Gallery Hotel Art
C. Italy: Tuscany: Florence
Created by the talented Ferragamo family, the Gallery Hotel Art, located just steps from the Ponte Vecchio in the heart of Florence, offers an innovative concept among Florentine hotels. The hotel has a completely modern, open and uncluttered look, which provides the perfect backdrop for the hotel's décor, consisting of original art - on loan from galleries - that is changed every few months. All rooms are fully equipped with individual temperature control, satellite television, and beds that are so comfortable, you never want to get up! The hotel has two bi-level suites with two bathrooms and a sofa bed in the living room - perfect for families. There are also two Penthouse Suites both of which have rooftop terraces, one of which has two bathrooms. (JDB's favorite is 707 with its huge private terrace.) This is a hotel that really grows on you. The more you stay there, the more you come to love it. Facilities at the hotel include a library (and not just for reading!), salon, and the unparalleled Fusion Bar, another new concept in Florence. In fact, it is clearly THE place to be seen in Florence, especially on Sunday evenings when there is jazz and the line for admittance stretches around the block.

NOTE: While this hotel is close to the Ponte Vecchio and the Arno River, there are no rooms with river view.