The Place

This intimate 20-room townhouse hotel, occupying a 17th-century palazzo, is the coolest place to lay your head in Florence.

The original neo-classical interiors have been re-vamped, introducing a sophisticated retro feel.

There is a series of intimate sitting rooms with open fires, a cosy restaurant serving mod-Italian cuisine and a bar that spills onto a fabulous pavement terrace on the piazza in warmer weather.

The location is conveniently close to the train station and tram stops, the main attractions and the designer boutiques of Via Tornabuoni.

One of Italy’s original – and very best – boutique hotels, it has the discreet feel of a private home or gentleman’s club. It’s the perfect Florentine pied-a-terre; guests are treated as privileged friends.