The Credentials:
Located in Santa Maria Novella Square, in the heart of Florence, this boutique hotel is distinguished by a townhouse atmosphere and 20 elegant rooms, including seven suites. Designed by Michele Bonan and similar to a private home, J.K. Place is crammed with artefacts reflecting the history, art and culture of Florence. An Irish pub is next door but this didn’t impact on the atmosphere; during the day, it definitely seemed the place in Florence to see and be seen.
The after-dinner basement Pink Room would not be out of place in ‘70s New York and is reminiscent of studio 54. The impressive roof terrace, with huge lounge beds, provided a perfect setting to watch the sunset and offers a teasing view of the dome of The Duomo among the rooftops.
J.K. Place has another boutique hotel due to open in Rome in summer 2013 with 30 rooms.
Dine:
Florence is renowned for its gastronomic fare and the superb regional cuisine is reflected in the hotel’s menu superb local products. We dined in the lounge bar, a sophisticated neo-classical club-like setting – all cool blacks, greys and whites, stylised design lamps and marble Louis XVI fireplaces. The lounge was quiet during our dinner, the only other diners being a smartly dressed couple from NYC.
The sesame chicken salad was plentiful but lacked imagination (€18). We enjoyed ravioli tricolore (€20) and Millerighe al Profuni (€20) which tasted extremely fresh. The organic lemon ice-cream was the best my friend had ever tasted.
Breakfast is buffet-style and taken at a communal walnut table in a glass-covered courtyard or in a stylish classic movie screening area. Options were plentiful, delicious and high quality.
Sleep:
Our room was a blend of luxury modernism and traditional architecture; calming creams blended with brilliant and light greys. Furnished with wenge wood, polished steel, thick cream curtains, grey carpets, soft abstracts on the walls, chrome lamps and ultra-modern technology.
Who Goes There?
Predominantly Americans, Northern Europeans and the international fashion crowd.
Out & About:
Florence felt like an open air museum and was easy to navigate through its maze of alleyways. Fashion, art and life is everywhere from every corner. Head to the San Giovanni area which best expresses the Renaissance artistry and grandeur; see the Duomo, visit the Uffizi Gallery (book in advance) then stroll over the medieval Ponte Vecchio (oldest bridge in the world, adorned with shops) to Santo Niccolo and Santo Spirito where you can still feel the atmosphere of Florence gone-by.
The Piazza Ghiberti has a vibrant food market every morning. Afterwards, take a brisk 45-minute walk uphill to Piazzole Michelango for a superb panoramic view of Florence.
A short stroll from the hotel is the Farmaceutica. Established in 1221, it is one of the oldest pharmacies in the world and is like a museum of perfume with each product having its own history. The building is spectacular and has a garden of oasis, untouched for centuries.
We were keen to try the highly recommended Il Latini, an Old Florentine trattoria, five minutes from the hotel. It was a hub of tourist activity. We were shocked to witness half eaten dishes being collected from tables and being served to other tables as fresh orders! My friend was only offered sides to accompany her roast chicken half-way through eating her dish. I had a traditional Tuscan dish, ribolita, which is made from local bread and vegetables and the chicken liver crostini.
Florence is sleepy in the evening and, apart from the bars of the Savoy and the dated Bellagio, we thought it best to retreat to the comfort of the room.
The Best Thing:
The roof terrace and superb furnishings and food.
The Worst Thing:
We had a superior room but the classic rooms may be too small to be comfortable in. I overheard a honeymooning couple complain that the door hit the bed when opened.
