Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Resorts Assortment

Within the U.S., the Auberge Resorts Assortment is thought for managing among the nation’s greatest luxurious resorts—a number of of which have made appearances in Journey + Leisure‘s World’s Greatest Awards and the It Checklist. In Europe, although, the model continues to be a relative newcomer, and after having stayed at a number of Auberge properties in America (together with Maine’s White Barn Inn, The Vanderbilt in Newport, Rhode Island, and Mauna Lani in Hawaii) I arrived in Florence to see what their very first lodge in Italy was all about.

It’s, in spite of everything, a giant deal for each the town and the corporate—a lot of the high-end resorts in Florence are positioned within the dense metropolis heart. They normally occupy former palazzi (townhouses courting again to the fifteenth and Sixteenth centuries) and have restricted house for facilities. However what I discovered at Collegio alla Querce is wholly totally different from the remainder of Florence’s lodge scene.

My first glimpse of the property got here after a 15-minute taxi journey from Santa Maria Novella, the town’s principal prepare station. Anybody who’s stayed within the heart of Florence will really feel the distinction instantly: the upscale residential neighborhood of hillside villas gave strategy to a protracted, gently sloping, cypress-lined driveway revealing a good-looking Sixteenth-century constructing surrounded by greenery. In its former life, Collegio alla Querce was an all-male boarding college supposed for the sons of well-to-do households. From the south aspect of the property, there’s a view out in direction of the terracotta-roofed, Renaissance-era buildings of the town’s historic heart, and on the opposite aspect are villa-dotted hills. There’s a big swimming pool on the other finish of the doorway—it is reportedly the longest out of doors lodge pool within the metropolis at 115 toes.

Except for the visually beautiful exterior renovation, the primary factor I observed concerning the property was how quiet it was. Birdsong was the first soundtrack, and the vacationer cacophony of the Centro Storico, lower than two miles away, felt very distant. The interiors, in the meantime, designed by native studio ArchFlorence, felt like a glossy, palatial variation of the Tuscan countryside aesthetic.

However rustic this property will not be, and strolling by the hushed, pristine hallways and customary areas swathed in shiny marble, creamy limestone, polished terrazzo flooring, and tasteful art work, it occurred to me greater than as soon as that the lodge would have made an ideal set piece for an episode of Succession. Nonetheless, the environment was full of life and heat, and the workers unfailingly gracious. Undoubtedly, although, Collegio alla Querce will attraction to a largely American traveler who’s used to very costly luxurious resorts and the seamless, “no request is simply too massive” service to match.  

Here is what it is like to remain on the Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Resorts Assortment.

The Rooms

There are 83 rooms and suites on the Collegio alla Querce. I stayed in a large 1,600-square-foot one-bedroom suite, and I cherished the considerate design particulars. There have been coffered wooden ceilings, a glazed ox blood tile-covered bathe, a tv discreetly hidden behind a mirror in the lounge, parquet wood flooring, and a stand-alone soaking tub. There have been additionally attractive ceramics positioned all through the room that have been sourced from native makers Studio Ceramica Giusti, and customized furnishings made by Milan-based Paolo Castelli. 

Throughout my keep, I additionally toured a number of lodging, and I observed a couple of issues. Every unit had a barely totally different character whereas nonetheless feeling a part of a unified aesthetic. For instance, in one of many normal rooms I visited, beautiful hand-painted wallpaper depicting the Tuscan countryside adorned one of many partitions. The Suite Giardino, which felt like a non-public condominium, featured restored frescoes and a stone fountain. On the prime finish of the spectrum is the seven-bedroom Palazzo Moderno, a three-story, 6,258 square-foot house accessible by a non-public driveway and elevator. It comes with a sequence of huge rooftop terraces, views of the Duomo, and a non-public plunge pool. 

Meals and Drink

Collegio affords 4 meals and beverage choices, the first venue being La Gamella, which is adjoining to a verdant out of doors backyard with patio seating. The house occupies the constructing’s former eating corridor. My days began right here with a superbly introduced buffet desk full of things like bread, pastries, yogurt, contemporary fruit, and meats like bacon and sausage. There was additionally an à la carte menu for extra elaborate egg dishes, brioche French toast, ricotta pancakes, and the like. 

La Gamella shines brightest at dinner, although. Chef Zamperetti created a menu that riffs on seasonal Italian classics, with produce sourced from close by farms and pasta handmade on website. Amongst my favourite dishes have been the wood-fired hen cacciatore served with spring potatoes and shallots, the Mediterranean bluefin tuna tartare, and a luscious millefoglie for dessert—caramelized puff pastry embellished with a wealthy vanilla cream and a touch of apricot sauce. For a enjoyable after-dinner deal with, head to Conservatorio, the place you possibly can take pleasure in a glass of wine together with stay music.

Elsewhere, there’s an awfully atmospheric lounge, Bar Bertelli, which was as soon as the headmaster’s workplace. Half library, half sitting room, it has darkish woods, vintage rugs, and richly patterned textiles. Company can order craft cocktails on the round bar, and for many who indulge, there’s a small, clandestine cigar room simply off the doorway. And whereas it wasn’t but open on my go to, you may quickly have the ability to order wood-fired pizza on the poolside Cafe Focolare amidst a backyard of olive bushes. 

Actions and Experiences

Except for the facilities just like the pool, spa, gymnasium, and yoga studio, Collegio affords an array of experiences, each on and off-property. Throughout my keep, I did two of them. The primary was a tour of the Florence Cathedral (extra generally generally known as the Duomo), which was accomplished in 1436 and conceived primarily by architect Filippo Brunelleschi. For over two hours, my group had up-close entry to this unimaginable feat of engineering—we even acquired entry to the elevated walkways, so we might see the inside of the intricately painted dome. We additionally went out on an out of doors rooftop for beautiful views of Florence. (Truthful warning: it’s in all probability not one of the best tour for these afraid of heights, and I needed to depart the tour early once we have been about to climb to the very prime of the Duomo, which is over 375 toes excessive). 

The second was a enjoyable and academic 90-minute pasta-making class at Cicchetti with chef Zamperetti. She spoke concerning the varied forms of pasta discovered all through Italy, supplied perception into how the restaurant sources produce and components, and answered questions on Italian cooking with the data of a real knowledgeable. After working towards kneading, sheeting, filling, and shaping our tortellini, I left with some new abilities to strive again house. 

The Spa

Aelia, the lodge’s spa, has an uncommon setup: it’s a extremely individualized expertise, and there are not any locker rooms. As an alternative, friends are led from a lounge that overlooks an out of doors terrace and backyard into considered one of 4 remedy rooms—two single rooms with personal altering areas and showers, or two bigger suites, every with their very own soaking swimming pools and steam showers. (For these seeking to sauna, you may must e book a time as there is no such thing as a communal sauna.) The setting contains murals of olive bushes throughout the partitions, whereas an precise olive tree acts because the centerpiece—a pleasant contact.

The spa has a partnership with Italian skincare model Furtuna Pores and skin, and my therapist used its merchandise for my therapeutic massage and facial. These comprise potent, wild-foraged botanicals and olive extract sourced from Furtuna’s 800-acre natural farm in Sicily. Except for spa remedies, there’s a number of courses like yoga, pilates, meditation classes, private coaching, and a very good gymnasium with state-of-the-art tools.

Household-friendly Choices

Throughout my keep, I noticed a number of households checking in and having fun with meals collectively, and the property has even developed a complete wellness program particularly for kids ages 5 to 12. Choices embrace yoga for teenagers and a sound bathtub workshop, the place members can discover using gongs, chimes, and singing bowls. Different kid-friendly choices abound, like a pasta-making class, pastry making, and the “My Comfortable Florence” tour, which is tailor-made in direction of households. It features a go to to a preserved Sixteenth-century house to study concerning the traditions and every day lifetime of Renaissance Florence. There’s additionally a cease at Museo Galileo for academic hands-on science reveals, in addition to gelato tasting and conferences with native artisans.

Accessibility and Sustainability

Being a renovated historic property, relatively than a brand new construct, signifies that sustainability is an inherent characteristic of this lodge. Throughout my time right here, I by no means noticed any single-use plastic, and all in-room water bottles have been product of glass. 

By way of accessibility, the lodge has made lots of the pathways wheelchair-friendly, together with routes to the swimming pool, restaurant, spa, and all visitor rooms. There are additionally accessible parking areas within the self-parking facility and a number of accessible visitor rooms.

Location

From Firenze Santa Maria Novella, the primary prepare station in Florence, it’s a fast and straightforward 15-minute taxi journey to the property, and it takes about the identical period of time to get to the lodge from Firenze Santa Maria Novella (FLR). Since there are not any nonstop flights from the U.S. to Florence, many guests arrive from Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Worldwide Airport (FCO) or Milano Malpensa Airport (MXP) in Milan. They’re each lower than two hours’ distance through high-speed rail, or a 3 or three-and-a-half-hour drive, respectively. 

The situation is without doubt one of the defining traits of the property, since virtually each comparable lodge on this value vary is close to or within the metropolis heart. However there are benefits to this quiet, residential neighborhood on Florence’s north aspect. Regardless of the sensation of being in considered one of Tuscany’s small villages, it’s nonetheless doable to stroll into city, which I did someday in about half-hour. It allowed me to pleasantly move by locations that have been off the vacationer map, and I acquired to poke my head into little retailers, parks, and cafes. There’s additionally a complimentary shuttle that leaves each hour to take friends to and from the middle of Florence.

The best way to Get the Most Worth Out of Your Keep

There’s no getting round the truth that rooms at Collegio alla Querce are among the priciest in Europe, and Auberge Resorts doesn’t have a loyalty program. Nevertheless, Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Resorts Assortment is a part of American Specific’ Wonderful Resorts + Resorts program, which affords advantages like a $100 resort credit score, early check-in, late checkout, and (when accessible) a room improve. Should you e book your keep earlier than Could 23 and go to by Could 26, you will get a complimentary third evening in the event you make your reservation by the FHR platform.

Nightly charges on the Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Resorts Assortment begin at $1,600 per evening.

Each T+L lodge evaluation is written by an editor or reporter who has stayed on the property, and every lodge chosen aligns with our core values.