There's a version of Puglia that runs to a timetable: Alberobello by ten, Polignano by two, a scramble for a table by eight. And then there's the version we're after here, where lunch has no end time, the sea is a short drive rather than a mission, and the day's biggest decision is which way to face the sunset.

As the summer crowds thin and the olive groves settle into their busiest season, autumn is when this side of Puglia comes into its own. These four HIP Hotels, from a minimalist farm estate to an 18th-century village palazzo, are made for it.

Masseria Moroseta

For quiet minimalism and long, shared lunches

Luminous white against the Apulian sky, Masseria Moroseta sits on a gentle ridge with views over the Adriatic and the hilltop town of Ostuni. It's a modern take on the traditional masseria, and first and foremost a working agricultural estate, set within five hectares of olive grove.

Days here are unstructured in the best way. Join a tasting workshop or a rural experience on the estate, or head to Gallipoli, where one of the hotel's beautifully restored Riva motorboats takes you along the turquoise coves of the Salento coast, far from the crowds. Back at the masseria, the kitchen, led by Chef Giorgia Eugenia Goggi, sets the pace. This is hospitality on a human scale.

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Paragon 700 Boutique Hotel & Spa

For character, colour and a change of pace

Not every slow escape has to be minimalist. In the heart of Ostuni, Paragon 700 is a meticulously restored 18th-century palace where Baroque architecture meets bold contemporary design. Interior decorator Pascale Lauber has filled its fifteen rooms with hand-picked pieces that each have a story, and the owners' philosophy is that guests should arrive as strangers and leave as friends.

Come for the lush gardens and the pool, for dinner at 700 Restaurant (Puglian flavours, a modern twist, and a courtyard table on warm evenings), and for the spa, built into the palace's old water cistern and welcoming only two guests at a time. The main piazza is a short stroll away, but behind these walls it feels a world apart.

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Palais Gentile

For village life and a home in the Salento

Further south, in the old town of Matino, Palais Gentile is the kind of place you want to keep to yourself. It began life as a family home, built so that its owners could gather friends and family, and has since opened its doors to guests who want the same slow, intimate feel. The 18th-century palazzo is intimate, sustainable and quietly chic.

Its handful of rooms and suites look onto the old streets of Matino, with Puglian arches and generous windows in the suites. The rooftop terrace is made for aperitivo, and Foscolo, a restaurant and cocktail bar, is a few doors down. The concierge team can build an itinerary around the Salento, or simply let you be.

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Masseria Dagilupi

For olive groves, terraces and total stillness

Once an ancient oil mill, Masseria Dagilupi is now home to just three suites, tucked between Ostuni and the Adriatic. Many of the olive trees around it are a thousand years old, and their calm seems to spill over the whole property.

Choose the Deluxe Room Limoni, with direct access to the olive grove, or the first-floor Terrace Suite Ostuni, where you can watch the white town glow at sunset. There's no restaurant on site, which is really an invitation to explore. Puglia's food scene is on your doorstep, and yoga and massage are on hand for the mornings in between.

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Doing Puglia slowly

The secret is to plan less. Pair the Ostuni countryside with a few days in the Salento if you have the time, hire a car, and leave room in each day for a long lunch. Puglia rewards people who stay put.