Four Seasons Hotel Firenze has opened, following seven years of meticulous restoration. The hotel is located on the edge of Florence's historic centre and occupies two protected Renaissance palaces, the 15th century Palazzo della Gherardesca and the Conventino, a 16th century Palazzo, which was once a convent.

Between them lies Florence's largest private garden -- the 11 acre (4.5 hectare) Giardino della Gherardesca - one of the most beautiful and undiscovered green spaces on the right bank of the River Arno.

The palace's ornately painted and crafted interiors offer guests the rare opportunity to view 15th - 19th century artworks in their original context. Frescoes, bas-reliefs, stuccoes and silk wallpapers have been carefully restored to reveal vivid detail dating back over five centuries. Original Florentine art and craftsmanship can also be found in several of the hotel's 117 bedrooms, suites and bathrooms. In addition, each bedroom and suite has individual dimensions and window-sizes and many also showcase idiosyncratic original features such as skylights, staircases, fireplaces and stoves.

The Hotel honors the city's culinary and cultural heritage. Il Palagio, the main restaurant, uses Tuscan ingredients sourced direct from local producers; the two-storey Spa features bespoke natural products created by Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella (one of the world's oldest herbal pharmacies, dating back to 13th century Florentine monks) and room amenities have been custom-made by Florence-based Lorenzo Villoresi.

The Hotel also has an outdoor pool, fitness centre, library/reading room and vast, sun-lit Atrium Bar. At the far end of the gardens, the Conventino, (opening in September 2008) provides an arrangement of 37 rooms and suites -- a "hotel within the hotel" -- served by its own reception, concierge, breakfast room and business centre. The garden location offers a restful alternative to the main Palazzo building. The hotel is the company's second property in Italy; the first, Four Seasons Hotel Milano, is an intimate retreat within a converted 15th century convent, just steps from Milan's couture houses and financial district.

More information: Four Seasons Hotel Firenze