The glitzy Miami-born hotel brand Delano is heading to southern Italy. Ennismore, working with developers LIMM and Società Rinascimento Valori, has signed Delano Puglia, the brand's first property in the country. It opens in 2028 in Monopoli, a historic port city on Puglia's Adriatic coast.
The resort will be compact by luxury standards: 76 rooms, including 13 suites, set in a secluded stretch of coastline with rocky coves and open sea views. The brand's signature Miami swagger gets a Mediterranean translation here — light-filled interiors, a natural colour palette, and plenty of indoor-outdoor flow between spaces.
Food and drink will be a major draw. Expect an all-day restaurant run by Paris Society (the group behind some of Paris's most scene-y dining venues), two pool bars, a lobby lounge, and an Italian take on Miami's famously exclusive Rose Bar. Wellness gets its own identity too, under the banner of The Source by Delano, with pools, movement studios and a programme that promises restoration with a social edge. Flexible event spaces suggest the hotel is courting weddings, retreats and corporate groups alongside regular holidaymakers.
The arrival of Delano says a lot about where Italy's luxury map is moving. Puglia — with its whitewashed towns, masserie, and famously good, simple food — has been steadily pulling high-end travellers away from Amalfi, Sardinia and the other well-worn resort enclaves. Big international brands have noticed, and Monopoli, just south of Bari and a short hop from Polignano a Mare, is one of the region's fastest-rising names. Locals are also framing this as regeneration: the project aims to revive a neglected part of the city and make it a destination in its own right.
For travellers, the practical takeaway is simple: Puglia's luxury scene is scaling up fast, and 2028 is the year to watch for this opening. If you'd rather beat the crowds, the region rewards a visit now — the same coastlines, coves and trattorias are already there, minus the poolside waiting lists. Monopoli makes an excellent base, with Bari's airport under an hour away and easy day trips to Alberobello's trulli houses, Ostuni and Lecce.
Delano itself has been on an expansion run, with recent openings and signings in Miami, Paris, Dubai, New York, London and Marrakech — Puglia extends that push into one of Europe's most in-demand leisure regions. Worth keeping on the list if a design-led, socially buzzing beach resort sounds more your speed than a quiet country masseria.
