With La Réserve Firenze, Michel Reybier opens his first address in Italy. Six apartments in a 15th-century palazzo combine the privacy of a private Florentine residence with the amenities of a hotel — in the heart of the Oltrarno.
Florence is one of those cities where choosing the right neighbourhood is almost as important as choosing the right hotel. Those who cross the Arno and head into the Oltrarno leave at least part of tourist Florence behind. Here lie Palazzo Pitti and Santo Spirito, with workshops, galleries, small shops and trattorias in between. And on Via Santo Spirito, La Réserve Firenze opens on 16 October. A classic hotel, however, should not be expected. Behind the façade of a restored 15th-century palazzo are just six private apartments with one to three bedrooms. At 180 to 210 square metres, they are more spacious than many city apartments; one even has its own rooftop terrace. Shared areas include a salon, library, fitness room, courtyard and a rooftop terrace with views over Florence.
The story behind the house is unusual. Olivia and Grégory Marciano bought the palazzo in 2022. The Parisian couple had already moved to Florence with their family three years earlier and began the restoration together with the French interior design duo Gilles & Boissier. Only later did the collaboration with Michel Reybier develop, along with the inclusion of the property in La Réserve’s Private Homes collection. Florence thus becomes the group’s first Italian address. The restoration took four years. Coffered ceilings, carved woodwork and frescoes were preserved and restored by Florentine artisans. Historic tapestries and artworks from the owners’ private collection meet contemporary furniture; in the bathrooms, travertine from Siena is used, while traditional terracotta floors and regional natural stone continue the material world of the palazzo. Gilles & Boissier do not attempt to turn the Renaissance house into a design hotel. It is meant to continue feeling like a private residence.
And this is precisely where the true appeal of the concept begins. Room service does not come from an anonymous hotel kitchen, but from Camillo, a traditional trattoria on the same street. Those wishing to host something more elaborate can have a local chef or a Michelin-starred chef come to the apartment. A Maître de Maison looks after the stay, while the concierge organises private tours, wine tastings or excursions. The connection to the owners goes even further. Guests can visit the Marciano family’s private country estate around ten minutes by car from Florence, play tennis among olive groves or spend a day at a private bagno by the sea. Access to cultural sites outside regular opening hours is also expected to be possible.
All of this comes at a price: a night for two people in a one-bedroom apartment starts at 1,890 euros. Breakfast, drinks at the Courtesy Bar, laundry service and use of the tennis court are included. Of course, in Florence one could simply book a very good hotel. La Réserve Firenze follows a different idea: having one’s own address in the city for a few days. And when that address is a palazzo in the Oltrarno, it is a rather fine way to live.
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