Our concierge: how a tailor-made stay comes about

In a hotel, the concierge is not just a figurehead. They are the person who will welcome you, providing you with essential information about your stay. Their warm smile and business card (in the flesh) represent the place you have chosen as your home for the next few days.

The concierge is not only a point of reference for practical matters, but also a sensitive interpreter of guests' desires, able to recommend a hidden restaurant, an artisan workshop off the tourist trail, or the best time to admire a sunset over the Arno.

As far as we are concerned, every member of the Palazzo Castri staff is never just a professional resource, but a real added value. Our close-knit team is made up of competent, generous, and helpful professionals, always ready to bring out the best aspects of your stay at our boutique hotel in the heart of Florence.

Today, for our People column, we are going to get to know Marilena Cervellino, our concierge.

Marilena, how did you come to Palazzo Castri?

My journey in the world of hospitality began when I was very young: I had my first experiences at the reception desk when I was still a teenager, where I learned the importance of welcoming guests with attention and cordiality. Over the years, I have gained extensive experience in hospitality, working in both hotels and restaurants, a sector in which I was able to develop my attention to detail. Palazzo Castri was born from a refined and modern all-female encounter where I was able to put my knowledge and values into practice once again, this time in a boutique hotel.

What aspect of your work motivates and excites you the most?

The aspect that motivates me most is definitely that guests can enjoy a peaceful stay and take away a little bit of happiness every time they think back on us. Every sincere thank you at the end of a stay is confirmation for me that I have done my job well.  

If you had to describe, in a few words, what hospitality means to you, what would you say?

Hospitality is understanding guests as soon as they cross the threshold of Palazzo Castri, with their personal characteristics, and intuiting their needs before they express them!

Tell us the added value of a stay at Palazzo Castri: what are your trump cards?

Palazzo Castri is a place that always amazes. Our extremely welcoming lemon house contrasts with the noise of the city, the spa pampers you at the end of the day, and the rooms are well-kept and surprisingly beautiful. Just think of one of our deluxe rooms, which boasts an original fresco on the ceiling... I would like to take this opportunity to praise and thank my colleagues, the most valuable resource at our hotel, the reception staff with whom we create a great and surprising synergy every day, the same synergy that our guests feel when they enter Castri.

Because it is the people who are the added value of Palazzo Castri, our trump card!