Relais Santa Croce Firenze

The essence of luxury and refinement, Hotel Relais Santa Croce offers superb accommodation in an eighteenth century palace right in the heart of Florence.  Having undergone a recent refurbishment, the hotel has been delicately restored to its former splendor, and is eloquently outfitted with period furniture amidst original eighteenth century frescoes and modern luxury finishes, all perfectly complemented by a superb level of personal service.  The three-floor hotel has 24 rooms and suites featuring warm interiors that promote the highest level of comfort and relaxation.  Relais Santa Croce has that intimate, domestic air of a private residence, and the staff encourage guests to make the hotel their home. They are present 24 hours a day to ensure that all individual requirements are met. 

Superior comfort and hospitality are equally hallmarks of the hotel’s restaurant, Guelfi & Ghibellini.  Offering an innovative seasonal menu, the restaurant specializes in sophisticated Tuscan cuisine, utilizing principally local produce.  A unique contributio of culinary variety is provided by the widely acclaimed three-Michelin starred restaurant, Enoteca Pinchiorri, which shares the same building as the hotel.   The hotel’s Bar and Sala della Musica serve as the ideal spots in which to enjoy an aperitif or after-dinner cocktail, and they also serve light snacks throughout the day.  The adjacent fresco-covered salon, the Fumoir, provides an interior specifically for those who wish to enjoy a good cigar. 

Rooms and Suites
Expressng an air of lightness and tranquility, the rooms and suites at the Relais Santa Croce provide a welcome refuge for guests in the heart of Florence. Overlooking the red-tiled roofs of the city, the Duomo and the Basilica of Santa Croce, the hotel’s rooms and suites offer the highest quality in luxury accommodation. Combining period furniture with modern design, the guestrooms are decorated in warm and inviting colors, intended to invoke a sense of relaxing pleasure. The hotel’s suites offer additional luxury including such services as complimentary garment pressing, unpacking and packing service, and iPod docking stations. The truly magnificent Verrazzano Royal Suite has a massive 170 square meters of floor space, encompassing three rooms, a fine paneled Florentine ceiling, decorated with stuccoes and trefoils, and pale walls complemented by dark leather furniture and colorful brocade sofas. In addition to the delicate frescoes and art pieces, there is also a small gym, and master bathroom with whirlpool massage for two, sauna and plasma television. Openings in the bathroom ceiling allow for views of the bedroom frescoes. 

Guelfi & Ghibellini Restaurant
Named for the rival factions of medieval Italy, the Guelphs and Ghibellines were, respectively, those who supported the papacy and those who supported the Holy Roman Empire.  Like its namesake, the Guelfi & Ghibellini in a way expresses "conflict," though in this case the opposing forces are entirely culinary, and the ensuing result is a graceful cohesion, refinement in a combination of contrasts.  Combining modern décor within the setting of a Renaissance palace, and traditional Tuscan cuisine with innovative twists, the result is a creative composition of high culinary art.  Emphasizing seasonal regional specialties, the talented young chef, Marco Tremonte, updates his menu every three months, preparing everything in-house, including the bread, pasta and pastries.   

E.B., 08.06.10