20 August 2026
Florence
There are people who, more than others, embody the soul of a place. At Palazzo Castri 1874, one of these people is Paola Marini, and today we’re joining her to step across a threshold that guests rarely cross: that of the world of housekeeping, the quiet and tireless heart that ensures every room is always, quite simply, perfect.
She’s been with us for eleven years, but she’s dedicated her entire life to this craft. Paola is now our Quality Manager, but her story begins much earlier—and it deserves to be told.
A calling born by chance, nurtured for a lifetime
“I started as a receptionist at seasonal hotels,” she tells us, “and that’s where I began to get to know the various departments.” At nineteen, she took a decisive step: becoming a housekeeper for a major Italian hotel chain, where she would remain from 1991 to 2009. It was a long journey, marked by mentoring, filling in for the executive housekeeper, and collaborating on the opening of new properties throughout Italy, culminating in her managing the launch of a hotel in Arezzo almost entirely on her own.
Her memory of her first day is still vivid, and she recounts it with a smile: working alongside a woman from the Marche region with an infectious charm, after cleaning thirty-six bathrooms in thirty-six rooms all by herself, she heard the housekeeper say something in dialect that went something like this: “She’s a fast worker… and that’s good!” From that day on, Paola says, she’s never left the hotel business.
Arrival at Palazzo Castri
Paola joined us in 2015, when the hotel reopened. She had other job offers on the table, but she chose us. “I saw it as a new challenge,” she explains, “and the rapport I felt with the people I’d met during the hiring process made me think it could work. And it’s still working today.”
Today she coordinates a complex department: she manages the maintenance crew and, in collaboration with an external coordinator, supervises a team of housekeepers and bellhops. As Quality Manager, she works daily with management to resolve requests and issues raised by guests and staff, trains new hires on company standards, and fosters communication between departments. One thing, above all else, is close to her heart: the image of order and cleanliness in every space and reflected in every person.
A Day That Flies By
Her day begins at eight o’clock. First thing: a general inspection of the indoor and outdoor areas. Then she receives updates from the front desk on booked services to manage—spa appointments, setups, special requests—and organizes the distribution of tasks. Our days, she tells us, fly by because the pace is fast, especially during the period between check-out and check-in, when every room must be restored to the exact specifications requested by arriving guests.
For Paola and her team, quality is never compromised, not even during the busiest moments:
- Attention to detail: each housekeeper has thirty minutes to restore a room, whether it’s being vacated or occupied, so that nothing is overlooked.
- The first impression: a neatly made bed, pillows positioned with precision, bathroom linens neatly aligned, and the scent of fresh air. “As soon as I walk in, I always think about what our guests might see.”
- The famous “sharp corners”: a detail in making the bed that Paola won’t compromise on. “Maybe I’m the only one who notices it… but I like it!”
- The little surprises: pajamas folded on the bed, slippers neatly arranged, shoes tidied away, figuring out if a guest prefers decaf coffee. Little touches that make a person feel truly pampered.
Mrs. Marya, and everything that remains
In this line of work, Paola says, there are feelings that stay with you. Like those connected to Mrs. Marya, an American guest who stayed with us shortly before the lockdown and was the last to leave the hotel before it was forced to close. Her “good mornings,” her stories about California, her farewell hug. As a gift, she left her a small citrus juicer: “So when you eat oranges, you’ll remember me.” It’s encounters like this that give meaning to every day.
A Team That’s Like a Family
Our housekeeping department is a close-knit, multi-ethnic team where we celebrate Orthodox, Muslim, Peruvian, and Gambian holidays. A team that, as Paola is keen to point out, has remained united over the years: several people have been with us for eleven years, and she takes great pride in that. All departments, after all, are united by the same goal—to offer impeccable service—and every morning, the meeting among the department heads is where it all begins.
Cleanliness and sustainability go hand in hand
The sustainability journey undertaken by Palazzo Castri has involved housekeeping right from the start. We’ve introduced recycling during work operations, reduced paper waste through digital messaging, eliminated single-use amenities in favor of refillable dispensers, and chosen paper packaging over plastic. “At first, it all seemed difficult,” admits Paola, “but in reality, we’re saving time and eliminating most of the waste.” And many of our guests are lending a hand by sorting their own waste in their rooms—a small gesture that speaks volumes. For those interested in learning more about the topic, organizations such as , Visit Tuscany , and also promote more sustainable tourism in the region.
"I feel at home at Palazzo Castri"
“My job is wonderful,” Paola concludes. “When someone comes to me, I want them to feel right at home.” She loves this property and its garden—“here I have a garden that I don’t have at home”—and every day she tries to convey that same enthusiasm to her staff. Working in housekeeping, she says, means learning to read habits, cultures, and needs through small cues: you never get bored. “The physical effort is definitely worth it when you see the results.”
This is the spirit with which we prepare our rooms and suites every day: the awareness that behind a perfectly made bed and an impeccable setting there is a person—or rather, an entire team—who puts their heart into it. We look forward to welcoming you to Palazzo Castri 1874, in the heart of Florence, to make you feel truly at home.
