The small Italian town of Gagliano del Capo, in the Puglia region, hides a unique property that dates back 158 years. For five generations, Palazzo Daniele has belonged to the Daniele family.

The current owners, art philanthropist Francesco Petrucci and hotelier Gabriele Salini – the latter recently formed the GS Collection of hotels – have decided to transform it into an intimate hospitality project.

Opened in April, the Neoclassical building, originally built in 1861 by renowned local architect Domenico Malinconico, comprises a series of patios surrounded by Mediterranean vegetation. Discreet and grandiose at the same time, the palazzo was reinvented by architects and designers Ludovica and Roberto Palomba from Palomba Serafini Associati.

They took inspiration from the concept of absence and preserved the structure’s architectural integrity. The original mosaic flooring and the magnificent colourful frescoes on the ceilings pay tribute to the past, while offering a background for a modern art collection.

Francesco selected and commissioned the pieces of art and design throughout the spaces, such as a Luigi Presicci lamp, Nicolas Party stools, a Roberto Cuoghi sculpture and Carla Accardi lithography, which are combined with old portraits and Neoclassical elements. The renovation resulted in a reorganisation of the interior spaces, which honours a return to the essentials. The majestic salons are now used as an exhibition area, and the nine suites are located across two wings, which overlook the open-air courtyard, outdoor pool and the small plaza of Gagliano del Capo.

In the rooms, framed with vaulted ceilings, the reduced furniture reflects a monastic spirit. Black steel-framed, open wardrobes were custom designed by Palomba Serafini Associati and the light boxes by Simon d’Exea.

The Royal Junior Suite bathroom was created as an art installation, where water from a rain shower attached to a 6m-high ceiling falls into a basin designed by the Italian artist Andrea Sala.

With its independent access, private kitchen, living room, dining room, three bedrooms and three bathrooms, the 200 sq m aristocratic Suite Apartment occupies an entire wing of the palazzo and is adorned with the contemporary artworks Pocket by Mohamed Namou and Prototipo Macchina per la Conquista del Mondo by Sergio Breviario.