Hotel Savoy

Hotel Savoy is a five-star Rocco Forte hotel on Piazza della Repubblica, steps from the Duomo and Via de' Tornabuoni. It has around 80 rooms and suites, interiors by Olga Polizzi, the Tuscan restaurant Irene with menus by Fulvio Pierangelini, and Bar Artemisia. There is a spa suite but no pool.

"Rocco Forte's design-led hotel on Piazza della Repubblica, the most central luxury base in Florence, with Fulvio Pierangelini's Irene."

Aggregate 9.5/10 on our editorial scale (Room & Design, Service, Location). Independently scored; see our methodology. This is our opinion, not an aggregate of user reviews.

Affiliate disclosure: we may earn a commission from bookings at no cost to you. We never accept payment for placement. Facts verified against official sources and the 2026 Michelin Guide in July 2026.

What makes Hotel Savoy special?

Hotel Savoy is the most central of these four hotels, occupying a landmark position on Piazza della Repubblica in the very heart of Florence, with the Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio, and the luxury shopping of Via de' Tornabuoni all within a few minutes on foot. It is the sole Florence property of Rocco Forte Hotels, the family-run British luxury group, and that identity shapes the experience: interiors designed by Olga Polizzi mix signature prints, contemporary art, and Renaissance antiques, giving the hotel a lighter, more design-led feel than the city's more solemn palace hotels. The ground-floor restaurant, Irene, is a genuine draw in its own right, with menus overseen by the celebrated Tuscan chef Fulvio Pierangelini, and its terrace onto the piazza is one of the best people-watching perches in the city. The hotel leans into an intimate, characterful atmosphere rather than grand formality, and the Rocco Forte service culture, including a well-regarded kids programme, makes it a strong choice for families as well as couples. It suits travellers who want to be in the absolute centre, care about design and food, and can do without a pool.

Which room should you book?

Hotel Savoy has around 80 rooms and suites, a mix that includes a generous share of suites across categories from classic Rooms and Junior Suites up to the top-tier Forte Suites. The design, by Olga Polizzi, is the defining feature: fine Tuscan silks, local artwork, avian-inspired soft furnishings in the family accommodation, and a calm, contemporary palette that references Florence's heritage in art, fashion, and architecture without resorting to heavy period pastiche. Many rooms look over Piazza della Repubblica or the surrounding historic streets, and the higher categories add space, sitting areas, and the best outlooks toward the city's landmarks. Family rooms and suites are configured for longer stays with children in mind, reflecting Rocco Forte's family-friendly positioning. Rooms are equipped to full five-star standard with air conditioning, marble bathrooms, and modern in-room technology. Because the hotel is mid-sized and individually designed, room feel varies by category and floor, so guests wanting a piazza view or extra space should specify at booking. The overall impression is of a boutique-scale grand hotel where design and comfort take priority over sheer square footage.

Where should you eat and drink?

The centrepiece is Irene, an elegant trattoria named in honour of Lady Irene Forte, with menus overseen by the acclaimed Tuscan chef Fulvio Pierangelini. The cooking is a refined, seasonal take on authentic Tuscan food built on handpicked local ingredients and uncomplicated but precise dishes, and the room opens onto a coveted terrace on Piazza della Repubblica that is popular for both dining and aperitivo. Alongside it, Bar Artemisia is the hotel's cocktail bar, an intimate, characterful space that runs a rotating cocktail of the month and serves as the social hub for aperitivo and after-dinner drinks. On Michelin: Irene is a well-known and highly regarded Florence restaurant but does not hold a Michelin star in the 2026 guide, so its reputation rests on Pierangelini's cooking and the setting rather than a star. The pairing of a serious Tuscan kitchen with a lively piazza terrace and a design-led bar gives the Savoy a food-and-drink offer that draws locals as well as hotel guests, which is a good sign of quality. Together the two venues cover everything from a long lunch to a late cocktail without leaving the hotel.

What is the spa and pool like?

Wellness at Hotel Savoy is intentionally modest and in keeping with a compact city-centre hotel. There is a Spa Suite for treatments and a Fitness and Wellbeing space with gym equipment for guests, but there is no swimming pool on site, which is worth flagging for anyone expecting a full spa-and-pool operation. To address the gap, the hotel offers a seasonal summer programme called Swim and Swing that arranges access to a pool in the Tuscan countryside outside the city, along with a round at the nearby Ugolino golf course, available at additional cost. This is a curated day-trip solution rather than an on-site facility. For most guests, wellness here means a treatment in the spa suite and a workout in the gym, complemented by the option to arrange countryside pool and golf days in summer. Travellers whose priority is a hotel spa with hydrotherapy or an indoor pool should treat the Savoy as a central design-and-dining base rather than a wellness retreat, and plan spa days accordingly.

Where is Hotel Savoy, and how do you get there?

Hotel Savoy occupies a prime address at Piazza della Repubblica 7, 50123 Florence, in the exact centre of the historic core. This is arguably the most convenient location of any luxury hotel in the city: the Duomo is a two-to-three-minute walk, the Ponte Vecchio and the Uffizi are close by, and the designer shopping of Via de' Tornabuoni begins around the corner. Piazza della Repubblica is one of Florence's great social squares, ringed by historic cafes and lively day and night, so the trade-off for the unbeatable position is atmosphere and activity rather than quiet; light sleepers should request a room away from the square. The hotel sits within the ZTL limited-traffic zone, so private cars are restricted and arrivals are generally by taxi or private transfer, with parking arranged through the hotel. Santa Maria Novella railway station is a short walk or brief taxi ride away, and Florence Airport (Peretola) is roughly seven kilometres out, around twenty minutes by car. For travellers who want to step straight out of the lobby into the heart of Renaissance Florence, this location is essentially unmatched.

What do guests consistently say?

Guests reserve their highest praise for the location, repeatedly describing it as the ideal base for exploring Florence on foot, and for the design, which many find fresher and more characterful than the city's grander palace hotels. Irene and the piazza terrace draw strong reviews for both food and setting, and the Rocco Forte service culture, including attentive staff and a family-friendly approach, earns consistent approval; families in particular highlight the kids programme and the welcome extended to children. The individually designed rooms and Olga Polizzi's interiors are frequently singled out. On the other side, the central location means noise from the busy piazza can reach some rooms, and the lack of a pool is a recurring note for guests who expect resort-style facilities at a five-star price. Some travellers find certain room categories compact, a common reality for a historic building in the dense city centre. Pricing is firmly at the top of the Florence market. Overall, guests rate the Savoy highly for location, design, food, and service, with noise and the absence of a pool the main reservations.

Honest cons: who should skip it?

The principal trade-offs are wellness and noise. There is no swimming pool and only a compact spa suite and gym, so the Savoy is not the choice for a spa-and-pool holiday; the summer Swim and Swing programme is an off-site, extra-cost workaround rather than an in-house facility. The superb central position on Piazza della Repubblica comes with the square's noise and activity, so quieter rooms face away from the piazza and some street sound is unavoidable. As a historic city-centre building, some room categories are on the compact side, and room feel varies by floor and type, so category choice matters. Rates sit at the premium end of the Florence market, and the ZTL zone restricts arriving by private car, with parking arranged at extra cost. Dining is excellent but limited to Irene and Bar Artemisia, and Irene, while highly regarded and led by Fulvio Pierangelini's menus, does not hold a Michelin star, so guests chasing starred dining will book elsewhere in the city. None of these is a serious flaw, but they shape who the hotel suits.