The first 25hours hotel in Italy has opened its doors in Florence. On exactly the 700th anniversary of the death of Dante Alighieri, the 25hours Hotel Piazza San Paolino welcomed its first guests. The hotel is designed around the theme of Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’, which has been playfully reinterpreted by Milanese interior designer Paola Navone. The journey through the medieval masterpiece begins at reception: should you spend the night in heavenly paradise or in blazing hell? Guests can choose for themselves where they would like to sleep – the hotel rooms are divided into the two styles of Inferno and Paradiso.
There is a choice between intense red rooms with velvet curtains and black bed linen, or cloud-white retreats with ethereal blue accents. The eccentric style of the designer and her team runs through all areas of the hotel. In some parts of the hotel, it’s easy to imagine you’re in an amusement park. Guests and visitors won’t come across special effects, monsters or ghosts, however, but rather an original selection of vintage furniture sourced from markets and traditional craft businesses from all over the world. Many of the pieces are reproductions of previous designs from the design studio. Several design elements, such as the tableware used in the San Paolino restaurant, have been specially designed for 25hours by Navone and her team. What is striking about the interior design of the hotel is the diverse mix of materials; marble and mosaic, terracotta and metal, mirrorsand wood or ceramics and glass come together to create a harmonious composition. Paola draws inspiration for her designs from her many travels, placing great value on the artisanal traditions of the countries she has visited, coupled with modern influences from the fields of photography, theatre, cinema and art. The 25hours Hotel Piazza San Paolino forms a colourful potpourri of the experiences she has amassed, familiar design classics and new creative ideas.
The hotel of contrasts is managed by Bart Spoorenberg. As General Manager, he is responsible for the 25hours Hotel Piazza San Paolino in Florence. The native Dutchman, who has lived in Italy for over 20 years, has overseen the entire renovation process and managed business operations with his new team. After graduating from Hotelschool The Hague with a Bachelor of Hotel Administration, Bart gained experience all over the world including America, France, Great Britain and the Benelux countries, spending many years as the General Manager of various hotels including the Hotel Romazzino on the Costa Smeralda, the Salviatino Collection in Fiesole and Castello di Casole in Tuscany. Thanks to his various posts in Italy, Bart speaks fluent Italian and is very familiar with Florence, where he has lived since 2011.
The implementation of this extraordinary and very extensive hotel project was made possible through a collaboration between investor and project developer Art-Invest Real Estate, the new owner Invesco Real Estate and 25hours Hotels as business operator. The total investment cost for the restoration and redesign of the property amounted to over EUR 100 million.
25hours is celebrating the opening of its first Italian establishment with a special offer that guests can book at www.25hours-hotels.com until the end of 2021. Interested guests receive a 25 percent discount on the normal rate for two nights or more, as well as complimentary breakfast.
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