«Talea Collection has given a soul to this place». General Manager Andrea Sabato talks about transforming a local structure into an international destination
La Peschiera in Monopoli, Apulia
Located on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, on the Monopoli-Savelletri coast road, is La Peschiera. An ancient Bourbon residence characterized the previous structure through six tanks dedicated to fish farming and an inlet where boats docked. Nowadays, those tanks have become pools and the rooms used by fishermen have been turned into thirteen suites. Twelve among them present a direct entrance to the sea.
La Peschiera is in a strategic position under the natural, historical, cultural and gastronomic points of view. Within fifteen kilometers, in fact, three Blue Flags – the certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education, FEE – were recognized to Polignano a Mare, Savelletri and Monopoli. Alberobello and Matera, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites, are less than an hour away. Further, Martina Franca and Minervino Murge, with its annual Locus jazz festivals, attract international tourists every year.
Talea Collection
Talea Collection acquired La Peschiera. The group features locations in the heart of Apulia, including a seventeenth-century masseria, Il Melograno, a private beach, Tamerici Beach Club, another hotel, Cala Ponte Hotel, and a portfolio of villas and private mansions in the Itria Valley, linked to their geographical area, also from an architectural perspective. «Since the renovation, the focus was on the understanding of the respect for the territory, as the great wealth of these structures is the territory». Andrea Sabato, General Manager at Talea Collection, describes the approach undertaken by the company.
The celebration of the heritage and the promotion of sustainable practices are at the center of La Peschiera’s concept. As an example, wastewater and water purification systems were entirely renovated – albeit functioning – to contain the discharges into the sea. In addition, the hiring of an agronomist has the aim of preserving the nature of these locations, marked by ancient trees and rare plants. QR codes replace the use of paper. Moreover, courtesy services include organic materials produced in Apulia (e.g. olive-oil creams and lotions derived from must). «Talea Collection has given a soul to this place». Through this vision, in fact, clients are able to rediscover the territory through a contemporary language.
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«It is a window on the sea. Sleeping at La Peschiera is like sleeping on a boat. You can see both dusk and dawn». Sabato emphasizes the importance of water. It is, in fact, the element characterizing the experience provided by the boutique hotel, paired with the white stone in lime. The design of the location is minimal. A choice influenced by the willingness to let the Adriatic Sea become the protagonist. As a consequence, clients wake up early in the morning to admire the first rays of light, while enjoying their breakfast, which is served on each room’s patio.
Apart from the location, the General Manager remarks the staff preparation as well as the culinary proposals, as the assets distinguishing La Peschiera from the other hotels in the Apulia region. As for the employees, Talea Collection focuses on the training and development of a predominantly local staff. Young professionals make up the group, as «they are the ones who can truly express the richness of their heritage».
Further, La Peschiera’s restaurant, Saleblu provides his clientele with a catering offer mainly linked to fish. Chef Vito Casulli is at the head of it. The sea, in fact, is represented in all its facets, by types of fish characterizing the territory, such as the mullet and redfish. Due to the collaboration with local suppliers – which was built throughout the years – every morning the fish arrives according to the chef’s directions. The restaurant is open to the public. Sabato took this decision according to the belief that these structures must not be closed in on themselves. «They are the heritage of this land, as they represent unique beauties».
The right type of tourism
Not everyone represents the right client for these hotels. These structures, in fact, deserve a kind of clientele that understands and appreciates the emotional impact they provide. «At La Peschiera silence is the protagonist, and the only sound is that of the sea». Sabato’s vision is to preserve the structure. The aim is to keep representing Apulia in an authentic way over the years, on a national and international level.
This topic is important for the General Manager, as he has followed the evolution of tourism from a young age. Starting his professional path, he used to describe the region to international operators as «that piece of land in front of Greece». Later, the attention shifted to the Gargano area, due to clients coming mainly from Germany, and to the overtourism of the Salento peninsula. Nowadays, Sabato praises the foresight of some politicians and the commitment of the new generation of local entrepreneurs. They have managed to enhance and promote the Itria Valley through undertourism.
Events at La Peschiera
Sabato confesses his difficulty in granting La Peschiera for events. Most of the time, he asks to book the structure in its entirety, not to threaten clients’ privacy. The majority of events take place at Il Melograno, with its five hectares of countryside. Among them, weddings in masseria have become an international trend. Talea Collection, in fact, provides private celebrations, experiences and activities to clients coming from all over the world to celebrate their friends’ union.
Despite the initial concerns, La Peschiera was the set of Carlo Verdone’s latest film Si vive una volta sola. The Italian director specifically asked for the boutique hotel, due to the relevance of the sea characterizing several scenes. Sabato defined the film production as «serious and respectful towards the structure and its clients». Apulia Film Commission run the crew. This led to a growth of the Apulian cinema sector, as local professionals represented the majority of it. The film – promoted by the Apulia region – became a relevant communication tool, both for the territory and for La Peschiera itself. After its release, several clients requested Verdone’s suite.
From a local structure to an international destination
While in 2019, about eighty percent of La Peschiera’s clients were international individuals, the situation changed in 2020, with tourists coming mainly from Italy. Future development of the boutique hotel will always be based on the concepts of territory and experiences. Sabato talks with pride about the structure, despite the everyday challenges he had to face, especially if considering the beginning of his journey. In point of fact, as he points out, it was not easy to make a contract for the old lady cooking orecchiette in Bari Vecchia. It was even harder to book a gozzo in Polignano a Mare to have a tour of the caves. Nevertheless, Talea Collection’s work at La Peschiera contributed to the creation of a heritage available to clients. Turning the local structure into a destination recognized internationally.
La Peschiera
Contrada Losciale, 63 Frazione, 70043 Capitolo, Bari
La Peschiera is a five-star Hotel & Resort, sixty-five kilometers away from the Brindisi-Casale and Bari-Palese airports.
