for the local guide as the RS tour people had booked them. But I would suggest that you find one, maybe call the RS office and ask for recommendations. It added a lot to understanding the history and changes there.

Have a Great Trip!
Mimi

I checked on the Hotel Sassi and it is totally booked at all times that we are available to go. That is sad indeed!

We enjoyed Locanda di San Martino. It has a wonderful underground spa, which we enjoyed after a long day walking around the Sassi.

Not sure if this contact information is still good, but we loved staying here a few years ago:

La Corte dei Pastori B&B
Domenico and Tiziana Giordano
Piazza San Pietro Caveoso, Via (or Vico ) Bruno Buozzi, 75100
Tel.: +39 3207220731 Tel./Fax.: +39 0835330580
E-Mail: info@lacortedeipastori.it Phone:+39 329 253 3981

High up in the sassi, car was parked about a block away, cave rooms but with showers, electricity, etc, a whole deck overlooking the sassi, very good breakfasts, and lovely hosts. I'm guessing it's less fancy than the hotel, but very comfortable.

Thank you so much everyone! I ended up booking the Fra i Sassi Residence B&B in very early April. Almost no place had availability any other time. Hopefully we will have good weather. I'll be blowing up the forum with other questions, very soon!