Matera (https://www.cittameridiane.it/en/matera-rock-carved-city/) is a lime and tuff miracle from the magical atmosphere, a dream city, set of famous films since 1964 when here Pier Paolo Pasolini shooted “Vangelo secondo Matteo”. But despite the beauty of Matera no hidden sure, it was not easy thirty years ago bet on the tourist future of this city declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1993 but still today lacks infrastructure.
Sassi Hotel, the first albergo diffuso in Matera
After just three years, in 1996 the engineer Pier Gregorio Padula opens his accomodation structure, the first “albergo diffuso” (scattered hotel) in Matera, in the heart of the Sassi, made renovating a large housing complex: the Sassi Hotel.
The homes include the three main types of typical houses of the districts dug into the tuff ie the cave-houses, those built and not dug of the middle class and the palaces.
The 35 rooms are included in the area between Via San Giovanni Vecchio at the top and bottom via Fiorentini, in the Sasso Barisano, a short walk from the picturesque church of San Giovanni Battista and Piazza Vittorio Veneto, the main in the city.
The hotel has a breathtaking panoramic view and one of the rooms with the best view is the Junior Suite which we were allocated. While lying on the bed not never get tired of looking beyond the window and you feel as if suspended between the Cathedral and the Sasso below.
The view is beautiful at any time of day but is at sunset the most impressive moment, one in which the Sassi give show tinged first pink and then red, with the cathedral that stands out against the glaring golden background. Then night falls and low walls, stairways and “neighborhoods”, as the houses are called groups around a small courtyard, glinting like a big crib.
The rooms are all different, tastefully decorated and located on various levels, but all sharing the view of a landscape that, while changing the angle, never betray the expectations. The entire complex is embellished with terraces with views toward the cathedral and Sasso Barisano.
In our suite, in addition to the magnificent view and the terrace on which to enjoy the warm sun that stay in Matera gave us, all the amenities to ensure a pleasant stay: heating/air conditioning, wi-fi, telephone, minibar, hair dryer, toiletries and flat screen tv.
The reception is open 24 hours with 24 with staff attentive and helpful to our every request. Very kind all the staff, with a real sense of welcome and a ready smile on his lips: so they welcomed us each day Cristina, Vivian, Nunzia and Domenica. And we were pampered until the last day when they wanted to greet us with a coffee heart on cappuccino!
In addition, we are sure, it would have been “pokin’ around” by everyone even our Arturo: The Hotel Sassi is a structure pets frendly where our furry friends are welcome.
A separate discussion deserve the breakfast with all good things, from salty to sweet: donuts among the best and never eaten light, croissants, sweet pigtails, fresh fruit, savory and sweet buns as the “ricc’olio” the snack of once of Matera children, a true delicacy.
Also pleasant chats with engineer Padula who spoke lovingly of his city by making us fall in love even more. We said goodbye with a promise: to return from April onwards until September to watch the circling of the lesser kestrel, a rare and protected bird of prey that nests on the roofs of Hotel Sassi.
Sassi Hotel
Via San Giovanni Vecchio 89, Matera
Info: +39 0835 3310009 – +39 331 1940056
www.hotelsassi.it – info@hotelsassi.it
