Via Il Prato, 42 50123 Firenze − Italy
JP Moser Stayed Here!
Following a nine-month refurbishment the prestigious Sina Villa Medici has a new and resplendent look.
The entire hotel underwent the makeover which respected the allure and history of this ancient palace that has attracted so many celebrities down the years. “Our aim was to give the property a contemporary look in keeping with today’s tastes,” say the owners of Sina Hotels.
The rooms have parquet flooring, modern furnishings, fabrics in shades of grey coordinated with the relaxing colours on the walls, TVs starting at 42”, USB outlets and lighting that sets just the right atmosphere. The new look has also been adopted in the bathrooms which have been completely modernized. Almost all the rooms have balconies or terraces with views overlooking the hotel’s lush private gardens and Florence’s monuments.
The modern antique pieces that have been added to the ground-floor hall, the gallery and the lounge bar include charming photographs representing Catherine de’ Medici and details of the collection of paintings in the Uffizi Gallery, specially designed for the Sina Villa Medici by the artist Marco Lanza.
Despite the fact that it is right in the heart of Florence the hotel’s incomparable setting is a verdant oasis with its garden and swimming pool. And, as we could not overlook the cuisine, we will be bringing in a celebrity chef.
The Sina Villa Medici is a 19th-century historic building, situated where “Sant'Anna sul Prato” a former monastery in the area of Prato once stood. The area is a large open space in the western part of the historical centre of Florence, which has been used as a space for entertainment and walking since the mid-sixteenth century. The monastery was demolished after the Napoleonic suppression and the Palazzo de-Renzis Sonnino was built in its place, now the Sina Villa Medici, designed by the then young architect Luigi Cambray Digny.
In 1958 the founder of the Sina Hotels group, Count Ernesto Bocca stopped to admire the building’s nineteenth façade, certainly not imagining that his passion for art would open the door to a new world of hospitality.
As an admirer of beauty, Conte Bocca decided to buy the historic home to preserve and pass on the old art of hospitality. Once carefully restored and equipped with all modern comforts, the palace became an exclusive five-star hotel, the first of the Sina Hotels group and a landmark for international royalty, aristocrats and celebrities. It soon became famous for hosting the Shah of Persia and his wife Farah Diba during their trip to Italy. Specially embroidered linens from Bellini, then a famous embroiderer, were crafted for their stay.
Since then the Sina Villa Medici has hosted celebrities from around the world, including: Jack Lemmon, Kirk Douglas, Liza Minelli, Luciano Pavarotti, Riccardo Muti, David Bowie, Gregory Peck, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Roberto Benigni, Gianni Morandi, Anne Bancroft, Sean Penn, Kate Moss, Valeria Marini, George Clooney, Queen Rejna of Jordan, Christine Scott Thomas, Peter Falk, Ray Charles, Eros Ramazzotti, Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen, Gianfranco Ferrè, Giorgio Armani, Pino Daniele, the U2, Annie Lennox, Vasco Rossi, Claudio Baglioni, Giorgio Albertazzi, Milva, Diane Keaton, Sergio Leone, Gianni Versace, James Brown, Joe Cocker, Antonello Venditti, Valentino, Sinead o’Connor, Billy Joel, Jackson Brown, Umberto Agnelli, Giorgio De Chirico, Barbra Streisand, Princess Anna of England, Elvis Costello, Christian Barnard, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Paul Simon.
The hotel also preserves an important historic letter in its archives, which was written by the then Mayor of Florence to Count Bocca following the flood of 1966, thanking him for aiding the city and for opening the Sina Villa Medici so quickly.
The Palace still preserves the traditional architecture today with antiques dotted throughout the hotel. The Royal Suite is the spearhead, having hosted personalities from around the world, and whose hall is under the Italian Ministry of Culture.
Interesting fact: between the refurbished Palazzo dei Principi Corsin and the hotel there is a warehouse with wooden doors leading up to the ceiling where the Brindellone, the large wooden structure used on Easter Sunday in the traditional feast of the Explosion of the Cart, is stored.
99 rooms and suites divided in classic style and contemporary and furnished in different styles, but all with special attention to detail. Six deluxe rooms on the top floor have terraces from which you can enjoy a spectacular view of the city. In addition to the historic Royal Suite whose hall is under the Fine Arts Academy, the Sina Villa Medici features a Penthouse Suite with Jacuzzi on the terrace.
The refined starting from 20-square metre superior rooms have a king-sized or twin beds and overlook the square in front of the hotel, convent or internal courtyard. They have classical or contemporary furnishings, precious marble bathrooms and bath-tubs with showers.
The spacious starting from 26-square metre deluxe rooms have views of the beautiful gardens with a swimming pool, the park of the adjacent convent or the square in front of the hotel. They have classical or contemporary furnishings and the precious marble bathrooms have bath tubs with showers. Extra bed available.
The charming 30-square metre premium rooms, most of them with balconies have wonderful views over the garden with the swimming pool, the adjacent convent’s park or city view. They have classical or contemporary furnishings and the precious marble bathrooms have bath tubs with showers. Extra bed available.
The spacious 40-square metre junior suites have classical or contemporary furnishings, a living room area and bathroom. They overlook the charming park of the adjacent convent and have precious marble bathrooms with bath tubs and separate shower stalls. They can have a king-size or twin beds, extra bed available.
The refined 45-square metre suites, some with balconies, overlook the enchanting gardens with the swimming pool or the park of the adjacent convent. They consist of a bedroom, a large living room and precious marble bathroom. They are furnished with antiques. Extra bed available.
The 40-square metre grand suite, located on the fifth floor, have stunning views of Florence. And the view is even more beautiful from the 60-square metre terraces which have Jacuzzis and solarium. They have classical furnishings and consist of a bedroom with a king-sized bed, a living room and precious marble bathrooms with Jacuzzis and showers. Extra bed available.
Protected by the Fine Arts Academy, the 120-square metre royal suite, furnished in Imperial style with precious antiques and valuable art works, is on the noble floor of the hotel and has a balcony overlooking the square in front of the hotel. This Suite has high ceilings, a deluxe bedroom with a king-sized bed, a large living room with a fireplace and study, and a spacious precious marble bathroom. Possibility to connect with other rooms. Extra bed available.
Their wellness centre in a welcoming area featuring soft lighting and harmonious notes that invite you to complete relax. You can trust them to help you rejuvenate your body and spirit. You can just relax and recharge energies at their wellness and spa areas.
They have 3 important wellness areas:
In the city of Lorenzo the Magnificent the five rooms in the Sina Villa Medici – which can take from 15 to 100 people – are the perfect ambience in which to work out successful strategies.
This room is on the first floor and is protected by the Academy of Fine Arts, has natural light, is on 72 square metres and is six metres in height.
It can host up to 60 people and is ideal for in height-level meetings, banquets and cocktail receptions.
This room is on the top floor of the hotel, has natural light and a splendid view over the city. It is on 103 square metres and is over six meters in height.
It can host up to 49 people, also for cocktail receptions and banquets.
This room is on the top floor of the hotel, has natural light and a splendid view over Florence. It is on 32 square metres, is three metres in height and is ideal for meetings of up to 20 people or for cocktail receptions for 30 people.
This room on the ground floor has natural light, is on 32 square metres and is over three metres in height. It is ideal for meetings of up to 20 people or for cocktail receptions of up to 30 people.
This room on the ground floor has natural light, is on 80 square metres and is almost four metres in height. It can host meetings of up to 100 people and is also ideal for banquets and cocktail receptions.
This room is ground floor, has natural light and classical decor. It is on 120 square metres and is 3,80 meters in height.
It can be used for meetings of up to 100 people, and it is perfect for in height-level gatherings, banquets, cocktail and wedding receptions up to 120 people.
Except for Venice, no other European city lives of its past like Florence (Firenze). After all, it was the birthplace of the Renaissance, an amazing outburst of activity from the 14th to the 16th century that completely changed the Tuscan town and the world. Under the benevolent eye (and purse) of the Medicis, Florence blossomed into an unrivaled repository of art and architectural treasures by geniuses such as Botticelli, Brunelleschi, Cellini, Donatello, Fra Angelico, Ghiberti, Giotto, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael. Since the 19th century, it has been visited by millions wanting to see Michelangelo's David, Botticelli's Birth of Venus, Brunelleschi's dome on the Duomo, and Giotto's campanile (bell tower).
At first glance, Florence might seem a bit foreboding. Architecturally, it's not a Gothic fantasy of lace like Venice. Many of its palazzi look like severe fortresses, a characteristic of the Medici style. (They were built, after all, to keep foreign enemies at bay.) But these facades, however uninviting, mask treasures within, drawing thousands of visitors who overrun the narrow streets.
May and September are the ideal times to visit. The worst times are the week before and including Easter, and from June until the first week of September.
An unparalleled mix of traditions and culinary inspiration characterize the Gourmet Restaurant cuisine where Tuscan specialities are reinterpreted and served in a tasteful setting.
Takes shape a proposal with a gourmet sound, international cocktails, Italian cuisine with tuscanian dishes and the real Neapolitan pizza.
Please fill this form for individuals or for groups and you shall receive an answer written by a live person at Villa Medici. This is the only way you can know exactly what room types are available for the dates you want, and the best possible rate, because you are dealing directly with the hotel.
Bear in mind that websites set up to give an automatic answer, work with allocated quotas given by the hotel, therefore when it appears there are no rooms available for the date you want, this is not necessarily true, because they never allocate ALL the rooms to third parties.
Hotel: Villa Medici
Address: Via Il Prato, 42 50123 Firenze
Region: Tuscany
Country: Italy
Official website: https://www.sinahotels.com/en/h/sina-villa-medici-florence/
Telephone: +39 055 277171
Fax: +39 055 2381336
Hotel email: sinavillamedici@sinahotels.com
Airport: Firenze Peretola - km 13; Pisa Galileo Galilei km 80
Railway Station: Firenze Santa Maria Novella - mt 500
Motorway: A1 uscita Firenze Nord – km 15; A11 uscita Firenze Nord - km 10