Emerald jewel box confection
Stepping off the cobblestones into the emerald lobby lounge brings an immediate exhale, complete with welcoming cocktails, low jazz, and hushed warmth.
“Coming into the emerald-green lobby off the time-worn cobblestone streets feels like a big exhale—everything, and everyone, is just smoother around the edges once you step inside.”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Interiors translate the Duomo's pink and green marble into Art Deco velvet furnishings and Gio Ponti ceramics.
Notable
Attentive family-style hospitality, personalized concierge arrangements, Rivolta Carmignani linens, and green-suited doormen welcoming guests.
Notable
A subterranean vaulted cellar spa featuring Biologique Recherche facials, a Turkish hammam, and hydro-massage plunge pools.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
UK Readers' Choice Awards – Florence
Condé Nast Traveler
2025
Also in AFAR.
Today it’s an Art Deco–inspired luxury boutique hotel decorated in a striking palette inspired by the colors of the nearby Duomo.
In a lively part of town
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Tucked on a quiet lane off Piazza della Repubblica, the hotel sits a short walk from the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio.
The rooms
Checkerboard marble floors, botanical silk wallcoverings, and curved velour headboards join Devon & Devon baths and plush Rivolta Carmignani linens.
The spa
Treatment rooms in the vaulted cellars host Biologique Recherche rituals beside a curved bouclé relaxation lounge.
Hammam and sauna
A Turkish hammam and sauna sit beside an ice waterfall shower in the vaulted stone basement.
Dogs stay too.
Restaurant
Luca's by Paulo Airaudo
Michelin-starred Luca's serves modern Tuscan tasting menus in an emerald paneled dining room with botanical ceilings.
family-owned La Gemma is a cozy 39-room boutique bolthole. Here, the service feels intimate and personal; the contemporary tropical-inspired interiors include apartment-style suites, and a stellar restaurant.
At the table
Drinks are poured at the illuminated lounge bar, and the seasonal rooftop terrace looks out toward Palazzo Vecchio.
How it began
Built on the 15th-century site of Florence's Guild of Hoteliers, the 1895 Palazzo Paoletti was revived as an intimate family project.
Good to know
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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.