Brunelleschi Hotel

There’s no question the Brunelleschi Hotel has a legitimate claim to the name. With its top-floor view taking in the entire panorama of Brunelleschi’s masterpiece, the Florence Cathedral, it’s more or less as close as you can get to the Duomo without taking religious orders. The location has always been a strength, and after a very thorough renovation, the Brunelleschi can finally boast of interiors that are worthy of the view.

That’s “worthy of,” not equal to. The focus, even inside, is on the cathedral, and these subtly contemporary spaces, with their sparkling antique-style furnishings, do their best to frame the views, whether literal ones, through the windows, or virtual ones in the form of architectural photographs of the cathedral’s details.

Key, perhaps, is the fact that it’s a hotel that would still function admirably in a less picturesque setting. The physical comforts are up to the current Italian luxury-boutique standards, complete with 42-inch televisions and plump platform beds.

Downstairs there’s a private museum, which does its best to unite the building’s historical threads, from the Roman caldarium to the old church foundation to the Byzantine-era tower. And of course you’re surrounded by more history than you could reasonably be expected to absorb — not to mention more designer shopping than any one charge account could possibly handle. The restaurant, Santa Elisabetta, is certainly worth a visit; it’s been honored with not one but two Michelin stars. And the same goes for the gym — it’s well-equipped, but you’d be better served walking Florence’s streets than racking up treadmill miles.