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When the Ferragamo family opened its fourth hotel in Florence this January, there were those who said it might be one too many, especially given its location opposite the family's existing contemporary hotel, Gallery Hotel Art. Fortunately, the Continentale appeals to a different market: those who appreciate the quieter side of the modern
aesthetic. It is very private, with no restaurant other than a small breakfast room (pale Pucci-pink wool banquettes, white Formica tables) and an intimate first-floor bar. Next to the bar is a 'movie theatre' - a sitting room with a plasma screen - and chill-out area overlooking the Ponte Vecchio. The location is difficult to beat, as indeed is the building: a 12th-century tower. The 43 rooms on seven floors are reached by a huge central lift decorated with mirrors and a plush cream sofa. Rooms are predominantly white and furnished with contemporary takes on the traditional four-poster bed; bathrooms are in white limestone. And the service is spot-on, with most of the staff pinched from existing Ferragamo properties.
WHEN TO GO
Mid-week in spring or autumn to avoid crowds on the Ponte Vecchio and queues for the Uffizi
WHICH ROOM TO BOOK
The Penthouse Suite (502) with a balcony and view (from bed) over the Ponte Vecchio
CONTACT
Continentale, Vicolo dell'Oro 6r, Florence (00 39 055 27262; fax: 283139; www.lungarnohotels.com). Doubles €330-€909
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