Mr & Mrs Smith

When we first entered Matera we drove through the new area and to us it looked like any other modern Italian city. Then out of nowhere we turned a corner and our jaws just dropped: Old Matera with its caves, rock and stone was unlike anything we had ever seen before. We drove around the outskirts of the city – to our left a deep ravine and to our right a slowly evolving network of narrow alleys and caves-turned-cafe-restaurant-hotel-shop or spa. We even saw a sign for yoga. It was so unreal. We checked in at Sextantio le Grotte della Civita and we laughed when we were told 'I will show you to your cave now'. Sure enough though, we open the door with our foot-long iron key and walk into a 40-foot ceiling cave. Again our jaws dropped. Our room was a beautiful mesh of ancient and modern. Matera is truly a hidden gem. We spent hours just wandering the bustling streets. It was a complete adventure, because it is like a big maze but the greatest part is that you never feel lost. We cannot wait to return.

Both Sextantio hotels were life changing experiences for me. I have been in the hospitality business my whole life. These two hotels, along wIth the Wine Resort at Conti Di San Bonifacio, far exceeded our expectations and created an unforgettable memory for us. After not knowing about Mr & Mrs Smith we signed up, and after our first night in one of their recommended hotels, we rearranged our whole trip to use their hotels. What a great stay. PS: food in these hotels is over the top-good.