'portrait firenze' hotel captures the heart of hospitality rooted in the ferragamo family

Portrait Firenze and the conviviality of Ferragamo

Leonardo Ferragamo has his heart set on Florence. He regards the historical city as a bounty of beauty and imagination, the spring that nourishes local and international creation and innovation. ‘It derives its unique energy from the elegant ease of the Renaissance and its unparalleled tradition of craftsmanship. Florence is also our heredity,’ he says.

By legacy he means the arrival of his father, the renowned shoemaker Salvatore Ferragamo, in Florence in 1927. In 1938, the shoe master opened his first store at Spini Feroni Palace, overlooking the river Arno and Via Tornabuoni. ‘It was here, where he welcomed Hollywood stars, aristocrats, and international diplomacy, that the culture of Tuscan hospitality and the natural cordiality of our family has become globally known,’ the son adds.

The family business has since expanded with an array of elegant and luxurious hotels and restaurants under the Lungarno Collection. Part of the Collection is Ferragamo’s Portrait triptych that leads the refined ensemble of luxury hotels in Milan, Florence, and Rome.

Each stay immerses the guests in the cities’ culture and traditions. The name itself – Portrait – expresses the concept of tailor-made hospitality, as if it somehow reflects a portrait of each and every guest. The family’s epicurean stay effortlessly captures the city’s bucolic charm and the Ferragamo collective flair for unrivaled hospitality.

Portrait Firenze, a 5-star hotel in the centralissima Arno-front position in florence | all images © designboom (unless stated) | first image: view from the spectacular rooftop suite | 273m2 penthouse floor, image courtesy Portrait Firenze

the Suite River view offers close-up impressions of the Ponte Vecchio with its ceiling-to-floor windows

natural light and soft materials set an aristocratic yet relaxing tone, doubled by the rippling waters of the Arno and the old-world Ponte Vecchio that sit framed from the suite’s windows

inside the suite, historic photography is displayed in a gallery setting

a warm welcome

Swinging back to the 50s 

Leonardo Ferragamo, the President of the Lungarno Collection, pays homage to his father’s indelible mark in the creative industry as he paints Portrait Firenze with their familial conviviality. ‘Hospitality is about service. It is about creating an atmosphere around what you deliver,’ he says. ‘I wanted to bring it forth in a way that the name (Ferragamo) is not obviously present but behind everything.’ 

With a centralissima location and a discreetly luxurious atmosphere, the hotel’s service is everything one could wish for: discreet, always present, and highly capable. Nestled between the historic art homes of the Piazza della Signoria, the Loggia dei Lanzi, the Uffizi Gallery, and the Bargello, Portrait Firenze overlooks the River Arno and the hills that surround the city. It actually seems like guests can reach out and touch the Ponte Vecchio with their hands. 

suite bedroom

The atmosphere and interior swing back to the daring years of the 1950s, the brainchild of the Florentine architect Michele Bönan, but the artisanal celebrations of contemporary Florence come through the hardwood floors, a muted color scheme, large mirrors, and fabric (mostly wool and cashmere) elements that dot the rooms, augmented by the architect’s domestic imprint and sartorial attention to detail.

With a focus on materiality, organic shapes, and quiet luxury, Michele Bönan has created a soft minimalism that is both artistic and functional. The spaces consistently bring out the elements of Ferragamo that are most pertinent: timeless design and exemplary artisan quality that create a dialogue with the architecture and interior elements.

view from the suite’s bedroom

The modern design brushes against the history of the city whose understated charm seems to never fade. The walls are graced with archival black and white photographs of revered stars such as Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot, and Grace Kelly, who all stayed in Florence.

Of course, there are also photos of Salvatore Ferragamo, his daughter Fiamma Ferragamo, and some of the designers he has had dealings with, from Christian Dior, who Salvatore Ferragamo worked with on many projects, to Elsa Schiaparelli, who put on shows in Florence, as well as his favorite VIP clients.

This photographic journey was made possible thanks to the contribution of Nina Screti, the art historian who, with her versatile experience in the field of images – working for years in fashion first with Carla Sozzani and then in the LVMH group – scoured no less than four photo archives over a period of many months. The very important Alinari, Giorgini, Locchi, and Torrini archives were so intrigued by the project that they did not hesitate to open their doors and devote whole months of research to this extraordinary project.  

Shoemaker of Dreams : Salvatore Ferragamo

Ferragamo and florentine heritage

The designs and visuals that sign the family’s namesake exude timeless opulence, from the backdrop of warm wooden panels and harmonious curves to the refined vintage style synonymous with the iconic Florentine story. The touch of Ferragamo and Florentine heritage in the design crawls along the spaces of the select 37 rooms and luxury suites and its rooftop suite and penthouse floor. Classic and contemporary fuse through the warm wood and opaque grays bathed in the glow of gilded details and glimmering steel. 

The contemporary café Caffè dell’Oro spoils guests with breakfast, meals, and cocktails that introduce traditional dishes to cosmopolitan palates, all Italian-style by Executive Chef Antonio Minichiello. Inside, the vintage-style furnishings interpreted in a modern flick run through the 1950s motif of the cafè, named after the goldsmiths ‘bottega’, which in Florence’s past used to be here, along the Arno river.

the bathrooms are clad in white Carrara marble and exclusive Ferragamo bath products | image courtesy of Portrait Firenze

spa treatments | image courtesy of Portrait Firenze

Arno frontline: Portrait Firenze hotel entrance and Caffé dell’Oro

Al fresco tables overlook Lungarno degli Acciaiuoli, a charming pedestrian street, where guests can face the view of the Ponte Vecchio. This contemporary Italian café boasts a truly privileged position, with front-row views across to the Ponte Vecchio – even more stunning from one of the al fresco tables overlooking Lungarno degli Acciaiuoli, a charming pedestrian street crossing the heart of Florence.

Lungarno degli Acciaiuoli

interiors of the Caffé dell’Oro | image courtesy of Portrait Firenze

interiors of the Caffé dell’Oro | image courtesy of Portrait Firenze

interiors of the Caffé dell’Oro | image courtesy of Portrait Firenze

the lobby

lifestyle team of Portrait Firenze: concierge and check-in in the lobby

corridor

the lobby

the lobby

view outside

THE LUNGARNO COLLECTION PRESENTS 3 PORTRAIT HOTELS
The first Portrait hotel in the Lungarno Collection was established in Rome in the shape of a luxury Italian residence, Portrait Roma is where the warm and heartening welcome, personalized service, and emphasis on establishing a one-to-one relationship make guests feel instantly at home. The newest, hotel Portrait Milano just opened in early 2023.
More info to come soon!

project info:

name: Portrait Firenze

location: Lungarno degli Acciaiuoli, Florence, Italy

chain: Lungarno Collection

president: Leonardo Ferragamo