Book The Excelsior Florence with VIP Benefits

Formerly known as The Westin Excelsior Florence, the hotel belongs to Marriott's Luxury Collection. The address at Piazza Ognissanti 3 gives it an open outlook beside the river. Ponte Vecchio, the Uffizi Gallery and the streets around Piazza della Signoria form a natural route for exploring on foot. The Duomo and Santa Maria Novella add different chapters to the same visit, allowing you to organize sightseeing around a neighborhood or collection rather than constantly crossing the city.

For a first visit, the concierge can help shape the order of museum visits and guided experiences. Give the major galleries enough time, then leave a less structured afternoon for smaller streets and workshops. Florence rewards that balance. The hotel is well placed for returning between outings, and an evening at the rooftop can provide a different perspective on the buildings you've been seeing at street level.

The rooms extend around several sides of the building, so a hotel beside the Arno does not mean every bedroom overlooks it. Outlooks include the river, Piazza Ognissanti, city streets and courtyard. Some rooms and suites have balconies or furnished terraces. Specify the view and outdoor space you want rather than relying on the category's name alone.

High ceilings, period-style furniture and rich fabrics establish the interiors' Florentine character. Santa Maria Novella bath amenities add a local detail that you actually use. The Belvedere Suite and Grand Deluxe Suite both emphasize the Arno outlook, with the latter providing a substantial living area framed by tall windows. These are worthwhile options when you expect to spend time in the hotel between museum visits.

The Presidential Suite brings together artwork, a separate living setting and a terrace looking toward the river and Tuscan hills. Its outdoor furnishings and terracotta floors make the terrace part of the suite's appeal, not simply a place to step outside. For a special occasion, discuss the precise layout and permitted use with the hotel before making plans around it.

Connecting arrangements are available in selected river-view rooms and suites and should be requested through the reservations team. Selected Premium Deluxe Rooms and suites can accommodate one additional guest, with a supplement. Confirm the setup for your party's ages before booking: two nearby rooms, a connecting pair and one room with an extra bed solve quite different needs.

Families planning full days in Florence may find the ability to return for a break more useful than a long list of organized activities. Leave enough space between reservations for lunch and a rest. The same approach works for friends traveling together who want a shared base but don't intend to follow an identical schedule throughout the trip.

Cosimo looks across Florence through a glass-enclosed rooftop setting and open terraces. The panorama takes in terracotta roofs, the Duomo and hills beyond the city, making it a destination for dinner as well as aperitivo. Its menu interprets Tuscan traditions through seasonal produce and modern cooking. The regional focus gives dinner a connection to the city beyond the view.

Martin Brudnizki designed the rooftop with colors drawn from the Tuscan countryside: greens, mustard and earthy tones, with touches of aquamarine. Terracotta, leather and stone connect the interior to regional craft. The name honors Cosimo de' Medici, while the cocktail program also draws on the women of the Medici family. The references are specific to Florence without requiring the dining room to imitate a museum.

Both restaurant and bar follow a smart-casual dress code. Reserve the experience you want, whether that is dinner or a drink on the terrace, and don't assume an outdoor table follows automatically from staying upstairs. On a short trip, an aperitivo here can give you the rooftop experience while leaving another evening free to try a restaurant elsewhere in the city.

Breakfast is served in Sala Caminetto, with hot and cold dishes, sweet and savory choices, fruit and Tuscan specialties. It provides an alternative to leaving immediately for a cafe, particularly before an early gallery visit. For a slower morning, you can start here before joining the flow of the city outside.

Donatello Bar is the ground-level option for a light lunch, an afternoon pause or a cocktail before dinner. Its Mediterranean food gives you a less formal alternative to a full restaurant meal. The Library serves a different purpose, with an intimate setting for conversation and small gatherings. Room service is available when a private evening is more appealing than another outing.

The hotel's fitness studio has cardiovascular and strength equipment, including treadmills, exercise bikes and free weights. It allows you to maintain a familiar routine alongside the walking that Florence naturally involves. For treatments, the distinction is important: spa appointments are arranged at the sister property, The St. Regis Florence, rather than in a full spa within The Excelsior itself.

The St. Regis Spa Suites work with myBlend, and treatments require a separate booking and charge. Check the available appointment before planning the rest of your day around it. This is primarily a city hotel for cultural visits, dining and a comfortable room, so compare its facilities on that basis rather than expecting a resort-style wellness stay.

There are five event rooms with 451 square meters of total event space. The Vespucci Room is listed for up to 130 guests, depending on the arrangement; that is not a universal seated-dinner capacity. The rooftop also offers an event setting with a city outlook. Confirm the layout, catering and privacy requirements together, since a reception, a board meeting and a family celebration need different uses of the same room.

Florence's Peretola Airport is approximately seven kilometers away. The Excelsior does not operate an airport shuttle; book your onward transport separately. For a rail arrival, use Santa Maria Novella as the central station reference and check your onward route with luggage. Driving into the historic center needs advance planning; ask the hotel for arrival and parking instructions rather than relying only on a navigation app.

A river-view room, a rooftop reservation and carefully spaced museum visits give an Excelsior stay its shape. Beyond those anchors, keep time for the Florence that isn't on a timed ticket: a small shop, a walk along the Arno, or a second visit to a street that caught your attention. The hotel's central address makes that kind of return easy.