Luxury travel network Virtuoso has just named Italy’s Palazzo Seneca as Hotel of the Year for 2017. The boutique hotel situated in the historical centre of Norcia, Umbria in Italy combines old world charm and architecture through its stone façade, flagstone and terracotta-tiled floors and beamed ceilings with modern elegance oozed by the interiors. The restored 16th-century palace has undergone various transformations since its acquisition by the Bianconi family in 2002, and at present it has 24 rooms, composed primarily of impeccable marble bathrooms, hand-carved four-poster beds and wood furnishings fashioned by local artisans. The Palazzo is a member of the Relais & Chateaux, an exclusive club of independent properties that includes historic landmarks, castles and manors in bucolic settings. The Palazzo Seneca was declared as the winner at Virtuoso’s 11th annual Best of the Best awards held in Las Vegas, on the basis of votes cast by 800 travel agency partners and 16,000 travel advisers. The contenders were selected from the agencies’ and advisers’ portfolio of 1,200 hotels, resorts, villas and private island retreats in 100 countries.
