Hotel Torre Di Bellesguardo

Category: Hotels

Location: Florence, Italy

There is a mythical quality to Tuscany, as depicted in many novels and films. The gently sloping hills, ancient stone mansions, and many quaint towns come together to form an almost ideal place for a summer holiday.

The beauty of the landscape has drawn people here for thousands of years, which also has made Tuscany an important cultural centre. Florence was the birthplace of fashion, and even today, the town holds an important place in the fashion business, as home to the influential menswear fair Pitti Uomo. 

Florence is a small town with a big reputation. This means however that it tends to be overcrowded with tourists, especially in the summer months. The best way to enjoy the town’s attractions is to choose a hotel that is slightly outside of the city walls, like Hotel Torre di Bellosguardo (just ten minutes from the heart of Florence).

An avenue lined with century-old cypresses leads up to the castle, and above the main entrance is a statue (called Charity) by famous sculptor Pietro Francavilla. Staying here, you can visit Florence as much as you want, but you will also have a respite from the crowds.

Instead of a traditional reception area, the visitor will enter into a 15th century ballroom, adorned with frescoes by Bernardino Poccetti. The many halls are adorned with stone carved fireplaces.

With only 16 guestrooms and a large garden that includes a swimming pool overlooking Florence, the hotel never feels crowded.

The most beautiful space is perhaps the winter garden, decorated in a relaxed and bohemian style, perfect for an aperitivo, solving a crossword on a sunny afternoon, or taking a discreet afternoon nap when everyone else is away, visiting museums or shopping.

The hotel includes a farm that provides organic fresh fruits and vegetables for breakfast. It also has a pet collection of farm animals (three donkeys, a pony, ducks, and hens). If you continue walking past the farm, you will reach Porta Romana, one of the ancient gates in and out of the city. If you prefer not to walk into town, the hotel offers a transfer service. 

Small pets are welcome. 

Florence offers some of the best hotels in Italy, and it’s not always easy to decide where to stay.

What makes Torre di Bellosguardo so attractive is the combination of a slightly secluded location (making it popular with celebrities looking to unwind in private), beautiful architecture and large, comfortable guestrooms. 

It was built in the 1200s as a hunting lodge and expanded to a mansion in 1500. In the 1920s and ‘30s, the Baroness Marion von Hornstein-Franchetti turned it into a salon for royal and aristocratic guests, prominent politicians, and lauded artists, who came here from all over Europe.