Under the guardianship of the Ferragamo family, Portrait Firenze is stylish both inside and out.
When the Ferragamo family puts its name to something, you know it’s going to impress. Commanding prime real estate on the north bank of the Arno, just a few steps east of the Ponte Vecchio, this intimate boutique hotel is both slick and stylish, offering guests a more modern take on traditional Florentine design. Despite its central location, Portrait Firenze, part of the exclusive Lungarno Collection, remains a haven of privacy thanks to its intimate grounds, discreet entrance and spacious all-suite accommodation, many of which have personal balconies with river views.
Popular with celebrities, supermodels and captains of industry, the hotel represents a coming together of Italy’s top design firms, including celebrated Florentine architect and interior designer Michele Bönan, who was inspired by 1950s cinema when it came to the interiors. The result is 37 luxurious, contemporary designed rooms reminiscent of glamorous film sets, complete with high-quality materials, dark woods, retro furniture and light metals, as well as hand-crafted pieces from Ferragamo.
Elsewhere, archival photos showcasing Salvatore Ferragamo’s stylish clients, such as Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot and Grace Kelly, take pride of place alongside rows of fashion tomes, while service is also second to none; guests are given a choice of pillow, bed linen menus and a myriad of music styles to pick from for a personally curated background playlist in their suite. Fresh flowers are delivered daily.
What also makes Portrait Firenze stand out from the competition is its location, for which it gets a 10/10. Not only is it mere moments from the city’s most famous sights, including the Uffizi Gallery, Palazzo Vecchio, Florence Cathedral (aka The Duomo) and the Bargello Museum, the Museo Ferragamo is a stone’s throw away, as is Via Tornabuoni and its designer boutiques. It’s also a leisurely stroll to Oltrano, often dubbed Florence’s coolest neighbourhood, which is full of artisanal stores, chic eateries and bohemian, old-world streets.
While the hotel’s all-day dining room Caffé dell’Oro is a fine place to refuel, its proximity to the city’s best restaurants makes this bolthole ripe for culinary exploration following a day of sightseeing. Head to Michelinstarred Borgo San Jacopo, also part of the Lungarno Collection, for decadent tasting menus followed by a nightcap at La Terrazza rooftop bar at the Hotel Continentale, where you can enjoy carefully crafted cocktails alongside some of the best views of Florence in the city.
