Sereno Hotels opening second Lake Como property in stunning 16th century Italian palazzo
Sereno Hotels is opening a second property on the shores of Lake Como at Villa Pliniana, a 16th century Italian palazzo set on 18 waterfront acres.
This marks Sereno Hotels’ third location, and second on Lake Como after the recently-announced Il Sereno, Lago di Como, located less than 1,000 yards from Villa Pliniana and set to open in July 2016. The company also owns Le Sereno in St. Barths.
The hotel is due to open on 1 March, and will feature 19 bedrooms in the main villa as well as three additional stand-alone villas that can accommodate up to 39 guests. It will also have event halls, vast gardens and its own private spa with large swimming pool, whirlpool, rain showers, sauna, steam bath, solarium and relaxing lounge mezzanine.
Sereno Hotels has once again partnered with Milan-based designer Patricia Urquiola – who is also working on Il Sereno – to redesign Villa Pliniana’s interiors. Full restoration of the existing buildings has just been completed, and Urquiola’s designs will be unveiled later this year.
The villa’s site is filled with history, having acquired its name from its first mention by Roman author Pliny the Elder in the 1st century. Villa Pliniana’s land was originally built on by Count Giovanni Anguissola in 1573, and has been visited by the likes of Lord Byron and Napoleon.
The villas feature 21st century comforts mixed with historical details such as frescoes, boiseries, terrazzos and fireplaces. A highlight is the piano where Gioachino Rossini wrote the Opera Tancredi in 1813, which still rests in the same spot where he once sat.
“We are thrilled to add Villa Pliniana to Il Sereno Lago di Como less than a mile away, and to its sister property in St. Barth’s,” said Luis Contreras, owner of Sereno Hotels. “Villa Pliniana is the perfect complement to Il Sereno, where our guests can now enjoy both the newest and oldest great buildings in Lake Como.”
Sereno Hotels Lake Como Patricia Urquiola Italian villa
Arrive by traditional wooden Vaporina at Urquiola-designed contemporary sanctuary on the shores of Italy’s Lake Como
New spa for Saint Barthélemy hotel
BIG unveils Eve Music Hall as Croatia venue nears completion
Bob Rogers hands BRC to long-serving leadership team
Wellness care hospital opens in Vilnius with innovative spa and hospitality concept
Universal and Puy du Fou projects point to rise of Oxford–Cambridge corridor
A proposed Puy du Fou development near Bicester and Universal Destinations and Experiences’ planned resort in Bedford are emerging as part of a wider transformation of the Oxford–Cambridge Growth Corridor into a major centre for UK leisure and tourism investment.
For years, the corridor has been associated primarily with science, technology, housing and university-led economic growth. However, the clustering of large-scale visitor attraction projects along the
All-inclusive eco-wellness development Auko to open near Vietnam’s Son Doong caves
Shedd Aquarium upgrades its visitor experience with new Immersion Theater
Shedd Aquarium has opened the Immersion Theater developed in partnership with SimEx-Iwerks, as part of a wider strategy to enhance the guest experience and create additional revenue opportunities.
The attraction has transformed the aquarium’s Phelps Auditorium into a multi-sensory venue combining panoramic projection, environmental effects and interactive technology.
A new pre-show area allows visitors to engage with augmented reality marine animals before entering the
MCR is planning a luxury hotel for London's BT Tower
Joy as a radical act: Yinka Ilori launches solo exhibition celebrating the rebellious power of spreading happiness
Work gets underway on Madrid's €800 million leisure complex
Work is underway in Madrid on one of Europe’s most significant multi-functional complexes, combining sport, entertainment, culture and education.
The €800 million initiative to regenerate the former Olympic Aquatic Centre in the north-east of the city, next to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium, is being led by Barsento – a joint venture between Live Nation Entertainment, Oak View Group and Atlético de Madrid. The project will
Therme Manchester reveals 90:90 strategy – 90 per cent of the UK population within a 90-minute drive of a Therme
Four Seasons’ Naples Beach Club opens 2,800sq m Sanctuary spa inspired by indigenous Calusa people
Orient Express Corinthian to host Ocean Rebirth wellness retreat in collaboration with Guerlain
Famed London nightclub, Tramp, launches Tramp Health
First look: Miraval opens on the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia
Hainan Science Museum by Ma Yansong, opens in China
A new science museum has opened to the public in Haikou after attracting more than 350,000 visitors during a four-month soft opening period.
Designed by Ma Yansong and his practice MAD Architects, the Hainan Science Museum is located on the edge of Wuyuan River National Wetland Park and has already recorded peak attendance of more than 5,800 visitors in a single day.
Commissioned by
Zannier Île De Bendor launches with design by Hardel Le Bihan Architectes
Sæl Spa readies for launch in London: “a modern British sanctuary”
Immersive art bathhouse Submersive announces debut location in Austin
Construction begins on regenerative wellness destination The Shenandoah Nature Resort
Royal Caribbean reveals record-breaking cruise ship
V&A East opens in London
David Geffen galleries open at LACMA
New venue The Lands by Capella includes a longevity centre to complement sister hotel Capella Sydney
World of Frozen launches at Disneyland Paris
Pical Resort by Valamar reveals first Croatian spa under the ESPA brand
Mandarin Oriental creates end-to-end Egyptian journey with two new hotels and first-ever luxury river cruise
Designers Mendil + Meyer launch new division called Lām Concepts for strategic wellness projects
Wilderness Bisate in Rwanda reveals brand’s second Sanctuary spa
4a Architekten shares details of wellness extension at Salinarium Bad Dürkheim Thermal Spa
BodyHoliday plans 10-15 locations in the next 15 years
Designed to restore neglected land and renew the identity of Iraq’s capital city, Baghdad Sustainable Forests promises a new way of living surrounded by nature. Gensler’s Ian Mulcahay tells us why he thinks the project could become a model for the repair and enhancement of urban centres






















