Dante’s world interpreted by Paola Navone in a hotel in Florence

The central but secluded position in an ancient monastery

A stone's throw from Florence station, the new 25hours Hotel Piazza San Paolino, the first in Italy of the smart hotel chain designed for the urban and cosmopolitan traveler, occupies an entire block of Santa Maria Novella, a central district but off the beaten track. Located in the ' former Monte dei Pegni complex of the Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze, it has a nucleus of 66 rooms housed in the ancient monastery annexed to the homonymous monastery church of San Paolino.

The architectural recovery

With an impressive architectural recovery project curated by the GLA - Genius Loci Architettura studio, thanks to the careful restoration of some areas, the controlled demolition of others and in newly built buildings, a vibrant creative energy has been infused into the ancient environments full of charm. The original historic core is completed by a new annex which led to the construction of 104 further rooms with balconies, as well as a Garden Loft, a small apartment with private garden and swimming pool. The result is a contemporary and cosmopolitan hotel with a total of 171 rooms.

Between vices and virtues, Dante's world interpreted by Paola Navone

The interior design of the hotel was handled by Paola Navone and her team. Inspired by the Divine Comedy, the multifaceted project bears the signature - very recognizable in its eclecticism - of the well-known designer, mixed with Dante allusions: scenes of hell and heaven alternate in the different environments, common and private, in a way that is both cultured and playful. between vices and virtues.

Dominating are the red of hell, the white of heaven and the green, that of the luxuriant vegetation of the gardens that dot the structure and that declined in numerous vivid shades to cover furnishings, accessories and objects. In reality, as in all her projects, the protagonists are the materials and colors, in the incomparable shades that only Paola Navone can find in her travels around the world.

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The restaurant under the glass dome

The heart of the hotel, in the center of the historic building, is the San Paolino restaurant located under the huge glass dome. A luxuriant inner courtyard is arranged around it that embraces and infuses abundant light into the interior spaces, a classic Negroni bar and a Alimentari, a typical shop in a traditional style that offers fresh from the well-known S.forno bakery, as well as a selection of quality local products and drinks. With access from the small square of the same name, it is open to the district, its inhabitants and tourists (food and wine).

A (purely) Tuscan menu

The San Paolino restaurant offers modern Italian cuisine, with inspiration from many Italian regions, although of course Tuscany plays a special role on the menu. In the wine list, guests will find, in addition to the most renowned Italian labels, a careful selection of wines from Tuscany chosen from wineries that stand out for their great personality and research.

Vitaminic design at the table

Eating under the spectacular glass dome, the largest in a Florentine hotel, in the center of the imposing palace is an immersive experience, completed by the eclectic, multi-ethnic and vitaminic design signed by Paola Navone , declined in furnishings and in table accessories . The San Paolino thus offers a new meeting point in the city center, ideal for any time of day and, as long as the temperatures allow, the dining area extends into the garden of the internal courtyard.

From the ‘wine hole’ to the food shop

At the 25hours Hotel Piazza San Paolino, the atmosphere is international and at the same time rooted in the Florentine territory, full of food and wine traditions (and goodness). If the focus of the Companion Bar are classic drinks such as Negroni accompanied by new interpretations that play with seasonal flavors, through the traditional 'little wine hole', recovered and which will soon be restored in the wall of the building, so that patrons can taste a glass of wine in the street, as in the past.