March 22, 2012: Taking its aesthetics to another level, Bottega Veneta has introduced an extraordinary luxury suite in the new St. Regis Florence. The hotel, formerly known as the Grand Hotel Florence, opened in October following an extensive 10-month restoration of the historic building. This marks Bottega Veneta’s second collaboration with St. Regis Hotels in Italy and builds on the success of the Bottega Veneta suite in the St. Regis Rome.
The building that houses the St. Regis Florence was designed in the early 15th century as a palace for local nobility by Filippo Brunelleschi, the architect of the Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore. It was converted to a hotel in the mid-1800s. The grandeur of the hotel’s architecture and its splendid location on the banks of the Arno made it a favourite stop for notable travellers, including Queen Victoria. In light of the building’s significance, the approach to the recent restoration was lengthy and careful, with plans based upon studies of two of Florence’s most famous palazzos.
The Bottega Veneta suite, measuring a spacious 112 square meters, is situated on the second floor, with views of the Arno. The suite consists of a bedroom, two baths, and a living/dining room. The chocolaty colour and feel in the suite elegantly points towards the heritage and tradition of the brand Bottega Veneta. The room, thus, has a quintessential Bottega Veneta palette of muted neutrals and soft, earthy colours. The furniture, fabrics, and accessories have been drawn from the brand’s collections. The wall colours, paintings, mirrors, and even books have been chosen by Bottega Veneta to reflect the identity of the city and the brand. From the selection of the wood for the floors, some of which are covered with the brands custom-dyed, pure New Zealand wool carpets to highlight the assortment of signature furniture elements, to the one-of-a-kind television console and mini bar, which were designed especially for the suite, down to the finishing details such as intrecciato nappa leather covered frames and desktop accessories, the result is a suite of extraordinary serenity and refined elegance.
The collaboration truly gives the best of all worlds to the sophisticated traveler – the superior hospitality of a world renowned hotel brand, the inspiring history of a destination and the chance to breathe in a luxury fashion brand’s environment in its entirety!
