Villa Cora

"Old-world opulence is ingrained in this restored 19th-century mansion overlooking the Boboli Gardens. Built in 1868, the villa has been home to aristocrats from Napoleon III’s widow, Eugenie, to an Egyptian pasha, and the remarkable staff sustain this noble aura with warmth and professionalism. The 46 rooms and suites fill three buildings on the estate, with the most lavish on the piano nobile of the main villa. Though a chauffeured car is at guests’ disposal for the short ride to Florence’s center, you may never feel the need to leave Villa Cora. It has two terrific restaurants—the elegant gourmet Il Pasha and a luminous garden restaurant next to the heated white-stone pool—as well as two bars, one with an impressive selection of cigars, and a full-service spa with a sauna, steam room, and massive whirlpool bath." - Nicky Swallow, Erica Firpo

"Why book? With its setting on a leafy avenue to the south of the city, this hotel offers a taste of opulent, aristocratic living and a location that will suit culture hounds while being well removed from the crowds. The extensive pool area is a fabulous retreat on hot summer days. Set the sceneIn an area stuffed with grand villas, Villa Cora is one of the most opulent, set just above the road in a lovely garden scented with roses; inside it’s awash with elaborate stucco work and trompe l’oeil frescoes, vast gilded mirrors and chandeliers and boasts a series of reception rooms immaculately restored to their original ‘eclectic’ style. It’s an obvious venue for elaborate weddings and other celebrations, but the service and facilities also attract well-heeled types who don’t mind not being in the thick of things, and the car park is often awash with very smart cars. In summer, the pool bar is a popular evening hangout for sophisticated Florentines looking for somewhere to cool off. The backstoryFlagship of the small, Florence-based WhytheBest hotel group (which also has hotels in London, Venice and Paris), Villa Cora dates from the 1860s when it was built by Suez Canal-backer Baron Oppenheim as a gift for his wife; it was then bought by Empress Eugenié, Napoleon III’s widow. The building became a hotel in the grand style in the1960s, before being bought by WhytheBest who relaunched it in 2010 after a three-year overhaul. The rooms44 bedrooms and suites are spread over the main villa, an ex-stable block and the very private ‘Le Follie’ in the gatehouse. If it’s opulence you are after, book into one of the suites on the first floor ‘piano nobile’ of the main villa for magnificent frescoed ceilings, antiques and four-poster beds. Rooms on the second floor are feminine, rose-themed boudoirs or you can go for a top-floor room with city views and a mod-Moroccan look. In-room treats include pink slippers, rose-embroidered robes and custom rose-scented toiletries (from Officina Santa Maria Novella) in the splendid marble bathrooms. Food and drink In-house restaurant Le Bistrot is laid out by the pool in warm weather and in the cozy Moorish Room in the villa in winter. Executive chef Alessandro Liberatore lets his creative side rip in his gourmet dinner menus (think beef tartare with chervil mayo and turbot with escabeche sauce and anchovy crumble) while at lunchtimes, there is pasta cacio e pepe, grilled filet of beef, Niçoise salad plus club sandwiches and burgers. On summer evenings, choose between the rooftop Bellevue terrace with its wraparound views or the more lively poolside Cocktail Club which is also a popular venue for sophisticated Florentines. The spaIn the subterranean ‘Bené’ spa you’ll find a small gym plus sauna, hammam and tepidarium and a menu offering a range of both eastern and western-style massages. Beauty treatments are designed in consultation with London-based guru Sarah Chapman using delicious local Officina Santa Maria Novella products. Guests can sign up for ‘wellness’ programmes that include special menus. The neighborhood/area The wide, leafy avenue that winds its way from Porta Romana (the southern gate into the old city) up to Piazzale Michelangelo is awash with magnificent, aristocratic villas, and is a popular route for joggers, cyclists, dog-walkers and tourists strolling up to the Piazzale for its all-encompassing views. A short walk from Porta Romana leads into the heart of the boho-chic Santo Spirito neighborhood with its many cafés, bars, restaurants, artisan workshops and quirky boutiques. In short, the location is perfect for easy access to the city center and its sights (and there’s a free shuttle bus) while the lovely garden and pool area offer respite from the summer heat after a long day’s sightseeing. The service A well-judged mix of professional, courteous, attentive and friendly. Aside from the standard activities offered by a hotel of this level (wine tasting tours in Tuscany, balloon rides over Chianti, walking tours of Florence with a private guide), there is an emphasis on putting guests in touch with local life to showcase what Florence has to offer beyond the normal tourist experience. For families Aside from the garden to run around in, young guests are well-catered for with tuk-tuk tours of the city, cooking and pizza-making classes, swimming and painting lessons. Toys and coloring books are on hand and the restaurant offers a children’s menu. Families can spread out and make noise without annoying fellow guests in the two gatehouse rooms. Accessibility The hotel is fully accessible and there are several adapted rooms. Anything left to mention? In the winter, the Sunday morning brunches where buffet tables groan with food, are booked out weeks in advance." - Nicky Swallow

"Built by Baron Oppenheim for his bride in the nineteenth century, Villa Cora still feels like a private residence. This neoclassical mansion sits on the outskirts of Florence, yet is still convenient to the city, near the Boboli Gardens and the Piazzale Michelangelo." - Mark Fedeli

"Old-world opulence is ingrained in this restored 19th-century mansion overlooking the Boboli Gardens. Built in 1868, the villa has been home to aristocrats from Napoleon III’s widow, Eugenie, to an Egyptian pasha, and the remarkable staff sustain this noble aura with warmth and professionalism. The 46 rooms and suites fill three buildings on the estate, with the most lavish on the piano nobile of the main villa. Though a chauffeured car is at guests’ disposal for the short ride to Florence’s center, you may never feel the need to leave Villa Cora. It has two terrific restaurants—the elegant gourmet Il Pasha and a luminous garden restaurant next to the heated white-stone pool—as well as two bars, one with an impressive selection of cigars, and a full-service spa with a sauna, steam room, and massive whirlpool bath." - CNT Editors