The resort brings six private apartments, hand-restored frescoes, a Maître de Maison and in-apartment dining from Trattoria Cammillo to Palazzo Segni on Via Santo Spirito, in the heart of Florence's Oltrarno.
Florence has a new way to stay. La Réserve Firenze, the first Italian address in Michel Reybier’s La Réserve Private Homes collection, opened its doors on October 16 inside a restored 15th-century palazzo on Via Santo Spirito.
Rather than rooms down a corridor, La Réserve Firenze offers six private apartments of one to three bedrooms, each conceived as a Florentine home with the service of a luxury hotel.
A Palazzo Four Years in the Making
Palazzo Segni was acquired in 2022 by Olivia and Grégory Marciano, who have lived in Florence since 2019. Their wish to preserve the building’s soul while giving it a second life aligned neatly with Reybier’s vision, and over four years, interior architects Gilles & Boissier orchestrated its rebirth, opening up the volumes while respecting the building’s character.
The restoration reveals the palazzo’s history rather than covering it. Hand-restored frescoes, coffered ceilings, traditional terracotta floors and Siena travertine sit alongside works from the owners’ personal collection.
“Beyond its beauty, what makes this palazzo truly extraordinary is that it stands at the heart of the neighbourhood where real Florentines live,” says Grégory Marciano.
Six Private Apartments
The apartments measure up to 210 square metres. The line-up runs from a one-bedroom apartment with original frescoes, through a Piano Nobile apartment and one looking out over Santo Spirito, to a three-bedroom duplex with a 55-square-metre terrace. Each comes with a fully equipped kitchen for anyone tempted by the produce at the nearby Santo Spirito market, plus a wine cellar stocked with an exclusive selection and American breakfast served in the apartment.
Beyond the front door, guests share a series of communal spaces: a lounge, a games room with a billiard table, a library devoted to Italy, art and design, a gym and a shaded patio, where carved friezes and period columns surround a stone fountain shaped like a lion’s head. There’s also a courtesy bar with a terrace overlooking Santo Spirito, which the property suggests as the right place for a Negroni, a cocktail invented in Florence.
A dedicated housekeeper attends to guests every day, and in-apartment dining comes from a Florentine institution, Trattoria Cammillo, which has curated a menu specially for La Réserve. A private butler, private chef, personal trainer and massages are available on request.
Each day, the Maître de Maison shares the city’s best-kept secrets through privileged experiences: private cultural visits, tennis among the olive trees on the owners’ estate, wine tastings, and cooking or mixology classes. The property’s experiences menu extends to private guided tours with after-hours access to selected landmarks, a private look at Florentine fashion heritage at Palazzo Pucci, a silk-weaving immersion at Antico Setificio Fiorentino, a cooking class led by a Harry’s Bar Firenze chef, truffle hunting in the Tuscan countryside and cellar visits in Chianti Classico.
Nearby Attractions
The Oltrarno, on the left bank of the Arno, was once home to Florence’s great families and remains one of the city’s liveliest and most authentic neighbourhoods. Art galleries and restaurant terraces share the streets with artisan workshops and refined boutiques. Via Santo Spirito itself is lined with family palazzos, including that of the Frescobaldis, who still live there, and the nearby piazza is anchored by the Basilica of Santo Spirito, one of Filippo Brunelleschi’s masterpieces.
The Palazzo Pitti, the Ponte Vecchio and the shops of Via Tornabuoni are all a short stroll away, close enough to see the city’s icons, and far enough from the crowds to feel like a local.
Planning a Stay at La Réserve Firenze
Founded by Michel Reybier in 2003, La Réserve has built its name on intimate addresses rooted in the culture of their location, and now counts four hotels and seven private homes worldwide. The private homes carry the same standards into a residential setting, aimed at travellers who want more privacy, freedom and space than a hotel room allows. With only six apartments, availability will be limited. From Canada, Air Canada and ITA Airways fly non-stop from Toronto to Rome, with Florence under two hours away by high-speed train.