Confidently sitting on a plot raised off the road, Alexander Palme presents itself as a grand residence. The three-story white building has light blue accents, a large second-floor terrace, and a few white-ironed balconies off the third floor. A gravel garden terrace set with tables and chairs stretches across the hotel's ground level. Stairs lead up to the front door. Inside, the lobby floor is covered in a knotted blue carpet with gold diamonds. Furniture and fixtures in antique styles dominate, accented by large floor-to-ceiling windows with heavy cream drapes and glass chandeliers. White busts sit on marble podiums.

The large lobby lounge is decked out in plush white couches, ornate mirrors, and luxurious blue drapes. However, the posh vibe doesn't quite extend throughout the entire hotel. White hallways with an occasional art piece seem basic by comparison, as do the guest rooms. While some may find sections of the hotel outdated and thus not worthy of its advertised four-star rating, the Alexander Palme is clean, stylish, and luxurious by general Italian standards for non-chain properties.

Located off a main road but up a steep hill, Alexander Palme is a short walk to Chianciano's town square. From here guests can explore the area by foot, visiting shops, restaurants, bars, and spas. Guests with cars can reach the medieval hillside town of Montepulciano, famous for its wine, in under 20 minutes, Lake Trasimeno in under 40 minutes, and the province's eponymous medieval city of Siena -- famous for its annual Il Palio horse race -- in just over an hour. Most Tuscan towns are within an hour to an hour-and-a-half drive away, and Rome is about two hours away. Getting to the nearest airport requires a 90-minute drive to Florence.

In stark contrast to the opulence of the ground floor, Alexander Palme's 65 large guest rooms come off as more basic. The spaces feature minimally stylish white furniture, motel-patterned bedspreads (ironically mimicking the lobby carpet design), floor-to-ceiling windows, and white tile floors with a blue flower design. The tiled floors extend to the spacious bathrooms, where a modern shower, a bidet, and towel warmers can be found. All rooms come with flat-screen TVs, a minibar, and air-conditioning. Note that rear rooms overlook the garden and front rooms overlook the road. Unfortunately, the balconies are quite narrow and only allow space for one chair. While the property has an elevator, it’s tiny and slow, so guests may want to consider this when choosing a room.

Specializing in regional and international cuisine, the on-site restaurant offers guests a free breakfast buffet as well as lunch and dinner. Dinner is a set menu-only affair with seemingly never-ending courses. Room service is provided as well.

The ground floor has a huge fancy lounge where drinks are served, giving guests a posh place to relax. The pool is open during warmer months and outdoor garden spaces are well-outfitted for soaking up the sun or reading in the shade. Free Wi-Fi and parking are available as well, and the hotel will consider pets. While Alexander Palme does not have its own spa, it has worked out a guest discount at a nearby facility.