Aristocratic hillside retreat
The 1860s estate sits in private parkland above the city, running like an opulent hillside home.
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Private city shuttles and rose-embroidered robes define the attentive aristocratic service.
Remarkable
An 1860s aristocratic residence once home to Empress Eugénie and visited by Tchaikovsky.
Notable
Restored nineteenth-century reception halls showcase gilded stucco and trompe l’œil frescoes.
What they say
Two Michelin Keys
Michelin
UK Readers' Choice Awards – Florence
Condé Nast Traveler
2025
The interiors are opulent, as one would expect from a historic Italian villa, especially in Florence; rooms are outfitted with antique and reproduction furnishings...
Somewhere quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
The villa stands along tree-lined Viale Machiavelli in the Oltrarno hills, right beside the Boboli Gardens.
The rooms
Suites on the piano nobile preserve original nineteenth-century ceiling frescoes and ornate parquet floors.
The pool
Bring a swimsuit.
Heated year-round, the outdoor swimming pool sits in a private park bordered by ancient oaks and rose beds.
The tepidarium
Candlelit stone loungers surround an illuminated marble pool in the subterranean Roman tepidarium, which includes a sauna and hammam.
The spa
Treatments use preparations from Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, including an Iris Ritual with Florentine iris powder.
Dogs stay too.
Restaurant
Le Bistrot
Seasonal Tuscan dishes are served poolside in the garden throughout summer, moving into the Moorish hall for winter.
inside it’s awash with elaborate stucco work and trompe l’oeil frescoes, vast gilded mirrors and chandeliers and boasts a series of reception rooms immaculately restored to their original ‘eclectic’ style.
At the table
Drinks move between plush velvet lounges, a summer garden cocktail club, and the rooftop terrace overlooking Florence.
How it began
Baron Oppenheim built the villa in the late 1860s for his bride, when Florence was briefly Italy's capital.
Good to know
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Villa Cora
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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.