Sitting on the banks of the Arno River, Villa La Massa is an intimate bucolic oasis between Florence and the Chianti region. The hotel—owned by the Villa d’Este Group and a member of The Leading Hotels of the World—is linked to the city center by a courtesy shuttle running daily to and from Ponte Vecchio. This splendid Medicean mansion—surrounded by 25 acres of pristine park with lemon trees and olive groves—was turned into a luxury hotel in 1948. Its five hundred years of history live on, telling tales of Renaissance splendor and the lifestyle of Florentine aristocrats.
The hotel features 51 rooms, divided between five historic buildings: the Villa Nobile, the Mill, the Villino, the Casa Colonica, and the Limonaia. The spirit of the Renaissance is still palpable in the first two villas, decorated with sublime canopied beds, frescoes, tapestries, silks, and brocades—while the other three are beautifully furnished in a more contemporary Florentine style.
The gourmet restaurant “Il Verrocchio” offers traditional Tuscan cuisine with over 400 labels of wine; its terrace overlooking the Arno River is a unique setting for romantic dinners.
Overlooking the pool area, L’Oliveto Bistrot is a new culinary offering that is open for lunch. Named after surrounding olive trees, which are used to produce the hotel’s own olive oil, L’Oliveto occupies a former barn, which has been lovingly restored to offer relaxed Tuscan dining.
For those looking for a full day of relaxation, a brand new stylish swimming pool surrounded by fragrant lemon trees, olive groves, Cypress trees, a modern fitness center, the Arno SPA, bikes, and a jogging track are available on the property.