Athenaeum Personal Hotel ★★★★

I’ve spent enough time here to get to know my neighbours, David is my favourite! He doesn’t say much but he’s nice to look at! Okay, I stole that joke from the receptionist, but I got a good giggle out of it. They instantly put you at ease here at the Athenaeum. From the design to the easy-going staff, billiards room, and putting green, this is a really fun place to be where originality and creativity are prized qualities. Further proof of this lies in the close relationship that exists between the hotel and the School for Fine Arts round the corner. It’s a win-win situation for everyone. The students have a permanent exhibition space for their work, and the hotel gets to benefit from their creativity. One thing is certain, the walls here are never boring!

Now, I don’t want to discourage the ladies, but this hotel has a decidedly masculine feel to it. The bedrooms and common areas are decorated using lots of leather and wood with deep, rich shades of chocolate and red. I, for one, love it. I feel like I’ve been allowed access to a gentleman’s club of old; very warm and cosy, despite the vast open spaces and modern furnishings. To offset this, there are flowers and plants everywhere, particularly on the patio where trickling water features and surprisingly lush vegetation combine to create a little oasis in the heart of the city.

When I don’t feel like going out in the evening, the patio is where I come for my evening meal. I’ve become quite a regular and can confidently say that the food at the Riflessi Restaurant is excellent. My client agrees with me and he is Italian. Like the ever-changing walls of the hotel, the menu changes with the seasons. Whenever I think I’ve tried everything there is to try, the chef comes up with new ideas and creations to make my taste buds sing. My absolute favourite dish is the rabbit cacciatora, with lots of garlic and broccoli. The gnocchi with smoked scamorza cheese are also excellent, as is the traditional Tuscan bread and vegetable soup (ribollita). After dinner, I usually stay on the patio with an after-dinner drink from the Gallery Bar and a book before bedtime.

If I do feel like venturing out to eat, there are plenty of restaurants to choose from nearby. What is so great about this hotel is that it is very centrally located, but not at all noisy. Many of the city’s most revered historic sights and tourist attractions are only a short stroll away. The classy shopping street, Via Tornabuoni, where you’ll find all the designer names, is within walking distance and the emblematic Ponte Vecchio and impressive Duomo are easily reached, especially if you decide to do like the Florentines and rent a Vespa scooter to get around. The hotel also provides guests with complimentary bike rental if you prefer pedalling to polluting.

My husband feels sorry for me having to travel so much for my job. He thinks that a life spent flitting in and out of hotels must be so tiresome. Obviously, he has not yet accompanied me on one of my trips to Florence. Everything in its time. For now, I’m perfectly happy keeping my visits to the Athenaeum Personal Hotel to myself.