Four Seasons Firenze
Down a quiet, mostly residential street situated near the right bank of the Arno sits the simply spectacular Four Seasons Firenze. Indeed, it is spectacular enough to tempt guests to skip the wonders of Florence and be content to enjoy this masterpiece from within its own stately walls.
The Four Seasons Firenze discreetly within 11 magnificent acres of winding paths, striking statuary, and ancient trees that put the Boboli Gardens to shame. This Four Seasons standout, classified as a City Resort, promises a lot and delivers more. Clearly a unique experience in the heart of Florence, the Four Seasons Firenze treats guests to a centuries-old Tuscan palazzo owned at different times by three historically significant families including the Medici, along with a similarly ancient structure that once housed a convent. Add the exclusive spa facilities and incomparably lovely grounds with their extensive offerings, and guests can lose themselves in Renaissance history without sacrificing contemporary Italian flair and cutting-edge technology.
Much of the original artwork was restored in the years immediately prior to the Four Seasons Firenze’s opening. Renaissance artistry abounds. The atrium entrance on Borgo Pinti, adorned with arches, inlaid pillars, friezes, painted frescoes and a skylight, leads into the Palazzo Della Ghiardesca. The foyer is encased in a hallway with coffered ceilings. The 24-hour reception and concierge are each separate areas with their own visual delights. Reception at Four Seasons Firenze is absolutely lovely with marble floors, showcases of busts and other stunning decorative pieces, and powdery blue and dark coral-accented furniture. The concierge arranges very special outings to the Tuscan foothills and more. Multi-lingual staff, exceptionally warm and efficient, helps ensure that guests never feel anonymous. Every endeavor is made to address the needs of each individual.
Dining at Four Seasons Firenze is enjoyed in a variety of fabulous settings. The Atrium Lounge Bar, open until 1 am, feels clubby and intimate in shades of beige and brown with sienna accents. Florentine screens and a piano are featured, and lovely art meets the eye in every direction. Fine Italian dining is available in Il Palagio, dramatically situated under historic vaulted ceilings and, offered as well, as an alfresco dining experience. The executive chef, Vito Mollica, has an award-winning history from his Prague years. The Winery focuses on Tuscan wines and the delicacies they complement. Tasting by the glass in possible. The Spa Lounge at Four Seasons Firenze provides dining for the health-conscious, and drinks poolside add to the pleasure. An outdoor vineyard experience to accommodate 30 people is in the works.
The health facilities at Four Seasons Firenze include a fitness center with bi-level gym featuring Techno gym equipment and weights upstairs, a spa with 10 treatment rooms, whirlpool, steam showers, and a very exclusive spa suite. A special kinesis machine supplies individualized resistance. Guests at Four Seasons Firenze can choose Chianti massages with wine fragrance and iris flower treatments for skin. The setting of the outdoor pool is within formal gardens. Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella products used for treatments have a history dating back to Dominican friars in the 13th century.
The 116 guest rooms and suites at Four Seasons Firenze are located within three buildings. The Palazzo della Gherdesca has 79, the Conventino houses 36, and La Villa is a secluded garden suite. No two are alike, resulting in artistry and historic details that will keep guests fascinated. All rooms have safes suitable for laptops, flat-screen satelite TV, CD/DVD player, radio alarm clock with i-Pod docking station, multi-line phone, and wired and wireless Internet access.
Superior rooms at Four Seasons Firenze are striking in yellow with matching carpet and sofa. Their marble baths are lovely in shades of yellow with caramel accents. The premier rooms boast green tones, including the marble in the bath. The bath has a separate shower and tub as well as double vanity.
The Noble Suite, Room 123 at Four Seasons Firenze, is a one-of-a-kind Renaissance experience. It is entirely frescoed and features patterned wooden floors. The door is built into the fresco. The closet is positioned behind the bed in a small hallway niche. The most sumptuous of all accommodations is the Royal Suite in which guests can experience life as a Florentine nobleman in ancient times. Over 2,500 sq ft, its gallery features a vaulted ceiling, stuccos, and original Capodimonte Maioliche ceramic floors from the 17th century by Ignaz io Chiaiese. Its frescoes are the oldest in the palace and display scenes from the life of Medici Pope Leo 11th during his brief papal reign. Its bath is enclosed in 19th-century panels with its tub in the center. A TV screen is enclosed in the glass of the vanity. It features toiletries created exclusively for the Four Seasons by Florentine perfumer Lorenzo Villoresi. In the bedroom, frescoes on the ceiling are complemented in the fabric of the bed covering in hues of violet and gold. The flat-screen TV is housed in an inlaid wood cabinet. The dining room also utilizes the same color schemes in its fabrics and frescoes. The Royal Suite at Four Seasons Firenze can be connected to the Renaissance and Gallery Suite with their own treasures to become a three-bedroom residence.
Terraces are available in some rooms at Four Seasons Firenze, junior suites, and suites although fine views can be expected throughout. The 16th-century convent, used until the 1960s has its own separate reception, business center, and breakfast room with lovely view from the terrace. Its Presidential Suite at Four Seasons Firenze contains a balcony, frescoed gallery, and wooden paneled ceiling in the bath to enjoy during luxurious soaks. This building is used more for business and groups. Its deconsecrated church is now used for notable happenings such as fashion shows, press conferences, and weddings. Lighting is used to spectacular effect in this space.
With its Four Seasons Firenze staff to guest ratio of two-to-one, and a location close to The Accademia, where Michelangelo's "David" resides, this property offers the best in services, atmosphere, and location. Individual guests at Four Seasons Firenze will likely prefer the accommodations in the palazzo to those in the convent. Room service at Four Seasons Firenze runs 24 hours. Laundry service and overnight shoeshine are available, as are valet and self-park. Rooms at Four Seasons Firenze are smoke-free. Wireless high-speed Internet beams throughout the property, including parks and pool. Staffs in golf carts escort guests to wherever they desire on the property. Weddings, inside and out, are the stuff of dreams.
Comparable hotels would have to be such luminaries as Villa San Michele in Fiesole or the similarly ornate but very small Regency.
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