Unveiling Florence’s finest: Where 5-star hotels redefine Italian luxury
Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance, continues to be a magnet for travellers of exceptional stature who are enchanted by its heady blend of history, art and refined sophistication. While the Uffizi Gallery, Ponte Vecchio and Duomo attract millions of visitors each year, its prominence as an ardent bastion of high-end luxury is equally fortified by stellar hospitality, and a variety of hotels with historically significant pasts, riverside retreats, and even palatial hotels with contemporary art installations. The experiences of 5 star hotel Florence provide another layer of adventure and excess to the stunning Tuscan capital.
A brand that does luxury exceptionally well is Hotel Lungarno & Portrait Firenze. These two hotels are a part of the Lungarno Collection that is famed for redefining the concept of luxury in Florence. The Ferragamo family owns both hotels, and both offer an extraordinary experience of high living “on a human scale,” giving a unique opportunity to enjoy intimacy, unrivalled luxury, personalised service and art and architecture harmoniously intertwined.
Hotel Lungarno: Art, elegance and riverside serenity
Located a stone’s throw from the famous Ponte Vecchio, Hotel Lungarno combines its riverside locale with a museum-like setting. The property features over 450 original artworks by both Italian and international artists, and feels more like an elegant private residence than a standard hotel.
Each suite and guestroom includes lovely appointments, edging on the artistry of its pieces, and calming blue-and-white tones that refreshingly recall the nearby Arno River. Most rooms offer postcard views through floor-to-ceiling windows, greeting arrivals with a postcard mood, and rendering every stay an opportunity for a romantic connection to the landscape of Florence.
Hotel Lungarno offers food as another advantage. The hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Borgo San Jacopo, is Chef Claudio Mengoni, who offers refined Italian food with an imaginative touch. Simple, aspirational Tuscan dishes, like truffle risotto or fresh seafood accented with citrus, will appreciate the Tuscan heritage in every bite.
Portrait firenze: Tailored luxury for the modern traveler
Just a short walk away stands Portrait Firenze – a contemporary classic that quickly became popular among celebrities, creatives, and design enthusiasts. What sets it apart is its custom hospitality concept, which is focused exclusively on the guest. No two stays are the same, thanks to a dedicated lifestyle team attending to every want and need, from private tours to exclusive shopping excursions.
Portrait Firenze exhibits mid-century glam with the hotel’s sleek lines, neutral palettes, and curated details reflecting Florence’s heritage and timeless elegance. The hotel has 37 incredibly spacious suites – most feature private balconies with views overlooking the Arno and Ponte Vecchio – a view only a handful of properties can boast.
The hotel’s heart is The Caffè dell’Oro, the bistro-style eatery showcasing modern Italian menu flavours with a view. The space is ideal for leisurely lifestyle lunches or afternoon aperitivos while gazing over the river. It reflects the hotel’s approach: luxury should feel simple, not excessive. Learn more about the complete experience at Portrait Firenze – Lungarno Collection.
Where contemporary art and historic charm coexist
Florence has done an excellent job of preserving its historical character and being a place of contemporary creativity. The best 5-star hotels in Florence embody this duality, combining centuries-old architecture with modern-day design and culture.
For example, The St. Regis Florence, located in a Renaissance palace, designed by Brunelleschi in the 15th century, seamlessly combines indulgent historic interiors with supreme comfort services defined by contemporary greatness, including the St. Regis signature butler service; a history that’s approachable in the present.
Similarly, Villa Cora, located in a historic villa in a park that adjoins the Boboli Gardens, offering a step up from a regal escape in a luxurious mansion from the 19th century, with opulent interiors and a corporate luxury spa focus, targets the guest experience of opulence with personalised service.
Views, vistas and the art of the stay
It isn’t solely the décor or dining at Florence’s finest hotels that make all the difference; it is the views. Many of these hotels are in prime locations with some of the best architectural views in the city.
For example, the Brunelleschi Hotel has rooms that face the Duomo and Giotto’s Campanile. The Hotel Savoy – part of Rocco Forte Hotels – has views of Piazza della Repubblica, combining stylish interiors with old-world charm. Staying at one of these hotels allows guests to wake up and sleep while surrounded by Florence’s beauty, making the accommodation an experience.
A human-scale approach to grandeur
What sets Florence apart as a destination for discerning travellers is the luxury and the intimacy. Properties like Lungarno and Portrait Firenze represent a human scale approach, favouring personalised detail over ostentation. Luxury isn’t loud: it is delivered in handwritten notes, craftsman-crafted settings, architectural detail, and even vistas that take one’s breath away.
Those seeking the assumed luxury of 5-star Florence should look to the Lungarno Collection’s hotels. With their attention to detail and curated itineraries from the local culture, these hotels encapsulate what is so special about Florence.
The editorial unit
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