A 1564 Renaissance palazzo transformed into an 8-suite hotel, run by the James family for three generations.
The James Suite Hotel Firenze 1564 - Small Luxury Hotels of the World
From
990 €
“Just 8 suites in a 16th-century palazzo, Booking score 9.8/10 from 74 verified reviews.”
The James Suite Hotel Firenze 1564 occupies a Renaissance palazzo a stone's throw from the Duomo, and the 9.8/10 Booking score doesn't lie. We count 8 suites spread over three floors, painted coffered ceilings, original terrazzo floors, furniture sourced from Florentine antiques dealers and family pieces. The intimate scale (maximum 8 rooms) guarantees near-instant room service, breakfast served in room or in the vaulted lounge on the ground floor. The restaurant on the first floor offers a short Tuscan menu, produce from the Sant'Ambrogio market, cellar of 400 references. From 990 € per night, it's the rate of a classic Florentine palace hotel, but here you sleep in a real private palazzo, not in a standardised 32 m² room. The James family locks in bookings six months ahead in high season ✨
Who is it for?
Who we recommend it to
We recommend The James to travellers seeking intimate Florence, far from crowded palace lobbies and tourist groups. It's an address for thirtysomething couples and older, wedding anniversaries, discreet proposals, gourmet weekends. Families find their place (family rooms available), but the 8-suite scale guarantees a hushed atmosphere, almost luxury guesthouse.
The building
Architecture and interiors
The palazzo dates from 1564, Medici era, typical Florentine Renaissance pietra serena facade. Interiors restored in 2018 by the James family, preserved painted coffered ceilings, 17th-century wall frescoes in three suites, original terrazzo floors hand-polished. Mixed furniture: 18th-century Tuscan antiques, contemporary Murano lighting, Carrara marble bathrooms. Intimate scale, 8 suites over three floors, no lift (listed building), period stone staircase.
At the table
Restaurants, bar, service
The restaurant occupies the piano nobile, a vaulted room for maximum 12 covers, booking obligatory even for residents. Short Tuscan menu renewed weekly, produce from the Sant'Ambrogio market 300 metres away, house-made fresh pasta, Chianina beef. Cellar of 400 references, focus on Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino, sommelier trained at Enoteca Pinchiorri. Breakfast served in room or in the ground-floor lounge, local produce, pastries from Forno Becagli.
Highlights
- 8 suites in a 1564 palazzo, preserved Renaissance painted ceilings
- Booking score 9.8/10 on 74 reviews, member Small Luxury Hotels of the World
- Tuscan restaurant on the first floor, cellar of 400 references, Sant'Ambrogio market
- Via Di Mezzo, 4 minutes on foot from the Duomo, quiet residential district
- 24/7 room service, breakfast in room or vaulted lounge
Location & access
Where the hotel sits in Florence
Via Di Mezzo runs through the Santa Croce district, between the Duomo (4 minutes on foot) and Santa Croce basilica (6 minutes). Quiet residential neighbourhood after 7pm, local shops, trattorias (Da Rocco, Cibrèo Trattoria two streets away). Uffizi Gallery 10 minutes on foot, Ponte Vecchio 12 minutes. Santa Maria Novella station 15 minutes by taxi, Florence airport 25 minutes. Private parking available on reservation, essential in this limited-traffic district (ZTL).
Good to know
Before you book
- Pets
- Accepted on prior request, supplement 30 € / night.
- Parking
- Private parking on reservation, 40 € / night, ZTL zone.
- Lift
- No lift, listed Renaissance building, period stone staircase.
- Check-in
- From 3pm, check-out by 11am, flexible according to availability.
- Restaurant
- Maximum 12 covers, booking obligatory even for residents.
- Wi-Fi
- Free in all suites and communal areas.
Facilities
Non-smoking rooms
Room service
Restaurant
Parking
Wi-Fi available throughout
Private parking
Free Wi-Fi
Family rooms
Location
Where The James Suite Hotel Firenze 1564 - Small Luxury Hotels of the World is located
Exact address
The James Suite Hotel Firenze 1564 - Small Luxury Hotels of the World
Address
Via Di Mezzo 20
In the same city
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