Photos: the luxury Italian resort where G7 leaders and celebs gather

In the year of the Italian presidency of the G7, Prime Minister Meloni chose the Borgo Egnazia resort in Puglia to host the leaders of the 'Group of 7' (Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, United Kingdom, and the United States).

Puglia lies in the 'heel of the boot' of Italy, an area with over 800 km of coastline on two seas: the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea. It's a land of centuries-old traditions and places of unquestionable charm. In recent years, it's experiencing a new era and opening up to international tourists - especially those with big bank accounts.

Looking at the rates, we can say without fear of exaggeration that Borgo Egnazia, the resort in Fasano (Brindisi), is meant for tourists with significant purchasing power. Let's see why.

Its name, as well as its appearance, can be misleading: It is not an ancient village transformed into a resort, but rather the opposite. It is a resort built specifically to recreate the environment of an Italian village with its courtyards, its stone houses, and the charm of timeless architecture.

In reality, it took a lot of time and money to make it happen. The Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera talks about a timeframe of almost 5 years, between 2005 and 2010, and an investment of around 150 million euros ($160 million) to create the resort.

The project was entrusted to the local set designer and designer Pino Brescia. He told the Oltre Puglia portal that it was a matter of a "karmic encounter": the contractor for the job was Mrs. Melpignano, a woman for whom, in a distant past, he had worked as a waiter while in college.

The idea behind the project was to build a village "freely inspired in its shapes, materials, and colors by a typical Apulian landscape", as reported by the magazine Avvenire.

The construction followed this basic idea so well that, in 2012, journalist Caroline Phillips wrote in Independence magazine, "It looks like it has been there for centuries, but it only opened fully last spring."

Prepared to accommodate up to 550 people, Borgo Egnazia is divided into three distinct areas over approximately 85 hectares: first, there's the Court, which is the main complex. Then, there's the Borgo with traditional houses. And, finally, there's '27 Villas', the largest area of the three. According to the Unique Luxury Travel website, 27 Villas has a surface area of 200 m2 (2,100 square feet).

As if we were truly in an ancient Italian village, the resort project also took into account a typical aspect of the traditional urban areas of the 'Bel Paese', including a small square. It's a place in the complex where parties, fairs, and shows take place.

Olive groves with centuries-old trees and large gardens with dry stone walls, typical of Apulian rural architecture, surround everything. The resort has a wide range of options for relaxation and fun thanks to its four swimming pools, three tennis courts, two private beaches (Cala Masciola and La Fonte), and a 200m-2 (2,100-sq-ft) spa.

The Fasano resort also has an 18-hole golf course and a splendid view of the sea.

To satisfy the needs of guests, Borgo Egnazia has a large staff of around 700 people, the Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno newspaper reports. Many of them also work in the restaurants of the resort. Among them is an exclusive restaurant where you can taste typical dishes of the delicious local gastronomy.

It is not difficult to imagine why Borgo Egnazia is so appreciated by international stars such as David and Victoria Beckham, Kim Kardashian, and Tom Hanks. It was also the marriage location of Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel in 2012 and the place Madonna chose for her birthday.

In the photo: a security guard keeps watch during the wedding of Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel in Borgo Egnazia.

Beyond the undoubted excellence of this hotel structure, some wonder why Italian PM Giorgia Meloni chose a "fake Italian village" instead of one of the "real villages" to host world leaders. Critics said this choice did nothing other than show the world an Italy that doesn't exist.

However, despite the controversies, the Sole24ore platform estimates that the G7 at Borgo Egnazia will translate into a growth of its turnover of 20% in 2024. It also means that, most likely, many other celebrities will walk through the doors of this all-luxury resort.

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