A Weekend at Portrait Firenze: My Five Star Nest Above the Ponte Vecchio
Florence in celebration mode is a beautiful thing. I travelled to the city for my dear friend Petra’s birthday weekend, and while the festivities took me to some of the most magical corners of Tuscany, my home for two nights was a place I have to tell you about: Portrait Firenze, right on the Arno, with my suite overlooking the Ponte Vecchio.
The interiors are the work of Florentine architect Michele Bönan, who designed every house of the Lungarno Collection and drew his inspiration here from local craftsmanship and the birth of Italian haute couture in the 1950s, which explains the mid-century lines, the handmade furniture and that warm, quietly glamorous palette throughout my suite as you can see in the photos below.
Let me start with the feeling, because that is what sets this hotel apart. Portrait Firenze, which is part of Leading Hotels of the World, does not feel like a hotel at all. It feels like your own elegant Florentine residence. Even the check in happens as if you were sitting in a friend’s living room, relaxed, personal, without a classic reception counter in sight. You arrive, you sink into a beautiful chair, and from that moment on, you simply live there.
The service deserves its own love letter. On a Saturday, of all days, I ran into a little crisis: I could not download my photographer’s pictures from the birthday celebrations because I was missing a memory card reader. The team went above and beyond to track one down for me, on a weekend, in the middle of Florence. This is the kind of effort that turns a lovely stay into an unforgettable one.
And then, the food. Breakfast here is truly next level. You all know I am a devoted room service girl, and enjoying my morning coffee in the suite with the Ponte Vecchio glittering right outside the window was pure bliss. One more detail every woman will appreciate: my suite had mirrors in every single corner, even inside the shower.
Caffè dell’Oro, the bar directly in front of the hotel, also facing the bridge, is the perfect spot for a glass of Champagne (I am sorry, Bella Italia … I am not into Prosecco) while watching the Florentines and visitors stroll by. People watching at its most glamorous, I promise.
In the adjacent building, part of the neighbouring sister property, the 4-star Gallery Art Hotel, you will also find the fabulous 701 Rooftop Bar, and great art exhibitions. Portrait Firenze is currently being expanded even further, so there is more to come.
Now for the detail that will make every fashion lover’s heart beat faster: Portrait Firenze belongs to the Ferragamo family’s Lungarno Collection. At check in, you receive a card with lovely privileges, including 10 percent off at Ferragamo and special benefits at the restaurants belonging to the group.
The bathroom amenities are all by Ferragamo, and the suite is filled with wonderful books, many of them dedicated to fashion. Flipping through beautiful fashion volumes with that view? My idea of the perfect day in.
Portrait Firenze is special in the truest sense of the word. Discreet, warm, impeccably run, and steeped in Florentine style and fashion heritage. My weekend there felt like nesting in the most luxurious way possible, a true five star nest experience in the heart of Florence.
Until my next Florentine adventure!
LoL, Sandra
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / Oliver Rauh / Courtesy of Portrait Firenze
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