Lunch
or dinner on the loggia of this expensive gem, set on a peaceful
hillside overlooking Florence, is an unforgettable experience.
Designed by Michelangelo, the Villa San Michele was originally
a monastery, and still exudes an expertly preserved aura of the
past.
Our favourite rooms include the Conservatory suite, a restored
garden house off the main drive to the hotel. It is reached
up some stone steps through an iron gate that leads onto a private
garden, which shares the splendid view of the valley making
it
ideal for a honeymoon. The bedroom is vast with a television
that disappears from view on request, the large marble bathroom
has one of the biggest bathtubs we've ever seen and delicious
Bulgari bath products.
The rooms in the main building are all well appointed, but
make sure you only have a room with a view; the Michelangelo
suite
is the most impressive, stretching the entire length of the
facade and looking out over the Chianti hills and Arno Valley.
The Chapel
bedroom (with frescoes in the bathroom) could be terribly
romantic in the summer months when you could sleep with the doors
open,
but we felt it could be a little damp and musty if the
weather wasn't great.
A fleet of taxis will whisk you down to the city, and when
you have had enough of sightseeing or shopping you can retreat
to
this haven of peace. It is also one of the few hotels in
Florence we would recommend during July and August as there is
a large
swimming pool and being up in the hills means there is always
a cool breeze.
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