We arrived in Florence eager to find good food, visit Michelangelo’s David, and spend our evenings sipping wine and watching the sun go down from the Piazza Michelangelo. To be honest, we had no idea what we were getting into when we arrived at our hotel, the Relais Santa Croce. This eighteenth century residence is an incredible blend of luxury and modern comforts, right in the historic centre of Florence. Upon entering, you quickly feel and see the luxury of this magnificent property. While we were impressed by the facade and lobby of the Relais Santa Croce, our jaws nearly dropped to the floor when we entered our room.
The Verrazano Royal Suite is nothing short of majestic. It has TWO large living rooms full of original 18th century frescoes, and a bedroom with (what we would argue) the most comfortable bed in Florence. The living rooms have numerous areas to sit and enjoy tea, a large conference type table for meetings, a office area, and more comfortable couches to relax. There are two bathrooms - one with a gigantic bath tub and amazing shower, and another full bath with all the necessary amenities. The closet was bigger than some of the rooms we have stayed in. Not kidding.
Being avid foodies, many of our favorite elements of the Relais Santa Croce had to do with food! They had a phenomenal breakfast every morning - with fresh fruit, baked goods, cereals, lattes, and made-to-order omelets. They also have a bar that is open for hotel guests throughout the day, with several drinks and snacks. Which was a perfect treat right before our midday naps! ;)
Can we remind you that it was just two of us staying here? We didn’t want to leave. We spent time sitting in every area of our room and soaking it in. Bobby pretended to work in his office while Alli enjoyed the luxurious bath. We spent time on opposite ends of our suite, hollering at each other - just because we could! While we had plans to explore a good chunk of Florence during our short stay, it was really hard to leave the Relais Santa Croce.
As frequent travelers and hotel-stayers, it may seem weird that we're gushing about this hotel. But the Relais Santa Croce provided us with a royalty-like stay that we have never experienced. We literally felt like a royal couple, or important foreign dignitaries, or celebrities. Did we mention that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have stayed in our suite?
Thank you for the elegant stay, Relais Santa Croce! We can’t wait to return!
Alli in front of the Basilica Santa Croce in Florence, Italy