Baglioni Relais Santa Croce
Florence, ItalyThe luxurious interiors dazzle with high ceilings, frescoes, fine furnishings, and a magnificent stairway that takes guests to the rooms and main areas. The magnificent Music Room, in particular, stands out with its stately ambience, boasting an oversized fireplace, a 3-metre crystal chandelier, and a packed schedule of cultural and musical events.
Delightful afternoon teas take place in the Music Room, where delicious cakes, sandwiches, and the prestigious blends by the Florentine brand La Via del Tè are served to a soundtrack of wonderful tunes by musicians from Florentine academies. In the evening, the G&G Lounge Bar is the place to go for an aperitivo, serving a selection of excellent cocktails accompanied by Italian delicacies.
The gastronomic experience is further enhanced by Enoteca Pinchiorri, the city’s only three Michelin star restaurant, which sits in the same building and represents Italian haute cuisine at its highest level.
Rooms follow the same elegant décor as elsewhere in the hotel, with terracotta, parquet, plush fabrics, and antiques. All have spacious bathrooms glistening with Tuscan marble and complete with DELLALUNA products. Standard rooms start with the delightful Deluxe category, which looks out onto the typical Florentine streets. For the best views, the Terrace Junior Suite has a balcony overlooking the Santa Croce Basilica.
The higher-category rooms reach breathtaking standards, with sophisticated suites boasting original frescoes, large panoramic windows, and Turkish baths with chromotherapy and a jacuzzi. Guests are spoiled with free limousine transfers, welcome gifts, games for the little ones, complimentary ironing and a minibar. The Santa Croce Royal Suite is the largest, most fascinating suite in town. Ideal for families, it’s arranged over 260 square meters and offers two bedrooms.
With an excellent location in the historic center of Florence, the hotel is a great base from which to explore some of the city’s key tourist attractions such as the Uffizi Gallery and the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, both just a quick stroll away.
The hotel’s Music Room is an impressive venue with high frescoed ceilings where afternoon tea is served and cultural and musical events are often scheduled. Right at its centre stands a grand chandelier hung to the ceiling using wooden trusses based on Leonardo da Vinci’s original drawings.
Seasons feature highly in the cuisine of Florentine chef Niccolò de Riu, who turns market ingredients into creative dishes capable of narrating the culinary traditions of Tuscany, promising guests a superb fine-dining experience.
Via Ghibellina, 87, Florence, 50122, Italy