The all-suite Portrait Firenze opened in May, part of the Ferragamo fashion family’s upscale Lungarno Collection — which includes other escapes in Florence, Tuscany and Rome.
Where
The Portrait Firenze sits alongside the Arno river, arguably the best location in the city, with excellent proximity to the Uffizi Gallery. Of the 34 suites, 23 have river views, directly overlooking the Ponte Vecchio, and beyond it, the Oltrarno churches of Santo Spirito and Santa Maria del Carmine and the cypress tree-covered hills.
When
Florence is lovely at all times of year, but best visited when the crowds are fewer, from September until Easter. If you visit during the summer, consult the hotel’s concierge to book museum tickets ahead of time.
Why
Designed by Florentine architect Michele Bönan, the Portrait Firenze blends cool luxury with classic Italian hospitality. Nearly 400 black-and-white archival photographs — documenting glamorous visitors from Le Corbusier to Audrey Hepburn — lend the public spaces a sense of the small city’s prodigious influence in 20th-century fashion and culture. All suites include a well-furnished kitchenette, elegantly hidden behind custom made doors with polished brass handles. The extra thick mattresses and soundproof windows make sound sleep easy. For ambitious shoppers: Portrait guests receive 10 percent off all purchases at the Ferragamo boutique.
Working well
The Ferragamo family is brilliant at design details, and that legacy shows in lots of in-room touches. Closets have heavy wooden hangers and gentle lighting, making even an ordinary wardrobe look chic. In addition to soft towels and bathrobes, the bathroom includes a hairdryer with two diffusers and a separate straightening iron. At turndown, guests find Ferragamo skin care products, as well as treats like cheese plates with local honey and marmalade or a pot of herbal tea. Room service breakfast is extremely prompt.
Needs work
When The Post visited, the Portrait was new, and the staff was still ironing out some kinks. Wi-Fi service worked well in the lounge but was spotty to non-existent in the room. Daily newspaper delivery, though promised, happened inconsistently. My bathroom had lovely Carrara marble finishes, but the tub enamel was nicked. The hotel has no fitness center and only one set of free weights, unavailable during my stay despite a prior request on the Portrait’s pre-arrival questionnaire.
Competitive edge
Slowly, the Lungarno Collection has amassed some extremely valuable real estate on both sides of the Arno. The Portrait, nestled next to the Ferragamos’ Continentale and Gallery Hotel Art, feels both enviably central and with its Lungarno Collection neighbors, happily removed from the city’s crowds. Taking advantage of the Ferragamo’s deep connections in Florence, the hotel can organize a variety of bespoke and behind the scenes experiences, including opening the Uffizi for a private after hours visit and hosting a secluded dinner for two on a hidden Ponte Vecchio terrace.
Don’t miss
If you have a river facing suite, order room service for breakfast at least once and enjoy sipping your cappuccino in a luxurious room with a view. In the evening, walk next door to the Lungarno’s Continentale and head to the terrace for a cocktail and a 360-degree view of the city at sunset.
Must try
The Portrait doesn’t have its own spa, but will send a massage therapist (or for matters more prosaic, a manicurist), from the Continentale’s Daniela Steiner spa to your suite. To loosen up and stimulate circulation after a long flight or a day of sight seeing, try the omega three oil massage.
Details
Suites starting from $537 in low season to $1,118 in high season, excluding 10 percent tax and breakfast.