Four Seasons Hotel Florence

Slightly removed from the city center, the Four Seasons Florence is a true resort-within-a-city experience with extensive gardens, a pool and gorgeous traditional interiors.

• The hotel’s beautiful outdoor pool and family-friendly nature
• The museum-like suites with superbly restored artworks in the Palazzo della Gherardesca
• The renowned Il Palagio restaurant, where guests can dine under vaulted ceilings or al fresco on the terrace

The Four Seasons Florence occupies two lovingly refurbished mansions with 116 rooms and suites spread between the main 15th-century Palazzo della Gherardesca and the 16th-century Conventino. The two buildings bookend a beautifully groomed eleven-acre park, where enormous trees offer shade and wildflower-dotted lawns create a veritable oasis in the midst of Florence. There’s a large outdoor swimming pool area (with adjacent whirlpool tub), a freestanding spa and a gym for guests.

No two of the Palazzo rooms are alike, and many offer original details, like friezes and bas-reliefs, as well as brightly colored frescoes and vividly painted ceilings. Considering the wealth of artwork and intricate architectural details including restored frescos, skylights, balconies and small terraces, it’s no wonder that the restoration of the palazzo and the convent took eight years (the Four Seasons opened in June 2008).

The public spaces are grand and formal and offer a nice place from which to escape the hustle and bustle of the city without sacrificing grand Florentine style. The gardens are a real highlight of the property as they are expansive and well manicured; in the early spring they are filled with blooming wisteria. The location is plus or minus, depending on what you’re looking for in a hotel. It’s about a 10-minute walk to get to the Duomo (but mentally, you feel removed from the busy centro storico). And to get to the excellent restaurants in the Oltrarno area, you need to take a taxi. On the other hand, the geographically removed setting allows you to enjoy the spacious grounds, outdoor pool and expansive spa with products from the local Farmaceutica Santa Maria Novella. The hotel’s Il Palagio restaurant, helmed by Executive Chef Vito Mollica, has earned one Michelin star.

Return visitors, couples and families who may like the idea of a perfectly serene setting away from the tourist fray with access to gardens and a pool, while first-timers may prefer to step out the door and be surrounded by the historic center (in which case, one of the Lungarno properties, the Savoy or J.K. Place, would be better options).