Florence has never lacked for magnificent places to stay. The city that gave the world Alighieri, Botticelli, and Brunelleschi has also cultivated centuries of hospitality. When W Hotels threw open the doors of W Florence last summer, the Renaissance capital gained something it did not quite know that it was missing: a modern hotel that plays by its own rules and does so with style.
W Hotels, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio, now counts the W Florence as its second Italian hotel, with the W Rome already open. Sitting in Piazza dell’Unita, just a stone’s throw from Florence’s Santa Maria Novella train station, the W occupies a former bank building designed by Florentine architect Lando Bartoli in 1968, a rationalist-modernist landmark now electrified by the W’s signature modern aesthetic. In the lobby, guests are greeted by a sweeping custom mural depicting a Florentine Babylon garden populated by exotic animals once kept by the Medici family; many were gifts from foreign monarchs. The whimsical mural sets the scene for the whole hotel: deep respect for Florentine history, delivered with an irreverent contemporary sensibility.
The W’s interior design is modern with pops of color. All the rooms and suites feature rich wood, Carrara marble, brass accents, and sculptural curves that are a clear nod to Florence’s architectural legacy. They have a retro 1960s-1970s feel. One standout among the 17 suites is the Supreme Suite, which has its very own wine window. A cute and classy touch playing off the wine windows you can find across the city, which were used during the Renaissance.
Each room has a “cocktail station,” which is kind of a floor-to-ceiling minibar cabinet stocked with bottled cocktails like Florence’s famous Negroni and boxed water with an image of the Duomo. A nice Florentine touch. Travelers who seek out W Florence beyond its striking design are well rewarded by Tratto, the hotel’s modern Italian restaurant. The restaurant was developed by the Trattoria Contemporanea collective, led by Davide Marzullo, the creative force behind a Michelin-starred restaurant in Lomazzo. Among food lovers in a city not easily impressed, Tratto is already generating real excitement.
Tratto is Italian cuisine, reimagined. The menu is deliberately designed to blur the boundaries between courses, with dishes freed from any single category, and the philosophy is built around conviviality at the table. Risotto reimagined as a nod to pizza. Eggplant parmigiana is wrapped in brisée dough with mixed seeds. Grilled Chinese cabbage paired with peanut butter, flamed and aromatic. Tuscan beef is spiced and served with a pepper sauce that envelops the palate. Two types of spaghetti served with meatballs, not traditional, no matter what Italian-American cuisine shows us. The meal is closed by a dessert trolley offering tiramisu, chocolate salami, and a sweet focaccia that is broken at the table and passed among diners. Every course is accompanied by a thoughtfully curated wine list from Tuscany, Italy, and around the world.
Guests are treated to the full range of pleasures that W Hotels devotees seek worldwide. There’s a full gym and a gorgeous sauna. The W Lounge, the brand’s signature social gathering space, opens onto the courtyard and is transformed through the day from shared plates and drinks to live music and DJ sets by evening. At the seasonal Zefiro Rooftop, guests are rewarded with panoramic views stretching from Santa Maria Novella to the Duomo, with signature cocktails and small bites served al fresco. The hotel’s iconic Whatever/Whenever service means guests are taken care of around the clock, with any reasonable request fulfilled, from midnight cravings to last-minute fashion needs.
Marriott Bonvoy members are often a devoted bunch, and the new W Florence offers a great place to earn and redeem points. As always, book early. Nightly rates start at around 431 euros, positioning the hotel firmly at the upper tier of Florence’s luxury market. For the traveler who demands both beauty and originality, the value is real.
For more Italy travel inspiration and tips, watch Kathy McCabe’s PBS series, Dream of Italy.