Florence, ItalyPorta al Prato
Dimora Palanca
Frescoed art villa
Porta al Prato Florence, Italy
Opened
2021
Price
$$$
Rated for
Design Luxe HeritageOutside the door
Frescoed art villa
The 1860s villa began as a salon for artists, and guests stay among contemporary paintings hung beneath restored frescoes.
“They restored the overgrown garden and converted the ex-lemon house into bedrooms.”
What it’s good at
Notable
Contemporary Italian furnishings sit beneath restored nineteenth-century frescoes across crisp white galleries.
Notable
Master suites feature private marble hydromassage whirlpool tubs for in-room bathing rituals.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler.
an aristocratic Florentine family built a grand villa; avid supporters of the arts, they spared no expense commissioning local artists to create one-of-a-kind hand-painted ceiling frescoes, murals, and stuccoes throughout the building.
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Santa Maria Novella station is a short walk away, and Piazza Santa Maria Novella sits ten minutes east.
The rooms
Rooms are split between the main villa and the converted limonaia, with tall windows facing the walled courtyard garden.
The spa
Sensory showers and a Finnish sauna sit underground, where circular daybeds furnish the quiet relaxation lounge.
Restaurant
Ristorante Mimesi
Ristorante Mimesi occupies the villa's vaulted nineteenth-century kitchen, serving modern Italian dishes beneath the original ceramic-tiled hood.
At the table
Breakfast and lunch are served on the courtyard terrace under wide parasols, shaded by magnolia trees.
How it began
The villa spent decades as a bohemian hotel for opera singers and actors, then sat abandoned for thirty years.
Florence
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.