Florence Dreamed: A Love Letter to the Four Seasons Hotel Firenze

 

Some dreams take root in our imagination and grow quietly over the years like ivy wrapping itself around the ancient stone walls of Florence. Since 2013, when I began writing about the art of hospitality, one name whispered itself into my mind time and again: the Four Seasons Hotel Firenze. Perhaps because Florence was the first destination I visited with Flavors & Senses, or probably because this city — my favourite in the world — holds a rare alchemy of golden light, immortal art, and sacred silence that transforms me each time I walk its streets.

For over a decade, the Four Seasons lingered in my imagination as the purest expression of Florentine hospitality — a place where Italian splendour meets Swiss precision in a Renaissance embrace. And now, more than ten years later, that dream came true. And it became more than a stay — it was a return to essence.

“Sometimes, dreams don’t just come true — they exceed us.”

Where Time Yields to Forever

Florence has a rare gift: it slows you down. The church bells marking invisible hours, the golden light cascading down palazzo façades at dusk, the ancestral echo of footsteps on cobblestone — all of it conspires to remind us that some places exist outside linear time.

At the Four Seasons Hotel Firenze, that sense of temporal suspension reaches almost mystical proportions. As the gate opens — like a velvet curtain unveiling a hidden stage — you are instantly transported, both to a world once ruled by the Medici and to 4.5 hectares of private gardens, the Giardini della Gherardesca, the largest of their kind in Florence. Here, among cypress trees, romantic paths, sculptures that seem to breathe, whispering fountains, and precious silence, time doesn’t merely slow down — it dissolves into something close to eternity.

Between Palaces and Cloisters

The hotel inhabits two historic buildings that reflect different facets of the Florentine soul: the Palazzo della Gherardesca, built in the 15th century when the Medici dictated European taste, and La Villa, a 16th-century former convent where Benedictine monks once whispered their prayers in Latin. Since opening in 2008, the Four Seasons has upheld a nearly sacred commitment: to preserve every fresco, beam, and ancient stone while offering contemporary comfort that never betrays the dignity of the past.

In October 2024, that philosophy found new expression through the transformation of the hotel’s former convent annex, now reborn as Palazzo del Nero. Here, 36 rooms and suites have been reimagined with vibrant Italian fabrics, handcrafted lighting that filters sunlight like secular stained glass, and a colour palette that bridges past and present in quiet conversation. It’s also home to two new culinary gems: Onde Firenze, where chef Paolo Lavezzini’s creative cuisine speaks in a fresh, youthful tone, and the Berni Bar, a palatial salon and elegant terrace where cocktails are composed like liquid sonnets.

The hotel now boasts 116 rooms and suites, each a singular narrative — restored frescoes paired with silk tapestries, vaulted ceilings framing antique furnishings, and every detail whispering of princes, cardinals, and artists whose passions are etched into the building’s soul.

The Sanctuary of the Scala Suite

We stayed in the Scala Suite, one of the Renaissance Suites in the main Palazzo, and I can say without hesitation that it was one of the most transcendent hotel experiences of my life. Entering the space feels like being invited into Lorenzo de’ Medici’s private drawing room — a place where history is not frozen in time but lived in and breathing.

The preserved frescoes narrate silent epics, while the soft, shifting light that enters through historic windows choreographs shadows and gold throughout the day. Noble fabrics caress the senses with a delicacy that only centuries of refinement can provide.

The bathroom deserves a paragraph of its own — and those who know me will understand why. Vast and luminous, bathed in natural light, clad in marble that seems to have been handpicked by Olympus itself, and curated with products from the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, founded in 1221. I’ve seen palaces and princely residences, but this bathroom will remain etched in my memory as one of the most extraordinary bathtubs I’ve ever stepped into.

Waiting for us upon arrival: a chocolate bust of Michelangelo’s David, fresh fruit, and a delicate selection of handmade sweets. Throughout our stay, filtered water, rare teas, and coffee were always available — along with a curated selection of wines and spirits. In a place like this, such offerings aren’t luxuries — they are natural gestures of elegance.

Only one element stood apart from this near-perfection: three electric cables emerged awkwardly from the center of the ceiling — a minor flaw in any other context, but in a hotel of this caliber, it became a discordant note, disrupting the harmony of a hand-painted ceiling. A simple detail to conceal, yet — as an Italian once told me with a wink — “We are artists, not technicians.” A truth I embrace with a knowing smile.

A Living Gallery of Gardens

The Giardini della Gherardesca are not merely a backdrop — they are protagonists of the experience. Designed in the 16th century along the lines of Renaissance geometry, they retain their original structure: paths flanked by statues that seem to speak to one another, calculated shadows from centuries-old trees, and stone benches patiently awaiting those who still know how to contemplate.

I walked these gardens on a cold January morning, my fingers stinging from the Tuscan winter air, and felt something I can only describe as a silent conversation with history. This is a beauty that does not impose — it reveals itself only to those who are willing to look and ready to feel. Among fountains murmuring with centuries-old secrets and modern sculptures hidden along winding trails, I understood why the great masters of the Renaissance found Florence to be their most enduring inspiration.

Gastronomy: A Dialogue Between Tradition and Revolution

The culinary program at the Four Seasons Firenze is a masterclass on how to honour the past while embracing the future. At Onde Firenze, the setting is airy and contemporary — modern lines, light that dances to music, and a menu of light, shareable dishes inspired by the sea. Once again, under the guidance of chef Paolo Lavezzini, the food remains rooted in Tuscany while speaking fluently to a cosmopolitan audience. It’s a space designed for a new generation of travelers seeking authenticity without sacrificing sophistication — and, increasingly, for Florentines themselves. (Read João’s article here.)

We were also invited, alongside the chef himself, into one of the hotel’s most remarkable rooms — a deconsecrated church, now a venue for private events. Rarely has a space moved me so profoundly. The light still seems sacred, filtering through frescoes that once watched over prayers and now embrace celebrations with the same reverence.

At the Berni Bar, the city’s first vermouth bar, the mood shifts to aristocratic elegance. Bartenders mix modern alchemy, blending flawless technique with local ingredients and imagination that honours both tradition and innovation.

The following day, we returned to a classic: the Atrium Bar, the hotel’s central heart — and one of my favourite bars in the world. Beneath its grand yet restrained ceiling, a young pianist played timeless covers in his own versions. Edoardo Sandri, the master behind the counter, presented us with what was perhaps the finest cocktail list the Atrium has ever seen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The perfect prelude to dinner at Il Palagio, the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, also under Lavezzini’s direction. A cuisine of purity and precision, rooted in seasonality and paired with a carefully assembled wine list. What delights me most is knowing that with each visit, the kitchen evolves — the flavors deepen, the confidence grows more assured, and yet it remains surprising. But I’ll leave that story to João.

Breakfast, also served at Il Palagio, includes an à la carte menu and a small buffet. Curiously, it was the only moment where service and presentation fell slightly below the standard. Slower, less attentive — a surprising note in an otherwise seamless symphony of hospitality.

The Invisible Art of Hosting

What truly sets the Four Seasons Firenze apart is not merely its palatial architecture or its century-old gardens — it’s the soul of the place and how it manifests in every gesture. The service is almost telepathic — anticipating needs, solving problems before they arise, and making you feel like a guest in a family home, even if that family carries five centuries of nobility.

The SPA, installed in a former chapel where medieval monks once sought the divine in silence, is now a sanctuary of modern wellness. Ten treatment rooms, a jacuzzi, a sauna, and therapies inspired by Tuscan traditions, utilizing once again the legendary products from Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, promise experiences where ancient spirituality meets contemporary technique.

Other services elevate the stay even further: an outdoor pool seamlessly integrated into the gardens (I’ll have to return in the summer), a concierge team that organizes everything from private tours of the Uffizi to wine journeys in Chianti, a personal butler for the most exclusive suites; wedding and event spaces like the magnificent Salone delle Feste; and thoughtful family programs that blend culture and play — plus, of course, babysitting services.

One detail that particularly struck me was the elegant display of local artisan goods in the hotel’s Atrium — from hand-loomed silks to leatherwork crafted by families who have preserved traditional techniques for generations. That discovery led me across the Arno to acquire a handmade wallet from one such family — a small Florentine heirloom I’ll carry forever.

A Future That Respects the Past

The upcoming expansion into Palazzo Salleac, a former neighboring lycée, promises to add new layers to the property — likely connected through the Giardini della Gherardesca. All indications point to a vision of the future rooted in the same reverence for the past that has made this hotel one of the finest examples of hospitality in the world.

The Heart of a Dream Fulfilled

What makes the Four Seasons Hotel Firenze truly unique is not just its Renaissance grandeur, its breathing gardens, or its impeccable service — it is the soul of the place and the way it shapes us. There is something profoundly human in being made to feel at home, even when the ceilings are frescoed, and the walls have witnessed the secrets of princes and poets.

I returned from Florence with my heart quietly overflowing – because some dreams don’t just come true. They exceed us. And this was, without question, one of them. A dream that waited over a decade to unfold, not simply as an exceptional stay but as a redefinition of what luxury and welcome truly mean.

In the end, the finest hotels aren’t just places we sleep — they are places where we awaken to a more refined version of ourselves.

Until next time, Four Seasons Firenze. I will never forget your whispering gardens and the golden light that dances on your ancient frescoes. Some loves are made to last an eternity.