Stella d'Italia

This is a wonderful 6-month old hotel in a centuries old building with a sublime old/modern aesthetic and a fantastic location. I was primarily in Florence for a wedding in the countryside and, upon arrival, spent two nights at the also lovely sister hotel (Sopr'Arno Suites) on the other side of the Arno River in the Oltrarno district, as I was trying to avoid huge crowds. I decided to wait until I was in Florence to book my last two nights after the wedding. Sopr'Arno, which I quite liked and would also return to, was fully booked one of those two nights, and the desk attendant suggested that I try this newish sister hotel, which was right on Via Tornabuoni within the central walking district of Florence. If high-end shopping is of interest, Prada is next door on one side and Jill Sanders on the other, with the rest of their ilk dotted along this street. I stayed in Suite #1, which is a huge room with two clawfoot tubs in the main living space, as well as a separate bathroom with double pedestal sinks and a double-headed rainfall shower. The room is quiet at night because of its walking district location, the king bed was quite comfortable, and the decor is a stylishly curated mix of old and new. I loved the original, hand-painted movie posters, one of which was appx 6'x10'. Breakfast could be taken either in a beautiful dining room with tromp-l'oeil murals on the walls, or on a smaller outside terrace. There were ample choices available for self-service: yogurt, fruit, pancakes, eggs and bacon, juices, espresso drinks (made to order) to drip coffee and teas, cold cuts, cheeses, pastries, etc. There is also a 4th floor (top floor) covered outdoor lounge with beautiful views of the Florentine rooftops. My daughter and her friend, who were staying elsewhere after the wedding, dropped by and we enjoyed an impromptu bottle of wine up there; very easy to get stemware and a wine opener from the front desk. Lovely to be up there taking in the rooftop views and swallows flitting about. The front desk staff were extremely friendly and helpful, whether it was directing me to a same-day skip-the-line company to revisit David after 20yrs (yes, you can go solo after you enter), asking for an iron and board, calling a taxi for my return to the airport, or going above and beyond by storing my daughter's bags for a few hours after she checked out of her accomodation elsewhere and had several hours to spend before catching a train. There's no 24/7 doorman per se, but having a key to enter the hotel through that gorgeous and massive door to the street was very satisfying. And then, of course, there's an elevator to the reception area and all the help you might want. I considered all the high-end hotels and was willing to pay the then rates, which were $1200+/night, and indulged in a massage at one (Helvetia & Bristol), and while I could have stayed at any of them, I truly enjoyed the aesthetic experience and personalized service at Stell

The nicest staff and the loveliest boutique bed and breakfast you could ever wish to find anywhere, the location is perfect as it is almost central to everything you would wish to see in Florence, I would certainly stay here again and would recommend to everyone