The name ‘Stella d’Italia’ draws inspiration from the history and symbolism of this beloved country. The Romans referred to the Italian peninsula as the “star of the west”, inspired by Venus, the goddess of beauty and the first bright star of the evening. This vision of a star represents endless beauty and the eternal Italian spirit of pursuing one’s dreams – hence the famous saying, ‘segui la tua stella – follow your (true) star’.

Stepping into each space – where a corridor feels like an art gallery, a bathtub unexpectedly meets a bed and outside spaces become part of the inside, you will encounter an authentic Italian experience. Every room is a masterpiece in itself, meticulously curated to reflect the passions, interests, and eclectic visions that characterize Italian history and culture. Eclectic artistic touches, personal accents, and details that tell stories of the past can be found throughout. A love for original pieces with the purpose of exalting their internal richness is shown in handles reclaimed from old Florentine cinemas to posters of historic films sourced at auction, playful and unexpected colour combinations and walls left deliberately raw to tell their own story. Stella d’Italia offers an insightful, intellectual perspective on a city and a nation rich in culture.

The Breakfast Salone, completely adorned with wraparound frescoes by Florentine masters from the 1700s, offers an internal bucolic experience, an immersion into countryside scenes that evoke the era of Grand Tour artists looking back to depict Medici delights. An exquisite cappuccino sits on artisanal, individually crafted marble tables underneath swathes of trompe d’œil fabric.
The adjoining terrace with its pergola of climbing plants provides a moment of tranquility before exploring the charming streets of Florence or to unwind after an eventful day.

In the Salone Bar where breakfast and cocktails are served, a colourful collection of the Buon Ricordo plates is displayed. Since the 1960’s these ‘happy souvenir’ plates in cheerful colours and naïf style have captured the essence of certain Italian restaurant’s local speciality. The decoration of each plate is embellished with references to the restaurant, its local territory and products. The rim of each plate bears the name of the restaurant and the town or village it is in. The ceramic plates are hand decorated using a carbon “dusting” technique, similar to that one used for Renaissance fresco painting. Even today if you eat the restaurant’s signature dish you are gifted their decorative plate.

Stella d’Italia offers not only the most eclectically authentic accommodation in the heart of the Florence city centre, but an intellectual experience that immerses you in Italian culture and history. Every room has a story to tell, and every corner whispers. More than 500 paintings portray glimpses into Italian lifestyle, from 1900s glances to landscapes and ‘natura morta/still life’ by way of marine scenes and the history of mapmaking – found both in bedrooms and unexpectedly in bathrooms. Original textural abstract compositions sit alongside books placed in frames elevated to masterpieces as wordy works of art. Clashes of colourful African fabrics dot lampshades with their uninhibited mix of tints and patterns. An ode to the Pre-Raphaelites appears in William Morris florals on walls and chairs. Contemporary pop icons harmoniously coexist with echoes of the past. Hints of original frescoes have been discovered and freed to appear as fragments of tales from the past so that even the smaller rooms are rich with character and charm. Larger suites abound with rich colour hues, bathtubs close to the beds, and clever use of interior styling that gives the feeling of living in Florence rather than travelling through it. “Not All Who Wander Are Lost”. As you navigate the Palazzo’s corridors, it feels like you are visiting galleries within a living museum, with fascinating insights into Italianate history and tales at every turn. Every detail is designed to inspire, intrigue and arouse curiosity.

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The furnished loggia terrace on the top floor presents astonishing views above Florentine rooftops towards Tuscan hillsides – a secluded convivial space to indulge in an exclusive aperitivo before dinner or a rejuvenating coffee between museum visits and shopping sprees. Sit on deep cherry velvety armchairs or original wooden folding seats salvaged from the Odeon Cinema, an iconic cultural presence in Florence.