Located in Italy’s exquisite Puglia region, Palazzo Daniele is a nine-suite luxury hotel housed in a 150-year-old family palazzo, formerly the home of art philanthropist Francesco Petrucci. Inspired by the concept of absence, the hotel’s minimalist design strips back as much as possible, while augmenting the grandeur of the palazzo’s original frescoes, vaulted ceilings, and mosaic flooring, to create a dramatic canvas for the property’s contemporary art collection. The sister hotel of G-Rough in Rome, Palazzo Daniele is a tangible embodiment of the spirit of Gabriele Salini’s newly formed GS Collection of hotels, merging the very best of Italian art, design, and gastronomy in an authentic, organic setting. Far from the well-trodden tourist trails, Palazzo Daniele is set in the sleepy, under-the-radar village of Gagliano del Capo in Puglia’s southernmost Salento region, renowned for its charming blend of neoclassical, Baroque and Byzantine architecture. A gateway to both the Adriatic’s rocky coastline and the sandy beaches of the Ionian Sea, Salento is also the setting for the annual international art show Capo d’Arte, which was founded by Petrucci and draws in tastemakers and globally recognized names each year.

Originally constructed in 1861, the year of Italy’s reunification, the stately palazzo was designed by locally renowned architect Domenico Malinconico in the neoclassical style, exhibited through a series of courtyards and lush Mediterranean landscaping. Recently reshaped and reimagined by GS Collection, along with award-winning Milanese design studio Palomba Serafini Associati, the property re-emerges today with a harmonious combination of sublime minimalism and 19th-century splendour. By stripping back the interiors while preserving the structure’s architectural integrity through the restoration of ornate frescos and original flooring, the palazzo offers an exceptional backdrop for its carefully-curated modern art collection. Commissioned by Petrucci, site-specific works found across the property, such as a Luigi Presicci lamp, Nicolas Party stools, a Roberto Cuoghi sculpture, and Carla Accardi’s lithography, sit alongside ancestral portraits and neoclassical design motifs.

The transformation of Palazzo Daniele also extends to the building’s layout. The grand front living areas now serve as exhibition spaces, while the suites are located at the back of the palazzo, all either overlooking the property’s courtyards, outdoor pool, or the town’s central Piazzetta. Framed by vaulted ceilings, the suites are monastic in spirit and sparsely furnished, designed to heighten the impact of room design pieces that blur the lines between art and function. The spacious Junior Suites and Royal Junior Suite have king-size beds and black steel-framed open wardrobes — custom-made by the Palombas — a signature feature throughout the suites. The bathroom of the latter has been conceived as a living art installation, in which a rain shower falls from a six-meter-high ceiling onto a basin designed by Italian artist Andrea Sala. Each of the suites feature extraordinarily designed lightboxes by Simon d'Exea that also serve a practical purpose by illuminating the space, along with unique works from various contemporary artists, including Claudio Abbate, Eva Jospin, and Christian Frosi.

Centred around a large, light-filled living room from the 1800s, the expansive Master Suite has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a selection from Palazzo Daniele’s enviable art collection, while the hotel’s aristocratic Suite Apartment inhabits an entire wing of the palazzo with independent access, private kitchen, a living room, three bedrooms, three private bathrooms and a dining room. The apartment, formerly Petrucci’s residence at the property, is characterized by a striking combination of architectural heritage, minimalistic design and bold artwork, including Mohamed Namou's "Pocket" and Sergio Breviario's "Prototipo Macchina per la Conquista del Mondo."

Public spaces throughout the property beckon a communal sentiment, encouraging guests to relax with an aperitivo next to the living room fireplace or in the sprawling open-air courtyard, Palazzo Daniele’s architectural centrepiece. The open kitchen, which boasts a view of the pool through an arched doorway window, functions as a prime gathering point – a place to sit, eat, drink and converse. Breakfast, light tapas, and dinner are served on-demand, with local ingredients sourced fresh each morning from the local chef. Outside on the property grounds, guests are welcome to refresh with a session in the steam room and sauna, bask in Puglia’s sun with a swim or indulge in a romantic candlelit dinner for two in the Kaffeehaus enclosure – once a meeting spot for the area’s aristocratic set. On-site orange trees can be hand-picked and offered up to the kitchen for a splash of citrus in cocktails and light bites.

Both hyper-localism and community are key values to the social concept of Palazzo Daniele, which are two of the uniting principles within GS Collection. Located in the centre of the village, the palazzo’s unique, long-standing relationship with the local community ensures that guests have unparalleled access to traditional Pugliese life. This authentic engagement allows for localized experiences such as angling with neighbouring fishermen and touring nearby farms and then presenting the haul of the day to the hotel’s chef to prepare family-style at the palazzo’s communal table. The chef, who hails from Gagliano del Capo, is also available for private cooking lessons, sharing generations-old techniques with guests, or can readily point them in the direction of the best regional mozzarella or local winery.