Hotel Picchio Nero

One of the most amazing dining experiences EVER! The Chef is so welcoming and warm, the food is astonishing, local, with history. The Chef puts effort i to presentint every dish also so genuine and warm person! 10/10 experience!

Been in this property for three days. The hotel is in a perfect location for exploring the Pollino National Park and, also, it is one of the best properties in Southern Italy. I was amazed by coziness of the place, the cleanliness of the room, the friendliness of the owner but, above all, the superb quality of the food. Chef Pino has a decades long experience in the restaurant industry and, yet, I have never felt so at home. He made it a point in explaining the story behind each recipe and the way to prepare it. He is very active in the international community and his restaurant has been reviewed by countless magazines and guides. He has seemingly travelled the world and was in several TVs program. Ill definitively be back

we stayed at this hotel for 3 nights on a tour of Basilicata and Calabria. Pino, the owner, runs an excellent establishment which I would not fault. Accommodation is rustic in style but comfortable. Sleep quality was very good. Pino is an excellent chef and prepared a menu of local dishes for us on each evening. Without exception, everything was delicious. We particularly enjoyed the descriptions of each dish which Pino provided. No complaints about breakfast either. Finally I should add that our stay represented exceptional value for money.

Amazing experience in the mountainside village of Terranova di Pollino. I took my sons to see the village where their great grandfather came from. 2 star Michelin chef Pino was our host. He cooked us a 5 course meal of the actual type of “peasant food” that our ancestors ate in the 1800s in 5is village. It was authentic and delicious. Thank you Pino for the great accommodations, yummy cuisine and warm welcome to Terranova.

I stayed here as part of a Ramblers walking tour and the location was very good for this. The hotel is situated on the edge of the village so easy to pop out for pic-nic food (fab bakers and greengrocers) and visiting local bars after a hike to watch the village life. The surrounding countryside is beautiful. I was impressed by the standard of the hotel for this price range in many aspects but the food deserves a special mention - well above average and very generous portions. The home cured meats and pasta sauces were sublime. ||We had a room with a large balcony overlooking the mountains - but we were lucky as some of the rooms do not. The furnishings are basic but perfectly adequate and the standard of cleanliness was fine. The only downside was the breakfast coffee which was not to the taste of any in our group. The coffee from the bar however was very good.

We stayed at this hotel for 5 nights to explore the beautiful area. We have been greeted with the warmest welcome we ever came across. Pino, owner and I dare to say, Masterchef, made our stay unforgettable. ||||The hotel itself is perfectly located for excursions into Pollino National park, which hosts rare species such as the Apennine wolf, wild cats and otters. Pino Loricato or Bosnian pine is considered a pre-historical botanical marvel and it's found only in this region (outside of its main range, the mountainous areas of the Balkans). The story is that seeds were carried over by winds. ||||The accommodation is comfortable and clean and if you are lucky enough to get a room with a balcony, the view is just fantastic. The attic rooms are not for tall people. ||||Food - well, we did not expect Michelin starred quality but Pino delivered exactly that and came up with the most amazing dishes and flavours (including truffle delights). Pino uses local ingredients and takes the time to explain the story behind the dish. Just excellent and superb. We left few pounds heavier though (that's the only "complaint" we could muster up between us). Tip - try the house wine, it's excellent. ||||Other things to do in the area: in addition to exploring the beautiful Pollino National park, it's worth visiting San Paolo and San Constantino Albanese Albanian villages established around 1534; Acquafreddo; Maratea - a beautiful costal town, the pre-historic Grotta del Romito etc. But ask Pino - he is an excellent advisor of the best places to visit. And comes October, truffle hunt is on. ||||Tips: you'll need a car to get around easily, but, do not rely entirely on GPS - there are hundreds of new roads not existent on any map or even GPS. If you miss an exit, you may end up driving 20-25 miles till you get the chance to turn around. Mountain roads (serpentines would be a better description) can be treacherous and be mindful of the things looking like a traffic cone - it means part of the road is gone on that side. Drive carefully and slowly, don't rush.

This was our first trip to southern Italy. It was memorable because we were able to locate family members, but also memorable because the hotel was so inviting. The rooms were sparkling clean - and the dinner was out of this world. Pino is not only the owner/operator, but also the main chef. He is a true gentleman in every sense of the word. No matter how many people he is cooking for he makes a point of explaining the different courses to each table, and making you feel you are the only patron. He made our stay so comfortable and I would highly recommend the Picchio Nero. Sincerely, Marianne & Mike, Long Island, NY

Our family travelled to Terranova di Pollino in order to see the land and trace some of the roots of our family, as my father's grandfather was born in Terranova.||||From the moment we stepped out of our car, we were extended the most incredible hospitality and help by the proprietor of the hotel, Mr. Pino Golia.||||His knowledge of the town and the region is remarkable. Mr. Golia telephoned a person in town with our surname, and to our astonishment, it turned out to be an entire branch our our family that we never knew existed!! This was made possible by the helpfulness of Mr. Golia.||||Finally, a comment has to be made about the remarkable cuisine prepared for us by Mr. Golia. It was phenomenal!!! My family has eaten in a plethora of ristorante during our trips to Italy, but nothing compared to the incredible meals that we had at the Picchio Nero.||||Highly recommended.