Florence is a mecca for art lovers, all driven by the wealth of beauty on show, a city filled to the brim with classical pieces housed in some of the world’s finest palaces. Classic isn′t just what Florence offers, with several gallery spaces throughout the city, including the Gallery Hotel Art in Florence.
Gallery Hotel Art prides itself on being Italy′s first design hotel. It features 74 rooms and suites with whitewashed walls and a touch of neutral tones, offering a sleek and chic stay over in Florence. Designed by renowned Florentine architect Michele Bönan and owned by the famed fashion family of Ferragamo, it boasts a collection of art and photography dressing its walls. It’s a modern antithesis to the city′s Renaissance styling. Set in a quiet courtyard in the heart of Florence by the Ponte Vecchio, Gallery Hotel Art prides itself on being “a true contemporary art gallery that opens its doors to talented travellers”.
The hotel is an art gallery open to all
Not just cultured guests to peruse the art on show and drink in their ground-floor bar. In the past, works by David Lachapelle and Steven Klein have been on display. A recent exhibition of Andy Warhol featured sixteen of his most iconic pieces, including two portraits of Marilyn Monroe and his infamous Campbell′s Soup Cans. The hotel facade also acts as a canvas, changing yearly to feature a talking point installation. In charge is Artistic Director Simone D′Auria. You’ll see his piece titled Freedom of Twelve Vespa Motorcycles attached and cascading down the hotel′s main wall. Each Vespa body is decorated with themes representing planet sustainability.
Inside the hotel, Fusion Bar and restaurant is ideal for a pre-dinner cocktail. Try a Herbal Martini based on gin with 47 botanicals from India and drops of green Chartreuse, liquor obtained from 130 different herbs prepared by monks. If hungry, dive into dinner with Nikkei cuisine, a mix of Japanese via Peru with an Italian twist. Or if you are chasing a caffeine fix, the hotel′s lounge, Sala Cha & Library, is an ideal escape for a café between city exploring, a cosy space surrounded by books and more artwork and photography.
Photo credit: Lungarno Collection
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