13 October 2026
Florence
We are asked it often, sometimes directly, sometimes between the lines of a review: what makes Palazzo Castri different? It is a fair question, and it deserves an honest answer. We have no secret formula, nor a list of services that others cannot offer. What we have is a particular way of doing things, built over the years by people who do this job with care and, why not, with pleasure.
We have tried to put it into words. Here is what we mean, in practical terms, when we talk about the Palazzo Castri Experience.
A nineteenth-century palazzo, not just any hotel
The starting point is the place itself. Palazzo Castri carries the year 1874 in its name and looks onto Piazza dell'Indipendenza, one of the historic squares of central Florence, tree-lined and away from the busiest flows, yet just a few minutes' walk from the Duomo and the Galleria dell'Accademia.
Being a boutique hotel in a historic building means having spaces that are not all the same, rooms that keep a character of their own, and a rhythm unlike that of large hotels. It also means having a garden, La Limonaia, something of a rarity in the city centre, which in summer becomes the heart of hotel life.
People before services
If we had to choose just one thing, this would be it. A hotel is made by the people who work in it, and this year we began telling their stories on the blog with our People series: from Paola Marini and the invisible art of hospitality to Daniele D'Angelo, our Maître d', by way of the work of our concierge.
Reading those interviews, a common thread emerges: none of them talks about "impeccable service". They talk about making people feel at ease, reading a table, noticing an "unspoken" detail so as to look after guests in the best possible way. That, for us, is the truest meaning of hospitality.
The small rituals of a day at Palazzo Castri
In the end, the experience is made of moments. Some of them come round every day:
- Breakfast in the room overlooking the garden, with pastries from our in-house kitchen and typical Tuscan products
- Afternoon tea at the Florentia Cafè & Restaurant, with home-made cakes and biscuits
- The spa, 153 square metres with Finnish sauna, hammam and hydromassage pool, open by appointment so that it always stays a quiet, intimate space
- Yoga and meditation classes in the garden, on mornings from June to the end of September
- Aperitivo and dinner, with cooking that follows the seasons and a wine list that our Maître d' and his team know how to tell you about
None of these moments is extraordinary on its own. It is the sum of them, and the care with which we prepare them every day, that gives shape to a stay. The aim is simple: that our guests only have to think about what they want to see in Florence, and nothing else.
A hotel that is also home to art
In recent years Palazzo Castri has also become an exhibition space. We have hosted works by contemporary artists, from exhibitions in collaboration with Street Levels Gallery to Simone Garofalo's solo show Making Light, on view until 26 January 2027. You will find them all in the Art section of our website.
Our art programme is curated by Loredana Barillaro, curator and writer for the contemporary art magazine Small Zine. Together with her we have also launched the series of talks Conversazioni a Palazzo Castri, in which artists tell the public about their work and the pieces on show.
We want Palazzo Castri to be an open place, dedicated to promoting art and contemporary languages: not just a part of our identity, but a real opportunity for talented artists and creatives to meet the city of Florence and an international audience. And, for those staying with us, the chance to come across art by chance, on the way down to breakfast or back to the room in the evening.
Responsibility, without fanfare
Part of our idea of hospitality concerns what cannot be seen. In 2024 we obtained the ESG certification issued by Dream&Charme within the Hospitality Assurance programme, which recognises our commitment on issues such as working conditions for our staff, health and safety, and environmental impact. We have written about it openly on our sustainability page: not as a goal achieved, but as a journey still under way.
After all, the historic centre of Florence has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982. Working here means carrying an extra responsibility towards the city that hosts us.
Come and discover it for yourself
In the end, the Palazzo Castri Experience is hard to explain and easy to recognise. It is the feeling of being expected, of never having to ask twice, of finding a quiet place to come back to after a day in the city. If you would like to see for yourself, you will find all the information on our rooms and suites and current offers, or you can simply write to us. We look forward to welcoming you in Piazza dell'Indipendenza.
