Florence greets a new chapter in luxury hospitality today as Auberge Resorts Collection officially welcomes travelers to Collegio alla Querce, its first Italian address. The 16th-century former college crowns a cypress-lined ridge above the city, offering 83 rooms, Tuscan-terraced gardens, and sweeping Duomo views. Guests can unwind at the nature-framed Aelia Spa, dine across four venues, or laze beside an expansive hillside pool before descending five miles to Renaissance landmarks. Early bookings are already brisk, signaling a warm reception for Florence's latest retreat.
Key Points
- Why it matters: Adds high-end inventory during Florence's record visitor surge, giving travelers room to spread out.
- 83 rooms in linked Renaissance buildings, restored with frescoes and oak floors.
- Four dining concepts, from Bar Bertelli's cigar lounge to glass-walled La Gamella.
- Aelia Spa partners with Furtuna Skin for Tuscan botanicals-driven treatments.
- Expansive outdoor pool anchors four levels of Medici-style gardens.
- Opening deals include a third-night-free offer through October.
Snapshot
Perched above the Le Cure neighborhood, Collegio alla Querce blends city break and countryside retreat. Interiors by ArchFlorence layer coffered ceilings, locally quarried pietra serena, and contemporary art, while Esteva i Esteva's architecture safeguards cloisters, a chapel, and a 150-seat theater. Rooms start at 430 square feet; flagship Residenza la Quercia spreads across 2 292 square feet with a rooftop hot tub. Outdoors, oak-shaded lawns step down to the pool and Café Focolare, where wood-fired pizzas meet Chianti by the glass. It is the only Florence Hotel with panoramas of both the historic center and rolling Tuscan hills.
Background
The estate opened as a Jesuit college in 1584, later becoming a boys' boarding school that educated generations of Italian nobility. Vacant since the 1980s, it caught the eye of Leeu Collection's Analjit Singh, who teamed with Auberge in 2021. Four years of restoration followed strict heritage guidelines: frescoes were cleaned with laser technology, lime plaster matched original formulas, and stone-masonry masters revived courtyard arcades. Landscape designer Franchesca Watson rescripted the Baroque gardens, planting geranium beds and cypress allées to echo Medici-era layouts. The project delivers Florence's first major ultra-luxury opening since W Florence in July 2025, signaling continued appetite for upscale beds despite crowding concerns.
Latest Developments
Opening Highlights
Opening rates start at €1 150 per night, including daily breakfast and a curated neighborhood art walk. A "3rd Night on Us" package runs through October 31, while the "Florentine Getaway" knocks 20 percent off two-night stays booked before September. General Manager Lorenzo Maraviglia notes that high-season weekends are already pacing above 70 percent occupancy, driven by U.S. leisure demand and fashion industry events.
What Travelers Can Expect
Guests can craft perfumes with Daniele Cavalli, tour Palazzo Pucci after hours, or join a Ferrari spin into Chianti Classico. Dining revolves around seasonal Tuscan fare: truffle-laced tagliolini, coastal crudo, and an amaro bar starring olive-oil-washed Negronis. Aelia Spa offers four treatment rooms, two with private steam showers, and an herbalist-led olive-oil ritual unique to the property. Evenings pivot to Il Teatro, where musicians from the nearby Scuola di Musica perform opera sound-baths beneath a gilded proscenium.
Analysis
Collegio alla Querce lands at a pivotal moment for Florence. The city welcomed 16 million visitors in 2024, straining centro-storico hotels and prompting calls for dispersion beyond the Duomo corridor. By positioning itself five miles uphill, the resort answers Overtourism critiques, distributing spend into peripheral neighborhoods while preserving rapid access to cultural icons. Its arrival also deepens Auberge's European foothold, complementing Domaine des Etangs and Grace Hotel as the brand eyes further urban conversions. For travelers, the property's hybrid identity-a resort cocooned within city limits-mirrors shifting preferences toward slower, experience-rich stays. The partnership with Leeu Collection signals a growing trend of cross-brand alliances to secure landmark real estate without full acquisitions, a strategy likely to accelerate amid tight capital markets. Finally, heavy investment in wellness and gastronomy aligns with post-pandemic demand for restorative escapes anchored in authentic local flavors.
Final Thoughts
With its scholarly past polished into contemporary elegance, Collegio alla Querce offers Florence an elevated hideaway that feels both thoroughly Tuscan and refreshingly secluded. Travelers seeking Duomo views without the city clamor now have an art-filled sanctuary, complete with terrace-framed sunsets, restorative rituals, and culinary storytelling rooted in the hills. For many, that blend of convenience and tranquility will redefine the Florence holiday, positioning the Renaissance capital's newest star, Collegio alla Querce.