Rooms

The Zocchis collected the furnishings first and designed the rooms around them, and that’s exactly how they look – everything (from the sumptuous beds to the armchairs and the antique armoires) fits together like a dream.

Named after old farmhouses on the original estate, there are 8 rooms in the house (4 Superior, 2 Suites, 2 Romantic) and 1 in an annex - the latter designed for guests with disabilities. All are light and spacious, decorated in warm colours (cream, red, gold, burnt umber, ochre) with rustic walnut beams, terracotta tiled floors, antique mirrors, ornate beds and handmade Montefalco linens. Some of the top-floor rooms have sloping ceilings, hand-painted with delicate friezes. The look is traditional country house but there are 21st-century touches – like wide-screen plasma TVs and energy-efficient air conditioning. All windows have shutters and insect screens.

The bathrooms are lined with marble and mosaics; the floors are terracotta (some inlaid with antique tiles from Naples) and they all have a window (in ours, we could look at our spectacular Umbrian view from under the shower).

In terms of comfort, there isn't a lot to choose between the different room types, but the Suites (Vescovo and Rota) are the largest. One is furnished with a wrought-iron four poster draped in floaty white muslim, and both have generous sitting areas and kingsize bathrooms (double sinks, bath tubs and walk-in showers). The Romantics (Poggio, Torricella) have arched ceilings and large wet-room showers. The special-needs room (Spineta) has a private entrance and terrace.

Features include:

• Fan
• In-room treatments available
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

Cooking is Paola’s passion, and both she and Stefano are enthusiastic hosts, keen to share their love of Umbrian cuisine and regional wines. Their speciality is a delicious home-cooked 4-course dinner offering 2 choices per course (ordered in advance) and served in the dining room (a cosy space with restaurant-style tables and a living-room atmosphere) or outside on the terrace.

The menu, which changes every day, is modern-traditional and driven by the availability of seasonal produce. Paola's philosophy is to only use ingredients sourced locally by farmers, and all meat and vegetables are organic. A typical dinner might start with lentil flan with shrimps or grilled aubergine served with mozzarella and parmigiano cheeses, basil and fresh tomato sauce. A pasta dish usually follows – pappardelle al cinghiale (wild boar), or tagliatelle with Norcia truffle. Main dishes might include fillet of beef cooked in red wine, or rolled turkey filled with chestnut and truffles. For dessert? Strawberry bavarese with vanilla cream, or pan di spezie with vinsanto and pear.

Breakfast is continental (cereals, fruit, pastries, yoghurt, cooked eggs to order) and is served (until 10am) in the dining room or on the terrace. You can have breakfast in your room at extra cost.

Features include:

• Bar
• Breakfast
• Dinner by arrangement
• Lunch by arrangement
• Organic produce
• Restaurant
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• Admire the view as you swim in the gorgeous infinity pool
  
  
• Explore the region’s historic towns: Todi (a walled hilltown, 18km); Bevagna (a relatively undiscovered medieval town, 40km); Perugia (for Renaissance art, 40km) and Assisi (for Franciscan monks and medieval churches, 50km). The hotel can arrange private tours with multi-lingual guides
  
  
• Try the local wines (Umbria’s full-bodied Sagrantino reds, or Orvieto’s crisp whites). Lunch and wine tastings can be arranged either on a tour of the region’s vineyards or at the Palazetta’s own cantina
  
  
• Visit a local olive oil mill (best in November, after the olive harvest)
  
  
• Tour the Perugina Chocolate Factory - home to the famous Perugina Baci candy
  
  
• Learn to cook, Umbrian-style with Paola the chef (minimum 4 people)
  
  
• Italian language courses are also on offer nearby, as is some of Europe's best fly-fishing - ask the team for more info
  
  
• Reception can arrange horse riding, tennis, off-road car tours, hiking, golfing (in Perugia) or a moutain-biking expedition
  
  
• Retail therapy: visit Montefalco for fine linens, Perugia for cashmere, Norcia for cheeses and charcuterie or Deruta for ceramics
  
  
• With its quiet roads and hilly terrain, the area is great for serious cycling. Stefano (a keen cyclist – both pedal and motor) will point you in the right direction

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Art classes
• Cooking classes
• Golf
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Horse riding
• Language courses
• Museums / galleries
• Shopping / markets
• Swimming
• Tennis

Kids

Though children are welcome, this is not an ideal place for them - especially for toddlers (think fragile antiques, shattered peace and sticky fingers on expensive fabrics). For older offspring, all rooms can be converted into twins, and some rooms interconnect to provide a family suite. A babysitting service is also available. Bookings are limited to just one couple with children per night

Best for:

Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

La Palazzetta del Vescovo is in Spineta, a tiny monastic hamlet 4km from Fratta Todina, near Todi in the south-west corner of Umbria.

By Train:
If you'd prefer to travel overland from the UK, you can reach various destinations in Italy from London. See the excellent Seat 61 for more details. Todi is the nearest station; see Trenitalia for timetables.

By Air:
There are flights to Perugia (30km), Roma Leonardo da Vinci/Fiumicino (165km), Roma Ciampino (170km), Florence Firenze (190km) and Pisa Galileo Galilei (280km).

From the Airport
The hotel can organise a shuttle service from Perugia Sant’Egidio or Rome Fiumicino/Ciampino at extra charge, but you'd be better off hiring a car.

By Car:
See our car rental recommendations.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.

More on getting to Italy and getting around