La Réserve Firenze: A Private Palazzo Offering an Intimate Florentine Experience

The sunbaked warmth of Florence’s terracotta rooftops glows against the fierce blue of a late summer sky as one opens the windows of a top-floor apartment at the newly opened La Réserve Firenze. Despite the proximity to the chic boutiques, galleries, and wine bars lining the Via Santo Spirito down below, and the embarrassment of historical churches, oratories, and convents dotted around the neighborhood, all filled with Renaissance treasures rivalling the art hanging on the walls of the Uffizi, an unexpected quiet fills the air. This serene ambiance is a testament to the vision of Grégory and Olivia Marciano, the passionate entrepreneurs who have transformed a neglected 15th-century palazzo into an exclusive residential haven.

The Marcianos, a French couple with a dynamic entrepreneurial spirit, arrived in Florence with their three young sons in 2019. Olivia’s background includes a distinguished career at Dior, while Grégory co-founded Sushi Shop, Europe’s leading sushi take-away and delivery chain. The company achieved significant success, leading to its sale for €240 million (approximately $269 million) in 2018. Their Florentine venture began in 2022 when they discovered a dilapidated 15th-century palazzo. Located just a few minutes’ walk from the Arno River in Florence’s artsy Oltrarno district – an area historically favored by eminent Renaissance families like the Medicis – the building was a “chaotic” warren of small student rooms, lacking air conditioning and concealing many of its striking frescoes behind layers of neglect.

The transformation of this historic building was a meticulous labor of love, undertaken with a commitment to local craftsmanship. The Marcianos’ intention was clear: to create something far more exclusive and personal than a typical boutique hotel. “We wanted to do something more exclusive and different to being just another boutique hotel in the city,” Grégory explains. Their vision extended to making guests feel instantly at home, akin to Florentine locals. To achieve this, the interiors of La Réserve Firenze closely echo the aesthetic of their own family villa on the outskirts of the city, a property that once belonged to Guccio Gucci, the grandson and namesake of the fashion house founder.

For both the villa and the palazzo, the Marcianos collaborated with the esteemed French interior design duo Patrick Gilles & Dorothée Boissier. “It was important for us to renovate the palazzo properly, giving something back to the city,” Olivia states. “Patrick and Dorothée completely understood what we wanted – a mix of Florentine history with a contemporary touch.” The resulting aesthetic is a sophisticated blend of the Marcianos’ personal taste: the understated elegance of their native Paris, influenced by eight years spent in a modernist house in Brussels designed by Marc Corbiau, and the soft patina of age-worn Tuscan antiquities and frescoes passed down through generations. “These days we feel more Tuscan than Parisian,” Olivia laughs, a sentiment that underscores their deep connection to their adopted city.

The couple’s hands-on involvement was evident in every detail. They personally selected antique busts and baroque benches from the biannual furniture and collectibles fair in Parma, and curated the property’s more than 150 works of art, encompassing sculpture, old drawings, and tapestries. Interspersed with these historical pieces are “more minimalist” modern works, many from their private collection, by artists such as French photographer Francois Halard, Dutch artist Nuria Maria, and Italian painter Piero Pizzi Cannella. Grégory describes La Réserve Firenze as a distinctly personal “extension of our life together.” He elaborates, “We are two French people becoming Florentines, bringing with us Michel Reybier’s French brand La Réserve to Italy for the first time. This is our way of sharing something of ourselves, and of Florence, with the people who stay.”

Stay

Gilles and Boissier have masterfully infused each of the six private apartments with light, simplicity, and a profound sense of calm. Ranging from one to three bedrooms and spanning an impressive 180-210 square meters, these residences offer an unparalleled level of comfort and privacy. Some apartments boast private patios or roof terraces, providing breathtaking 360-degree views of the Florentine skyline, while others showcase meticulously hand-restored frescoes, ornate coffered ceilings, and walls adorned with captivating trompe-l’oeil murals. These exquisite details are best appreciated from the plush comfort of a four-poster bed or from the indulgence of a gargantuan bathtub. Through double-height windows, guests can glimpse a variety of captivating vistas, from the nearby dome of the Santo Spirito Basilica to the intricate sgraffito friezes of cherubs, palmettes, cornucopias, and volutes artfully carved into the facade of the Palazzo Coverelli across the way.

The furniture and lighting have been thoughtfully designed by Gilles and Boissier themselves, reflecting the streamlined, understated style they honed during their tenure with the renowned French minimalist designer Christian Liaigre before establishing their own studio in 2004. Their portfolio includes notable projects such as the Mandarin Oriental in Rome and the forthcoming Cheval Blanc Pitrizza hotel in Sardinia. Each piece, from the stone-topped bedside tables and amaranth leaf sconces to the generous, boxy sofas and armchairs, contributes to the cohesive and sophisticated ambiance.

The apartments exude an airy and voluminous quality, defined by a “purposely quiet” tonal palette, as Grégory explains. “When you have a day in Florence you see so much beauty, so much color – from building facades, inside churches to the surrounding nature – so I wanted guests to return to a quieter atmosphere to rest their eyes,” he says. The depth and visual interest are achieved through a masterful interplay of textures: dark, grainy woods, natural sisal, and silky polished plaster are juxtaposed with Sienese travertine and traditional cotto terracotta. Furniture is upholstered in substantial flaxy linens, soft leather, and sumptuous velvet, accented by wrought aged bronze details and delicate, powdery plastered pendant lighting. These clean, sparse lines are artfully tempered by the inclusion of large-scale 18th-century tapestries, stone busts, and artworks. Grégory emphasizes that these elements are “woven through the apartments rather than displayed like a museum, giving each room its own character.”

Beyond the private residences, La Réserve Firenze offers a range of amenities designed for guest well-being and enjoyment. A state-of-the-art gym features the latest Technogym and Pent Luxury Fitness equipment, with yoga mats and Pilates workout kits conveniently provided in every room. A library, lounge, and games room complete with a billiards table offer spaces for relaxation and recreation. Sideboards are generously stocked with jars of sweet treats, including Grégory’s personal favorite, Haribos, alongside crunchy biscotti, and decanters of vodka, whiskey, and cognac for guests to help themselves. A central courtyard provides a tranquil oasis, offering a cool respite from the Florentine heat, while a small courtesy rooftop bar serves as the perfect setting for a sunset aperitivo.

Dine

While La Réserve Firenze does not feature a traditional restaurant, the culinary experience is deeply personalized and exceptional. Each morning, an American-style breakfast is generously laid out in the privacy of your apartment’s dining table. This delightful spread includes a selection of fresh fruits, yogurts, cereals, cured meats and cheeses, pastries, and artisanal breads, all accompanied by exquisite Italian preserves. A dedicated server is on hand to prepare freshly brewed coffees or whip up bright yellow scrambled eggs to order. For other dining needs, room service and cooking classes are available through partnerships with renowned Florentine establishments. These include the grande dame trattoria Cammillo, celebrated for its comforting and hearty Tuscan fare; the iconic Harry’s Bar; Ambar Kitchen, a Japanese fusion and omakase restaurant described by Grégory as “the best Japanese restaurant in Italy I would say”; or, upon request, a Michelin-starred chef or a local cook in residence can be arranged.

Explore

Beyond its incredible location and exquisitely soothing interiors, the most captivating aspect of staying at La Réserve Firenze is the opportunity to experience Florence through the Marcianos’ enthusiastic and passionate lens. Having dedicated themselves to exploring the city with a guide every weekend since their arrival, they have uncovered its most authentic charms. “We love being part of the energy of the city, not like expats, and we wanted to offer experiences that go a little bit beyond,” Grégory shares.

During a recent visit, guests are privy to a myriad of privileged insights. One evening, dinner is hosted in the showroom of the leading Italian kitchen brand Officine Gullo, with dishes prepared by one of the chefs available to cook for guests at La Réserve. The venue, a deconsecrated chapel attached to the Chiesa di San Salvatore di Ognissanti church, provides a unique backdrop. Before dining on delicacies such as freshly rolled pappardelle with a rich ragu, guests are led by Francesco, a local academic and art historian, through a discreet back door into the spectacularly baroque surrounds of the church itself. Here, attendees discover the final resting places of Sandro Botticelli and Napoleon Bonaparte’s younger sister, Carolina. Within the church, Francesco highlights the dynamic interplay between two frescoes – Botticelli’s Saint Augustine and Domenico Ghirlandaio’s Saint Jerome – facing each other on opposite walls in a silent artistic rivalry. He also points out a subtle "joke" by Botticelli: a gibberish inscription in the open book above the saint’s head, teasing about a real-life friar engaging in nocturnal escapades outside the city walls.

The following day, a visit to the Benedictine abbey at Badia a Passignano, founded in 1049 with parts dating back to the 12th century, reveals another of Ghirlandaio’s Last Suppers. Here, further artistic mischief is uncovered. In one corner, Ghirlandaio has painted a brush and pot, and in another, a drawing compass, implying his intention to return and finish the fresco. However, the white tablecloth remains conspicuously unadorned, a testament to the unfulfilled promise.

The exploration continues outside as guests wander through the parterre gardens, where geese, rabbits, and chickens coexist harmoniously. The abbey’s facade presents a neo-gothic castle rather than a convent, an addition by a zealous Polish count in the late 1800s. Within the abbey, the small order of Vallombrosan monks permits the renowned Marchesi Antinori family to age their wines in the cool, temperate cellars. Lunches can be hosted in the vegetable garden adjacent to the abbey’s walls, surrounded by Antinori’s 160 acres of vineyards, primarily Sangiovese, used for their Chianti Classico wine. Here, guests can savor fresh focaccia stuffed with tomatoes picked from the surrounding vines and dishes like Tuscan “acqua cotta” soup, brimming with the garden’s bounty of deep purple aubergines, fragrant basil, and delicate buttercup yellow zucchini flowers.

An extraordinary encounter with female art awaits at the private home of Christian Levett, a British former hedge funder turned art collector and founder of FAMM (Femmes Artistes du Musée de Mougins). Here, works by post-war American Abstract Expressionists Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, Joan Mitchell, and Helen Frankenthaler adorn impressive 20-foot-high walls, displayed alongside 18th-century marble statuary and contemporary pieces by Marina Abramoviä, Tracey Emin, Iria Leino, Sarah Ball, and Pat Stier. A traditional barchetto boat ride along the Arno, gliding under its iconic bridges, accompanied by glasses of prosecco and bowls of cherry tomatoes freshly picked from the Marcianos’ garden, offers “the beauty of the city but from a different point of view,” as Grégory enthuses.

The adventures organized by La Réserve Firenze are limitless. Possibilities include an exclusive visit to the Pucci family’s palazzo, housing the archives, sketches, and historic couture of the famed 20th-century Italian designer Emilio Pucci. Another unique experience is a visit to Stefano Ricci’s Antico Setificio Fiorentino factory, where silk is still hand-dyed and woven on traditional looms. For those seeking extended stays, tennis can be played among the olive trees at the Marcianos’ estate, or a day can be spent at a private beach club – a beloved Florentine pastime – through special arrangements with Bagno Santa Maria and Principe, both designed by renowned Florentine architect Michele Bönan, who was responsible for the interiors of JK Place.

Similar to the La Réserve apartments in Paris, where guests often stay for weeks or even months, the Marcianos are exceptionally well-prepared to accommodate longer sojourns. Grégory anticipates that many guests will be Americans visiting children studying in the city, using the apartments as a base for adventuring into the Tuscan countryside or exploring nearby medieval cities like Pisa and Siena. A complimentary laundry service and 24/7 concierge are integral to every stay, underpinned by a genuine desire to make guests “really feel as if you are at home in your own palazzo,” as Grégory concludes.