Villa La Massa, a Villa d'Este Group Hotel, was awarded the Best Service in Europe award last night at the 2009 Prix Villegiature ceremony at the Westin Palace.
The Prix jury panel is composed of 20 major journalists from leading media as well as 3 general managers from prestigious hotels in Europe. The award was presented to Marco Montagnani, General Manager of Villa La Massa, who said, "This award is a very important validation of our belief that the luxury client wants more than the standardized and predictable service of a chain hotel; that they appreciate undeniable Italian charm and highly personalized service."
Sitting on the banks of the Arno River and a short ten minutes from the historic center of Florence, Italy, guests of Villa La Massa step back in time to when the Villa was owned by the Medici as a weekend retreat. As luxurious as it is homey, the 20-acre estate is surrounded by lemon trees and olive groves which relax the eye from every vantage point. The hotel's staff is equal parts professional and warm, always ready to help guests leave the 21st century behind or to embrace it, but only for a little while.
Villa La Massa's Executive Chef, Andrea Quagliarella, will be a guest chef at the prestigious James Beard Foundation in New York City on December 8, 2009.
Villa La Massa has been owned by the Villa d'Este Group hotels since 1998 and is a member of The Leading Small Hotels of the World. Villa d'Este, on Lake Como, won Forbes Traveler's World's Best Hotel award earlier this year and is a Leading Hotel of the World.
