Interior designer: Pierre Yves-Rochon
Author Gianluca Tenti has written a book about the £48m project that has seen two Renaissance palaces refurbished to create the Four Seasons Hotel in Florence, which gives you an idea of the scope and scale of the new venture.
A 16th-century former convent, now renamed ‘Conventino,’ and the 15th-century ‘Palazzo della Gherardesca’ built by Antonio da Sangallo, have undergone an expansive and expensive facelift (seven years in the making) under the strict direction of the Ministry of Fine Arts and Culture to form the newest in the Four Seasons group.
In the heart of the city but almost hidden, the two palazzi breast a stunning 4ha garden scattered with a plethora of statues and rare botanic species, intermingled with a romantic array of lawns, copses, hillocks and secret grottoes. The garden, once a secret even to local inhabitants, now provides an urban oasis for guests and the public alike, and is the largest within the city walls.
The second Four Seasons Hotel to open in Italy (Milan had the first), it has caused quite a stir. Tenti calls it a masterpiece. ‘No other hotel in the world has comparable artwork, and lets you sleep or take a bath under such magnificent frescoes. It’s a unique taste of the city’s art and culture,’ he raves.
Certainly, the hotel is adorned with some exquisite artworks, making a stay here akin to visiting one of the many heritage sites in the area. Each room is decorated with a riot of beautiful frescoes, stuccoes and bas-reliefs; while cherubs gaze down on you from virtually every angle…even in the bathrooms.
No two of the 117 assorted guest rooms and suites are alike. They are filled with an astonishing collection of Renaissance art and artistry mixed with high-tech comfort and material splendour. The sun-filled spaces are a blend of rich colours and sumptuous textures and materials.
Quite simply, this self-proclaimed ‘living home gallery’ provides an opportunity to experience five centuries of history without leaving the hotel.
