Il Salviatino, Fiesole
A fabulous new arrival on the Florence hotel scene, Il Salviatino opened in the spring of 2010 and takes hotel luxury to new heights. With the largest suite costing from Euro 11,000 per night this hotel is not for the faint hearted but in our opinion it is worth every penny (plus the suite comes with a Ferrari for the duration of your stay). The 15th century villa sits proudly on one of the hillsides of Fiesole looking down over the Duomo and red rooftops of Florence. Unlike the hotels in the city which becomes a sauna in the summer months, Il Salviatino is somewhere we would highly recommend for July and August.
On arrival there is no reception, instead all guests are introduced to their Service Ambassador who will cater to your every whim during your stay. Like all the other members of staff, the Service Ambassadors look if they’ve just stepped off a Gucci catwalk and are as easy on the eye as the surroundings. An added benefit is that they all come from different walks of life, if you have come to Florence to shop then a former fashionista at one of the main Florentine fashion houses will make sure you have access to the finest stores (and prices), if the Renaissance is a draw then a former scholar will guide you through the cobbled streets and fascinate you with the history of this stunning city.
The bedrooms are fabulous, our favourites include the Affresco Suite with its vast bathroom containing a sarcophagus bath. In the garden, the Green House bedrooms have a lighter more contemporary feel and make a refreshing change from the heavier and more dramatic interior design of the main villa. The Ojetti suite has a glass floor in which you can peer down at the stained glass ceiling of the main staircase and a private terrace with jacuzzi with stunning views over the olive groves of Fiesole.
Like Ca Sagredo in Venice, Il Salviatino is like staying in a museum. During the painstaking restoration of the villa, frescoes were revealed under false ceilings, ancient pathways in the gardens were released from the undergrowth and artefacts such as the sarcophagus (which is now a bath) were lovingly restored and given a new lease of life. Local craftsmen and artisans were brought in to replace broken mosaics, re panel the old library and delicately restore the old glasshouses on the garden which had been neglected for decades. This really is a labour of love.
Based on a heavenly garden described in Sanskrit, the Devarana spa is tucked away in the gardens. Expert Thai therapists offer a variety of Eastern treatments our favourite being their signature massage. The swimming pool, contains therapeutic salts to restore aching muscles and feet after a hard day sightseeing. The two restaurants are outstanding, Le Serre is aiming for not one but two michelin stars under the watchful guidance of Saverio Sabaragli who trained under Alain Ducasse. Located in the former green house, guests can dine under the Tuscan stars and watch the lights of Florence twinkling below. The more informal Terazza restaurant offers a menu of typical Tuscan classics including hand rolled pasta and our favourite dish "spaghetti alla chitarra" with a variety of fresh tomatoes. This can be enjoyed with a glass of Chianti on the terrace of the restaurant with its stunning views.
Il Salviatino is a "Room with a View" for the modern traveller, one of the most exciting recent hotel openings and deserves to be firmly installed on the Grand Tourist map of Italy