A-listers are wont to flock to Tuscany, aren’t they? Florence is not only one of Italy’s finest cities, it’s also the gateway to Tuscany – opening into rolling hillsides and vineyards, the like of which you’ve seen on the pages of glossy magazines, at celebrity weddings. Clearly, the stars know where to find the best hotels in Tuscany. But where do celebrities stay in Florence? They – like the rest of us – love the city for its opulent Renaissance architecture, impeccable food and world-class art, but there are so many special places to stay, one could easily find themselves quite spoiled for choice. It is uniquely hard to pull together a list of the best hotels in Florence because there are simply so many – it’s palazzo after palazzo, pool after pool, fresco after fresco. A Renaissance banquet for the senses.

Here are some of our favorite luxury hotels in Florence. 

Villa Cora

This is a villa in the most fairytale sense of the word – an imposing standalone building, twinkling with lights and surrounded by pristine lawns, oak trees and roses. The villa was a private residence for centuries, welcoming elite guests through its halls, from Princess Eugenie (wife of Napoleon III) to the French pianist Claude Debussy. Rooms and suites are richly adorned with history and refinement, laced with jewel tones and velvet. 

 

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The St Regis, Florence

Set along the banks of the Arno River, this palazzo designed by Filippo Brunelleschi is one of our favorite hotels with a view. The luckiest guests can peer out through heavy damask drapery over the Ponte Vecchio and Tuscan hills. It’s a view that really encapsulates the grandeur of this city. There’s no less grandeur within, though – think, crystal chandeliers, four poster beds, reproductions of Renaissance artwork, frescoes, stained glass, the works. The lobby is a sensation. 

Related reading: 21 Most Beautiful Places In Italy You Need To Visit

Hotel Calimala

One of the best hotels in Florence for blending old and new, this 19th century palazzo has been filled with modern furniture, terrazzo floors and mirrored headboards, though rooms feature lots of exposed original brickwork, too. There is a little more glamor here, a little less opulence – lots of black and white marble and careful lighting. 

 

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Villa San Michele

The rumor mill strongly suggests that previous guests of this 15th-century villa carved into a hilltop include Justin Bieber, Kim Kardashian and Julia Roberts. It’s currently undergoing a renovation and will reopen in 2026, which is thrilling because it’s already hard to picture a more perfect place to stay – it makes so many of the best hotels in Florence look basic. The Belmond website correctly describes Villa San Michele as a “perpetual Renaissance dream of Italian indulgence” – picture yourself walking among the garden’s lemon trees and fragrant roses (in 2026). 

Related reading: These Are Our 15 Favorite Michelin Star Restaurants in Italy

Four Seasons Hotel Firenze

This 15th-century Medici palace is a Florentine classic with all the extras you could wish for: Michelin starred cuisine, glittering pool and sprawling botanical gardens, abundant with majestic trees, like the umbrella pine, weeping beech and ginkgo. Floral displays abound indoors and palettes are cool and creamy, though the hotel is palatial from its frescoed ceilings to its marble floors. 

 

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Brunelleschi Hotel

Of all the views in the world described as ‘breathtaking’, the view directly over the Duomo from rooms at this very central boutique hotel, actually are. All eyes are on the dome; pared back rooms with parquet floors and angular furniture are designed to cool you off from the sheer excitement and drama of the view. Downstairs, an unexpected treat: a tiny, private archaeology museum.

Related reading: Best Hotels In Europe In 2025

Riva Lofts

This is one of the best hotels in Florence despite actually being 10 meticulously crafted lofts (by the architect behind Dolce & Gabbana’s boutiques). Riva is a collection of early-20th-century stone buildings that were once artisan workshops. The lofts themselves are chic, airy spaces that feel a little Mediterranean, with stone walls, calm colours, linens and squishy but cubist sofas. 

 

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Il Salviatino

What is the best area of Florence to stay in? We love the lush hills of Fiesole in the north-east, which feels like a rich, tranquil blend of Florence and Tuscany, but is only a 20-minute taxi away from the duomo. Here, Il Salviatino provides the most fabulous retreat, with contemporary but noble Tuscany-adjacent rooms and a spectacular botanical garden spa that uses products by Florentine’s best perfumiers and cosmetologists. 

Hotel Montebello Splendid

This is where guests on our Ultimate Italy journey rest their royal heads for three nights – in between sampling the flavors of Umbria and dipping a toe in the sea on the sparkling Cinque Terre. Hotel Montebello Splendid is one of our chosen accommodations in Florence thanks to its understated neoclassical charm, and the serenity and elegance it provides, despite its  wonderfully central location – it’s just a short walk to the Ponte Vecchio. 

Hotel Montebello Splendid, Florence

Velona’s Jungle Luxury Suites

A slightly offbeat choice in both location in style, Velona’s Jungle Luxury Suites is more like a chic and characterful Florentine home – a place to really get comfortable. Though not central, it’s only a 15-minute walk to key sights, and the interiors are jungle-themed, festooned with palm fronds and drapery in lush shades of teal, sage and fern. The suites have canopy beds and rainshowers with chromotherapy lights.

See Florence in luxury on our Ultimate Italy journey. 

In the mid 2010s, premium economy was the class cabin of concern – these were the seats that airlines were pouring their investment into. It looked as though first class might face extinction, making business class seats the most sought-after seats on the plane. But then, something switched, as elite travelers went in search of one-of-a-kind, ever more luxurious experiences, and consequently many airlines have had a first class glow-up in recent years, with the gap between business and first class appearing to widen. We’re exploring the upper echelons of air travel below, just in case you’ve ever wondered: first class vs business class – what exactly is the difference?

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1. What is the highest class in a plane?

First class is the highest category of ticket you can buy. But between airlines, first class varies enormously and numerous airlines have added even more premium and unique options to the repertoire, such as Etihad’s The Residence. One airline’s business or first class offering can also vary massively between routes.

2. Which seat is better: first class or business class?

Business class seats tend to be the most luxurious version of what you get in economy and premium economy cabins, in that they are still actual seats, whereas first class seats tend to be within larger suite-like spaces, with full beds and privacy curtains or doors. Business class seats still have privacy, usually as a result of clever seat configuration, and they always have plenty of space, usually enough for lie flat seats.

3. Which food and drink is better: first class or business class?

There is a clear shift in the dinner service between these classes. In business class, you will usually enjoy restaurant-style plating with cloth napkins, ceramics, glassware and cutlery and you may be able to pre-select your meals or dine on demand, depending on your airline. In first class, things go up a notch; airlines are aiming to give you an actual gourmet experience, with elevated fine dining presentation, rare vintage wines, more choice and exclusive menus designed by Michelin star chefs.

4. What are the other key differences in amenities?

Essentially, first class is looking to provide a luxury hotel experience in the air, whereas business class is looking to make your flight as smooth and comfortable as possible. So, in business class, you’ll have more control over your personal space than in economy or premium economy (temperature, lighting), and you’ll have bedding to transform your seat into a bed. Business travelers will have easy access to plug sockets and WiFi and everything they need to get on with their work or take a break from it.

In first class you’ll have this, plus perhaps a personal minibar, access to a shower, a flat screen TV and space for another passenger to come and dine with you. There are luxurious amenities in both classes – Emirates works with Bulgari on their amenity kits, and Turkish Airlines works with Ferragamo, for instance. As a first class vs business class case study, Air France’s La Premiere passengers get embossed boxes in Air France red or pearl grey, with hand cream, eye contour balm, serum and moisturizer by Sisley, whereas the equivalent business class bag includes two Clarins moisturizers.

5. What’s the difference on the ground?

Like everything in the world of luxury travel, no two airport lounges are created equal. Generally, business class and first class passengers will have access to airport lounges, with extra special first class lounges available in some circumstances, for the most elite first class fliers. For instance, at Singapore Changi airport, Singapore Airlines has gold and silver lounges, as well as The Private Room, with a maximum capacity of just 78. As well as lounge access, first class passengers often receive additional perks like chauffeur-driven cars to and from the airport and dedicated jet bridges so they don’t have to board the plane with everyone else.

6. Is there an industry standard for airline classes?

Broadly speaking, business class is an enhanced experience, designed for your comfort, with wider seats and more amenities than economy or premium economy and first class is the highest level of luxury and service. But the reality is more complex; airlines have different priorities and different seat configurations on different routes, and they’re making updates to their fleets all the time.

7. Is it worth upgrading from business to first class?

You are never going to be uncomfortable on a business class flight, so this question comes down to what you are prepared to pay for. In the battle of first class vs business class, there is much to consider. How long is the flight you’re taking? For domestic flights, the difference in service will feel small, and you won’t have much time to make use of the amenities. Will you feel the benefit? Have you checked specifically which seats are available on your route and your airline? Not to mention, it’s often quadruple the price to travel in first class. We found an Emirates business class ticket from NYC to Dubai for $5,537 while the equivalent first class ticket cost $21,967.

Seaside hotels, spa resorts, boutique hotels in the world’s coolest cities – what are the best hotels in Europe to book right now? Some of them just sit head and shoulders above the rest, offering unforgettable experiences from the moment you walk through their grand doors. Our pick of Europe’s (and the UK’s) most magnificent luxury stays is here. We hope it inspires you to stop dreaming, and book that Luxury Gold journey to Italy, France, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland or Sweden.

Four Seasons Firenze, Florence

A true classic – there’s scarcely a list of luxury hotels the Four Seasons Firenze doesn’t appear on. The building itself is a restored 15th century palazzo and it sits surrounded by Florence’s largest private garden – flamboyant with fountains, statues, umbrella pines, yews and sweeping beeches. Some rooms have views of the Duomo and the interiors are opulence itself: dramatic bouquets, frescoes, bronze sculptures, mosaics, moldings – the full Italian Renaissance.

 

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Le Bristol, Paris

Another icon in the world of luxury hotels, Le Bristol has been offering a haven to luxury-loving artists since 1925. Among the people to have graced its sumptuously oversized suites: Coco Chanel, Pablo Picasso, Charlie Chaplin, Christian Lacroix. The rooms are full of light, as well as period furniture and antique mirrors. Close to the Champs-Élysées, Le Bristol’s courtyard is the ideal escape, with its serene white and green palette. And the restaurant – Epicure – has three Michelin stars.

 

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You may also enjoy reading: 10 Most Exciting Hotel Openings of 2025

Raffles London at the OWO, London

The Old War Office (OWO) on Whitehall is now (as of 2023) one of the best hotels in Europe – a super-sumptuous luxury stay imbibed with history and subterfuge (there’s a hidden bar in the underground interrogation rooms once used by MI5 agents, for instance). Over an eight-year renovation, the original floors and staircase were preserved – where Winston Churchill delivered his wartime announcements. The rooms are nothing short of spectacular.

 

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Passalacqua, Lake Como

This 18th century villa opened as a hotel in 2022 and has quickly emerged as one of the most idyllic luxury stays in the world. Surrounded by the impossible blues, greens and turquoises of Lake Como, the hotel is resplendent with Murano chandeliers, gilded mirrors, original frescoes and manicured gardens. The pool scene has to be one of the most glamorous in the world, with its pine green loungers and lily-petal parasols, against the lake backdrop.

 

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Adare Manor, Ireland

This neo-Gothic manor house sits within 840 acres of formal French gardens, parklands and the River Maigue and is quietly one of the best resorts in Europe. Activities on offer include falconry, fishing and archery, and the spa is world-class. The padel club is tucked in the woods, with a gym, sauna, steam room and enormous swimming pool alongside the courts. The interiors are all oak, leather, monumental stone-vaulted ceilings, chandeliers and red velvet. Adare’s got it all (including a chocolate shop). If you’re enamored with our Castles & Kingdoms journey, you’ll adore it here.

 

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For more breathtaking stays read: How You Can Stay in Europe’s Finest Private Castles

Gran Hotel Ingles, Madrid

This boutique hotel in the middle of Madrid’s Barrio de las Letras is tucked down a narrow street – soothing, but full of life. At its heart, the glamorous lobby is abundant with gold, bronze and velvet; it has a central bar surrounded by cocktail lounge space, designed as a gathering space, inspired by the Café Inglés of the 19th century, which attracted writers and artists. The rooms are white and grey with lots of straight lines and sharp angles.

 

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Borgo Santandrea, Amalfi

If Amalfi isn’t on your luxury hotels bucketlist, put the Borgo Santandrea on there right now, truly one of the best beach hotels in Europe. Built dramatically into the rockface (as only the Amalfi Coast knows how), looming directly over the glimmering sea, with a private beach club, suitably serene white and blue rooms and all the Negronis and fritto misto you could dream of, this address is simply special.

 

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Kalesma, Mykonos

Another of the most glorious beach hotels in Europe, Kalesma sits up a Mykonian hill, out of reach of the parties, surrounded by olive trees, bougainvillea and the scent of rosemary, basil and lavender. With only 25 suites and two villas, this luxury boutique hotel is arranged across gorgeous whitewashed buildings, inspired by Cycladic architecture, but with chic, modern interiors. The dining options – meze, pool bar, sunset lounge and private dining – make it difficult to leave.

 

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Experimental Chalet Verbier

Soul-reviving views of snow-capped peaks, tartiflette by Gregory Marchand, an epic hammam, cosy rooms with mountain terraces, and Winter Cup cocktails (Pimm’s, Fino sherry, lemon, cucumber, bitters) make this one of the best hotels in Europe. From outside, it looks like a regular luxury chalet, but the flashes of scarlet on the shutters let you know that what lurks within is far more stylish than all of the others, bar none.

 

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Bookmark for later: How to Spend 48 Hours in One of Norway’s Most Scenic Hotels

Hjortviken Country Club, Sweden

One of the hot new boutique hotels of the year, this unique escape just outside of Gothenburg is worth having on your list, particularly if you’re considering our Timeless Scandinavia journey, which starts in Copenhagen. Low-key glamor is the vibe – there’s cross-country skiing in winter, lake activity in summer, and plenty of lounging under coral, fringed parasols, plus a Swedish brasserie, some Cali-inspired tapas and an eighties New York City-style nightclub.

 

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Discover how magnificent stays bookend each day on every Luxury Gold journey.