Riva Lofts Florence

"Riva Lofts is an early 20th-century stone building that's been converted into urban retreat in Isolotto, a suburban neighborhood on the outskirts of the city center. This is an architect's fantasy loft; it's a minimalist space that highlights the building's original architecture (exposed brickwork, arches). Design elements include midcentury furniture, gorgeous built-ins, and fireplaces. There's also a gorgeous pool, complete with contemporary art sculptures amid the surrounding greenery, and a well-stocked honesty bar. This is a great retreat from hot, crowded Florence. The pool alone is worth it." - Nicky Swallow, Erica Firpo

"Start us off with an overview. Located on the south bank of the Arno in Isolotto, a suburb west of the city centre, Riva Lofts is a collection of early-20th-century stone buildings—once artisan workshops—that have been converted into an urban retreat by local architect Claudio Nardi. It's a 20 minute taxi-ride from Piazza della Signoria, but you can use one of the vintage hotel bikes to get in and out of town via a riverside path. Got it. So who else has found their way here? Artists and young families. How's check-in? Very fluid, very easy check-in and up-to-date tech. Excellent—we're eager to get to our room. Speaking of, how are the accommodations? This is an architect's fantasy loft; it's a minimalist space that highlights the building's original architecture (exposed brickwork, arches). Design elements include midcentury furniture, gorgeous built-ins, and fireplaces. What little details most stood out to you? Olive oil toiletries. Are there any notable food options on the premises? An abundant Italian breakfast buffet of homemade bread, croissants, organic yogurt, and muesli sets up shop each morning in the lounge, which has a fireplace, and outside by the pool. What else should we be sure to check out while we're here? There's a gorgeous pool, complete with contemporary art sculptures amid the surrounding greenery, and a well-stocked honesty bar. Bottom line: worth it, and why? This is a great retreat from hot, crowded Florence. The pool alone is worth it." - Erica Firpo

"In Italy even the most modern hotel has hundreds or thousands of years of architectural history to deal with; one hypermodern hotel in Rome has a working archaeological site in the basement." - Mark Fedeli

"You know the daydream where you’re in a colorful vintage car zipping along cypress-lined Tuscan roads that line the Arno? Well, here it is. You turn off onto a gravel path ending at a sunny complex of restored 19th-century Italian factories that look more like farmhouses, with their terra-cotta tile roofs, faintly pink stonework, and painted shutters. Just as you turn off the car, Alice Nardi, daughter of celebrated Italian architect and designer Claudio Nardi, steps out of the house, arms wide, eager to welcome you to her famous father’s atelier. The studio, just 10 minutes outside Florence , now doubles as a relaxed guesthouse and collection of lofts. Most of the sprawling lofts have floor-to-ceiling picture windows shedding light over mismatched decor—Mies van der Rohe tables and sofas, Louis XIV chairs, chrome bubble lamps, gray stone kitchens—that still manages to be worthy of an Architectural Digest shoot. Ogling the view of the river, you notice hammocks swaying between the trees that flank the white sandstone swimming pool in the garden. A typical evening might begin at the main house, where guests can chat over a bottle of chiantiin the unpretentiously glamorous living room. Later, after dinner at one of the locals’ favorite spots in town, guests might enjoy the nighttime air with a romantic bike ride along the river."

"You know the daydream where you’re in a colorful vintage car zipping along cypress-lined Tuscan roads that line the Arno? Well, here it is. You turn off onto a gravel path ending at a sunny complex of restored 19th-century Italian factories that look more like farmhouses, with their terra-cotta tile roofs, faintly pink stonework, and painted shutters. Just as you turn off the car, Alice Nardi, daughter of celebrated Italian architect and designer Claudio Nardi, steps out of the house, arms wide, eager to welcome you to her famous father’s atelier. The studio, just 10 minutes outside Florence , now doubles as a relaxed guesthouse and collection of lofts. Most of the sprawling lofts have floor-to-ceiling picture windows shedding light over mismatched decor—Mies van der Rohe tables and sofas, Louis XIV chairs, chrome bubble lamps, gray stone kitchens—that still manages to be worthy of an Architectural Digest shoot. Ogling the view of the river, you notice hammocks swaying between the trees that flank the white sandstone swimming pool in the garden. A typical evening might begin at the main house, where guests can chat over a bottle of chiantiin the unpretentiously glamorous living room. Later, after dinner at one of the locals’ favorite spots in town, guests might enjoy the nighttime air with a romantic bike ride along the river."