Inside La Réserve Firenze: Florence's Six-Apartment Palazzo Debut
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Florence has been waiting on a hotel like this for years. The city has Renaissance heavyweights, two outstanding Four Seasons properties on the north bank, and a strong roster of small boutiques. What it has not had, until now, is a luxury operator willing to hand guests the keys to an actual palazzo. La Réserve Firenze changes that this month.
This is Michel Reybier Hospitality's first Italian property, the same group behind La Réserve Paris, La Réserve Geneva, and Crillon le Brave in Provence. There are six apartments. The smallest is 176 square meters. The largest is 225. The address is Via Santo Spirito, deep in the Oltrarno, on the quieter south side of the Arno.
If the brief sounds more like a private residence than a hotel, that is the point.
The setup: a 15th-century palazzo in the Oltrarno
The building was acquired by Olivia and Grégory Marciano in 2022. The Marcianos are not rushing this. The restoration has taken four years, and the result is a palazzo brought back to its original stature rather than gut-renovated into something generic. The neighborhood matters here too. The Oltrarno is the working artisan district, where leather workshops and frame restorers still operate alongside the wine bars. It is a five-minute walk to the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens. The Ponte Vecchio sits less than ten minutes north. The Uffizi is twelve.
What makes this property different from anything else opening in Florence this year is the scale. Six apartments. That is it.
What La Réserve is doing differently
Six private apartments. The palazzo houses six residences ranging from 176 to 225 square meters, each with one to three bedrooms and a fully equipped kitchen. Service is hotel grade: dedicated butler, 24-hour concierge, full housekeeping. The layout is residential, so families and multi-generational groups can actually spread out.
Gilles & Boissier interiors. The Paris design duo behind La Réserve Paris and the Baccarat Hotel New York leads the design. Siena travertine, custom Italian furniture, and a deliberate dialogue between Renaissance heritage and contemporary lines.
Room service from Trattoria Camillo. The Florentine institution on Borgo San Jacopo, open since 1945, is the in-room dining partner. Private chef bookings inside the apartments are also available.
A secret rooftop bar. The panoramic rooftop terrace features an unmarked bar where Negronis and select cocktails are included in the room rate.
The Marciano private tennis court. Guests get access to the family's private court ten minutes from the property, plus a Technogym and Woodway fitness studio inside the building, with in-suite trainer sessions on request.
Why this opening matters for Florence
Florence's luxury inventory is dominated by two long-standing names: Four Seasons Hotel Firenze on the north side of the river, with its 117 rooms inside the Palazzo della Gherardesca, and Belmond Villa San Michele up in Fiesole on the hills above the city. The Hotel Helvetia & Bristol on Via dei Pescioni and Palazzo Portinari Salviati near the Duomo round out the top tier on that side of the river. Almost all of it sits north of the Arno.
The Oltrarno has had villa rentals and boutique guesthouses, but nothing operated by a global luxury group at this level. La Réserve Firenze plants the flag on the south side. For travelers who want to do Florence without the high-season crowds around the Duomo, that is a meaningful shift. It also rounds out a 2026 in Italian luxury that has been one of the most active years on record: Belmond Villa Timeo in Taormina, Mandarin Oriental Punta Negra in Mallorca, the Cheval Blanc and Belmond rebrands on Costa Smeralda, the Four Seasons Hotel Danieli return in Venice. La Réserve adds Florence to that map.
Cost and booking window
Final pricing has not been published, but expect rates that mirror La Réserve Paris and La Réserve Ramatuelle: roughly $3,500 to $8,000 per night per apartment in summer, with full-palazzo buyouts likely landing in the $30,000 to $50,000 per night range. The inaugural June and July booking calendar is largely accounted for at this point, so the realistic windows are late September into October, when Florence weather is still strong, and the first quarter of 2027. Multi-generational travelers and families looking at Tuscany in 2027 should lock dates now. Wine harvest in September and Pitti Uomo in January each take inventory off the board quickly.
What to ask before you book
Which apartment fits your party? Bedrooms range from one to three. A family of six needs the largest. A couple may prefer one of the two-bedroom layouts for the extra living space, not the second bedroom.
Will you use the kitchen? Trattoria Camillo handles room service and a private chef can be brought in, but the apartments are also built for cooking. Decide before you arrive how much of the trip you want catered.
Are you connecting from Pisa or Rome? Florence's own airport works for some routes, but most Oklahoma travelers will route OKC to DFW or IAH and then on to Rome FCO or Milan MXP, with rail or driver into Florence. The day-of-arrival logistics affect which apartment you should book.
Do you want full-palazzo exclusivity? For milestone trips, the buyout option is available. Get the quote early. The property's small footprint means the math is friendlier than a 60-key hotel buyout.
What is the rotation? If you are pairing Florence with Lake Como, the Amalfi Coast, or Puglia, the Oltrarno location does not change the regional drive times, but the apartment format means you can plan a longer Florence base than at a traditional hotel.
How Haus Travel helps you book La Réserve Firenze
Haus Travel has been planning luxury Italy itineraries for clients since 1975. We hold direct relationships across the Michel Reybier portfolio, the Four Seasons Italy properties, Belmond, and the independent palazzo hotels in Tuscany. For La Réserve Firenze specifically, we coordinate the apartment selection, the airport handover from Florence, Pisa, or Rome, the private chef and Trattoria Camillo dining requests, and the broader Tuscany itinerary that anchors around the stay. Add Vinci, Siena, Val d'Orcia, or a Chianti vineyard buyout; we know the operators.
For full-palazzo buyouts, milestone birthdays, and family reunions, we work directly with the property's reservations team to lock the dates, secure favorable terms, and manage the dozens of small decisions that turn a hotel stay into an actual residence experience. Email blake@haus-travel.com or call our Oklahoma City office to start.
Frequently asked questions
When does La Réserve Firenze open?
La Réserve Firenze opens in June 2026. It is the first Italian property from Michel Reybier Hospitality.
Where is La Réserve Firenze located?
The property sits inside a 15th-century palazzo on Via Santo Spirito, in the Oltrarno district of Florence. It is a five-minute walk to the Pitti Palace and less than ten minutes to the Ponte Vecchio.
How many rooms does La Réserve Firenze have?
There are six apartments, ranging from 176 to 225 square meters, with one to three bedrooms each.
How much does it cost to stay at La Réserve Firenze?
Final pricing has not been published. Expect rates in the $3,500 to $8,000 per night range per apartment in high season, with full-palazzo buyouts in the $30,000 to $50,000 per night range. Pricing varies by apartment, season, and length of stay.
Who designed La Réserve Firenze?
The interiors are by Gilles & Boissier, the Paris design firm behind La Réserve Paris and the Baccarat Hotel New York. The restoration is owned and led by Olivia and Grégory Marciano, who acquired the palazzo in 2022.
Is La Réserve Firenze good for families?
Yes. The apartment format with one to three bedrooms, full kitchens, and a private rooftop makes it a strong choice for multi-generational and family travel, especially compared to a standard hotel.
How do I book La Réserve Firenze?
Direct booking is available through La Réserve, but for amenity benefits, suite consideration, and itinerary support, a luxury travel advisor relationship is the better path. Email blake@haus-travel.com or call the Haus Travel office in Oklahoma City.
