Florence – Hotel Review, Villa Le Fontanelle

Florence is home to many masterpieces of the Renaissance and this is the number one reason why 94% of tourists who travel to Italy want to visit this beautiful Italian city. Even if you are the type of tourist who likes to venture off the beaten path, the moment you decide to travel through Italy you are probably going to include Florence on your Italian Itinerary. I know for sure that I am not wrong to say this. There are some Italian cities which are just must-sees and among them is Florence.

That said, which is the best place to stay in Florence if not a charming villa with plenty of history which makes you feel like an integral part of the city? I mean a place which will take you back in time. Not only that! When the history is accompanied by an excellent taste for decor, impeccable service, an amazing view, and mouth-watering food believe me, there is nothing more that you could wish for. Really.

If you are looking for the most wonderful place to stay in Florence, then my advice is to stay at Villa Fontanelle. Villa Fontanelle is located at via di Careggi 26, only 6 km from Florence’s San Marco Church and 8 km from Santa Maria Novella. Villa Le Fontanelle features 7 adorable accommodations, a restaurant, terrace, an outdoor swimming pool, and a garden with a perfect elevated view above Florence. In short, it is like a movie setting location. Obviously, Villa le Fontanelle offers both Wi-Fi and private parking free of charge.

I wouldn’t even forget to write that the Fortezza da Basso Convention Centre is only 7 km from Villa Le Fontanelle and the airport for which the property offers shuttle services is just about 6 km. It is an ideal place to spend the night before your departure. On the other hand, business travellers will particularly love this location.

As for us, we had a meeting that early morning in Florence and we decided to arrive in Florence the day before. While researching online, to our surprise, we found this beautiful villa. Which, by the way, was the most cost-effective one we found. It sounded so weird, but we reserved without any second thoughts. In fact, later this was a question that I didn’t forget to ask the manager. How come a place like this has a ridiculous price? I learnt later that the owners sometimes apply interesting rates in order to give the chance to all to experience this jewel.

Enjoying luxury doesn’t mean a complete disregard of your budget here.  As you can see from our experience, sometimes it is possible to live luxuriously without spending a fortune. Villa Le Fontanelle in Florence has superb offers especially for winter! Book your room at Le Fontanelle and you definitely won’t regret it. It is a unique escape to luxury and romance.

I believe that style is the only real luxury that is really desirable. Giorgio Armani

A bit of history.

Villa Le Fontanelle originally was a simple peasant farm. Later in the XV century it became one of the properties of the House of Medici and Cosimo de’ Medici donated it to Marsilio Ficino, famous member of the Florentine Humanesim. It is said that in this villa the humanist translated the Platonic codes and gave birth to the Florentine Neoplatonic Academy. The man who gave the garden its current romantic look was Sir John Francis Slone, inspired by the gothic style. During World War II, Mr. Bernard Berenson was hosted and protected here, because Villa Le Fontanelle was considered neutral territory. During the centuries, the villa belonged to several families, who changed its design many times and the evidence of these changes can still be seen at the Villa Le Fontanelle.

Now it belongs to a Ciappi-Moscardini family who has worked hard almost 10 years to take it back alive. They restored it and furnished it elegantly, and finally, for 5 years now, it has been available to all those who want to experience it. Every single angle of the villa has been planned with dedication. The interiors are elegantly decorated with a blend of classic and modern Italian furniture in order to create a unique location, where nothing is left to chance. It is truly a dreamy environment where beauty is everywhere. Villa Le Fontanelle guarantees to their guests a long lasting memory to carry back home.

Dining at Villa Le Fontanelle

This luxurious holiday property in Florence has an indoor restaurant which offers high-quality food together with a wide wine selection, the best we have eaten in Florence. Want to know more? It was even cheaper than what we paid in the city. And I’m not kidding you! Apart from this, there is also the fact that the decor will leave you speechless. Actually, while visiting Florence, I highly recommend you have dinner at Villa Le Fontanelle even if you are not staying there. There is a fireplace in the hall of the restaurant which will give you even more pleasure, contributing to the villa’s unique, magical atmosphere. Villa Le Fontanelle offers a continental breakfast that satisfies the taste of both who like salty and sweet.

Wedding venue in Florence

If you are looking for a wedding venue in Florence, there is no better place than this. The unique and beautiful location of Villa Le Fontanelle will grant you life-long memories both for you and your guests. Since they are new to this industry, prices are cheaper than any other villa in Florence.

When celebrating the reception there, you and your friends can sleep in the 7 bedrooms that can accommodate up to 21 guests. There is a small chapel inside the compound which you can use for your religious wedding ceremony. As you can imagine, it is an ideal place for any type of photography.

Someone even rents the villa only for a proposal.

Yeah guys, sorry if I have spammed you too much with this place in Florence. But what I have written here in this post doesn’t give justice to what it truly is. It is more than a five star accommodation. We really love it. I have stayed at many of the world’s most beautiful hotels including Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, but Villa Le Fontanelle is outstanding in terms of staff, service, attention to detail, attention to customers, design, location, and so on…There is no better place to stay in Florence. All you need to do is get there and try it yourself. The great team is waiting to give you the best hospitality you have ever seen.

If you are looking for more interesting things to do in  Florence, don’t forget to check out Audrey Brown’s  “Florence Travel Guide“.  She writes many facinating things about one of the most popular destinations of Italy.