Florence Travel Guide
Tags: Hotel Rooftops / Hotel Restaurants / Florence Hotels / Italy Hotels / → All Tags
The Westin Excelsior in Florence Unveils New Rooftop Terrace With Killer Views
The Westin Excelsior, Florence used to attract a who's-who of the film industry to its Roof Garden, the top-floor terrace, with such VIPs like Franco Zeffirelli, Sophia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida, Orson Welles, Leonard Bernstein, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. But it's been a while since some of those folks have stopped by. (Yes, we know a few of them are no longer alive.)
But the hotel is now looking to reclaim its glamorous glory by reopening the rooftop terrace with the (awkward) new moniker SE.STO on Arno in late September.
After a $4 million renovation, the rooftop is reopening as a bar, restaurant and lounge. A curved, upholstered wall marks the entrance to the bar and the restaurant, and a glass-enclosed wine cellar separates the two areas. Outside there are two large terraces; the one adjacent to the restaurant is bordered by a shallow infinity pool that gives the illusion that the water is emptying into the Arno River. The rooftop is supposedly the only in Florence with 360-degree views of the city.
Indeed, the killer view is the major selling point, as the oversized windows overlook the city, the Arno and the surrounding hills.
Tags: Hotel Deals / Florence Hotels / Foodie Hotels / → All Tags
Hunt Your Own Truffles At Monsignor Della Casa
You don't even really need a good reason to take a vacation in Tuscany but for those with a taste for the luxury and gourmet side of life, the Monsignor Della Casa Country Resort near Florence has got a Gourmet Truffle Break deal to tempt you. The Monsignor Della Casa looks like just the right kind of quaint countryside resort for a Tuscan break and it is part of a 16th century estate that belonged to an Italian "good manners expert" of the day, so this place has some pedigree.
The truffle package includes two nights' accommodation and a buffet breakfast, plus a truffle hunting expedition into the park of Villa La Casa, followed by a truffle dinner. We're not sure what you get for dinner if you fail in your truffle hunt, but hopefully they've got some in reserve.
Deals start at around $300 per night for a double room and go up to around $400 for a suite – with a minimum stay of two nights. If truffles aren't quite your thing they also offer a three-night deal with wine tasting in the Chianti Rufina area, with prices a little higher than the truffle deal.
Tags: Florence Hotels / Hotel Openings / Apartment Hotels / Town House Hotels / → All Tags
The Palazzo Vecchietti Hotel Now Open in Florence
The Town House brand is a totally swanky range of apartment-style accommodations that is spreading across Italy. They started out in Milan and Turin and are now just opening the Town House Palazzo Vecchietti in central Florence, and this latest one certainly sounds like it's living up to the quality of the others.
The Palazzo Vecchietti is actually twelve separate apartments built into a fifteenth-century palace in a no-expense-spared kind of way. Each apartment is named after an Italian "great", with the largest one being the Leonardo da Vinci. They've got their own kitchenettes and there are mod cons including WiFi, and every room is kitted out to fit the part of belonging to a palce.
This Florence version of the Town House is actually a franchise of the original Milan brand, with three families joining forces to get the palace up to standard, and that suggests we might start to see more of this luxury-style accommodation across Italy.
Well, we might see it, but can we afford to see inside it? The funny this is that the prices at the Milan Town Houses are not too bad (promotion rates range from €120 - €200, or $160 - $270) so even though we can't book the Florence version yet, we're optimistic that it might be vaguely affordable. We'll wait and see.
Tags: Florence Hotels / Four Seasons Hotels / Art Hotels / Hotel Openings / Luxury Hotels / Hotel Art / → All Tags
The Four Seasons Florence is Not as Good as the Uffizi But Might Be Close
Just six weeks or so into its life as a luxury hotel, the Four Seasons Florence is getting very impressive feedback: almost everyone gives it a 5-star rating on TripAdvisor and a recent write-up in the UK Times made it sound the best hotel the reviewer had ever stayed at.
It certainly has some historical and artistic advantages over regular hotels, being created out of two Renaissance palaces joined by the largest private garden in Florence. There are frescoes on walls, cherubs on the ceilings and artworks galore throughout the hotel. It's kind of like going sightseeing around Florence but without actually having to go anywhere.
We were a bit scared when we clicked over to look at the room rates, but they're nowhere near as shocking as you'd expect. Coming up to the winter season the Four Seasons Florence is offering special rates from €350 (US$515) a night although the usual standard rates go from €500 (US$740).
[Photo: Salthillhalli]
Tags: Hotel Fashion / London Hotels / Diane Von Furstenberg / → All Tags
Diane von Furstenberg's New Collection is Hotel-Inspired
Going old school with a runway show in Florence last week for her Resort 2009 Collection, the foundress of the wrap dress Diane von Furstenberg flashed the retro card with outfits based on her own hotel travels.
Entitled "La Petite Valise," the collection's focus on dressing for the destination comes through with primary Riviera stripes and zigzags, bathing beauty swimsuits that scream "lounging on the lido," and a dress with the pattern of DvF's own passport pages.
Even though the entire show referenced the days of the grand tour, Furstenberg deemed a portion of it "the Hotel Life," flashing outfits of Wedgwood blue and a hotel key pattern directly influenced by the style of The Claridge's Hotel in London.
Tags: Italy Hotels / Florence Hotel Guide / Budget Hotels / Monica Guy / → All Tags
Budget Stays in Florence: Johanna & Johlea
[Antica Johlea]
We warned you that the Florence hotel scene is pricey, whatever you do and wherever you stay. Blame the tourists and the forces of economics.
Your best bet for a budget stay in style and comfort near the centre of town is probably a residenza, a B&B-style hotel run by private owners. Don't sniff - it's a great way (the only way) to get a friendly welcome, super service and a reasonable bill at the end of the trip.
One of the best, or rather five of the best, of the residenze is the Johanna & Johlea chain of mini-hotels owned by Lea Gulmanelli and Johanan Vitta, a Florentine couple who've been in the business since 1994.
Tags: Italy Hotels / Florence Hotels / Monica Guy / Boutique Hotes / → All Tags
Flash your Cash at JK Place in Florence
What did we say about staying away from the centre of Florence?
Only if you're on a budget. If you're not and you want to flash your cash in the shops and slap-bang city centre, take a room in the JK Place boutique hotel in Santa Maria Novella square.
There are only 20 rooms and the staff like to call it a 'house' rather than a hotel. That's going a bit far - décor is stylish and understated but undeniably Italian-design (Michele Bonan, if you're interested). Clean lines, simple colours and cute details everywhere. Breakfast is in an old internal courtyard which has been covered over by a huge glass structure.
Yet we're a bit worried about the pretentious factor.
Tags: Design Hotels / Art Hotels / Florence Hotel Guide / Monica Guy / Fashion Hotels / → All Tags
Designer Label Hotels: Gallery Hotel Art, Florence
It's not just celebrity chefs that are getting in on the hotel scene. Fashion designers, too and they've been doing it a lot longer than the chefs.
Like in the fashion capital of Italy, Florence. The Gallery Hotel Art, one of Florence's first real design boutique hotels, is owned by the son of the Italian fashion designer Salvatore Ferragamo. If you like the hotel and have a lot of money, you can buy the clothes to match, in the Salvatore Ferragamo shop on via Tornabuoni (aka shopping street).
Tags: Italy Hotels / Florence Hotel Guide / Budget Hotels / Monica Guy / → All Tags
Florence Hotel Scene in a Pistachio Shell
While we're on the subject of expensive Italian cities, let's talk about Florence.
Florence attracts two types of tourist and both tend to have money to spend: a) middle-aged lovers of history, churches and dusty nth-century religious art; b) fashionistas after the designer outlets and exclusive boutiques. It also attracts tourist type c - those who visit Florence simply because everyone else does.
As we know, hotels follow demand and an ample supply of money, and the Florence hotel scene is no exception. Here are the essential issues to look out for:
Tags: HotelChatter Flickr Pool / Killer View / → All Tags
HotelChatter Flickr Pool:: The View from Lungarno Suites
Usually,Thursdays are our Killer View days but we always make exceptions for other killer views sent to us by you dear readers.
This one was actually submitted to our HotelChatter Flickr Pool by Buki-rama who spent some time at the Lungarno Suites in Florence and woke up to this view of the Ponte Vecchio. Man, how we wish it were summer again.
Related Stories:
· HotelChatter Flickr Pool All-Stars [HotelChatter]
· Hotels in Florence [HotelChatter]
Tags: Hotels-Near-Eurail-Stops / Florence Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Eurail Hotel Stop: Love Florence at Hotel Aprile
Eurailers heading to Florence will soon become familiar with the Santa Maria Novella (SMN) train station. If you head out the right side of the station, take one left turn at the traffic lights and walk a couple of minutes you'll find the Hotel Aprile - Palazzo Del Borgo. It's a four-star boutique hotel run by a quirky Italian proprietor who grew up in the hotel and loves Florence so much he's even written a book about it.
Rates at the Hotel Aprile aren't too exorbitant despite the weak US$; in low season, a double costs €120 ($170) per room but if you're Eurailing with a group you'll get better deals for triple or quadruple rooms: a room sleeping four starts at €155 ($220) in low season, rising to €310 ($440) in peak season.
Features included at the Hotel Aprile are free Wifi (yay!), a courtyard garden and an American bar, plus you can vacation with your pet at no additional charge (getting your pet a Eurail pass might prove trickier though). As well as being close to the train station, the hotel is also within Florence's historic center so most of your sightseeing will be on foot.
[Photo: wme133]
Related Stories:
· Hotels in Florence [HotelChatter]
· Florence Travel Stories [Jaunted]
Tags: Italy Hotel Reviews / Florence Hotel Reviews / Hotel Renovations / → All Tags
Check In to Grand Hotel Florence Befoe the Renovations Begin
Plenty of hotels slip the word "grand" into their name, but just a few really look like they deserve the title. The Grand Hotel Florence, built in a former palace and with great attention to detail, is one that does seem to fit the bill. Nearly every guest review makes the point that it's elegant and comfortable and has superb customer service: sounds like grand to us. The hotel itself describes:
Antique décor pays homage to the apex of Florentine history. The Grand Hotel Florence's rooms reflect the intricate details of Florentine culture with spectacular frescoes, marble inlays and other decorative touches.
Frescoes get us every time. If you're traveling this summer, be aware that the Grand Hotel Florence is scheduled to be closed for renovations from 3 August until 20 August 2007.
[Photo: Mandarin]
Related Stories:
· Florence Hotels [[HotelChatter]
· Florence travel stories [Jaunted]
Hotels In: Africa | Asia | Australia | Caribbean | Europe | North America | South America
Our Publications:
Jaunted | HotelChatter | VegasChatter
