Palazzo Vecchietti Suites and Studios

This boutique hotel occupies an ancient palace built by Giambologna during the Renaissance for the wealthy Vecchietti family. It has been transformed into an elegant and refined hotel with rooms, suites, and apartments that opened in 2009. Compared to other top-tier hotels in the center of Florence, it has a more intimate atmosphere. The residence has only a few common spaces: The narrow stone-walled entrance with a huge tapestry leads to the small lobby, an elegant and open living room with a sofa and wing chairs in front of a fireplace, large Renaissance paintings and detailing, and the Vecchietti family crest hanging over the mantel. The lobby is located in the covered courtyard of the palace, with characteristic internal balconies. The atmosphere is not fussy, as can happen at historic residences in Florence's center, but is instead timelessly classic -- the delicate scents lingering in the common spaces are a particularly nice touch. The hotel is geared toward families and couples that don't mind dropping a pretty penny for comfort -- this aristocratic residence is in the most exclusive part of Florence's center -- but businesspeople and individual travelers also are attracted to this outstanding property.  

The hotel has a prized central location just off the elegant and lively Piazza della Repubblica. The location is not only central, but it's also in one of the most elegant and luxurious parts of the center of Florence. As such, it's only a three-minute walk from the Duomo and about five minutes from the Uffizi Gallery on foot. It's also a short walk to Via de' Tornabuoni, the luxury shopping street known for its fashion boutiques, but guests looking for couture don't even need to walk that far; Dolce & Gabbana is located on the ground floor of the hotel. Galleria dell'Accademia, home to Michelangelo's most famous sculptures, can also be reached by walking 10 minutes northeast of the hotel, while Santa Maria Novella train station is the same distance in the opposite direction. Florence's airport is less than 30 minutes away by train or car. 

The rooms all have a classically elegant decor with a modern twist. Despite differences in size -- though all are spacious -- decor is essentially the same throughout, with high ceilings, handsome striped or bordered rugs atop hardwood floors, beautiful period molding on the walls, and Renaissance-inspired etchings. Soft shades of blue and gray, plus luxury bedding and rich velvet drapes, headboards, and upholstery, complete the polished look. All rooms come with air-conditioning, coffee- and tea-making facilities, minibars, electric ranges, sofa beds, and work desks. Suites and Apartments are larger than Deluxe Rooms and have separate bedrooms. Modern amenities include flat-screen TVs, iHome docks, and free Wi-Fi. Bathrooms are elegant and sophisticated, with brown marble counter tops, floors, and walls, period chrome fixtures, and upscale toiletries -- many have separate shower and tubs. Half of the rooms face the street, and half face the courtyard -- some have beautiful furnished outdoor spaces with potted plants. 

While the rooms here are spectacular, the features on offer are fairly thin for a hotel in this category. That being said, what the hotel does, it does well. The excellent free breakfast consists of fruits, honey, meats, scrambled eggs and omelets, cheeses, yogurt, smoked salmon. fresh breads, and fresh espresso. It is served in a small, elegant breakfast area with a large communal table in front of a fireplace. Guests can also opt to have breakfast in their rooms at no additional cost. Lunch and dinner service are not available. Wi-Fi is free and the hotel can arrange chauffeurs for the duration of a guests' stay, or for organized day tours of the city or Tuscan countryside. Self-parking and valet parking are available for a fee, but the hotel needs advanced notice as it is in a limited access zone for automobiles. Pets are welcome here and the hotel provides a special pet set for these guests.