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Hotel Calimala: Aged Beauty in Florence’s Centro Storico

10.09.19 | By
Hotel Calimala: Aged Beauty in Florence’s Centro Storico

The Palazzo Degli Angeli, a landmark in the center of Florence with eclectic 19th century architectural styles, has been restored by architect Alex Meitlis and recently opened as Hotel Calimala this October.

The 38-key property sits in Florence’s Centro Storico neighborhood, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that also houses the Duomo and the prominent art museum, the Uffizi Gallery. Meitlis had the idea to design the rooms with an “aged beauty” so as to highlight the original building’s features and proportions, from the tall ceilings to the distressed stone walls to even the original brass accents – which now shine as if they were modern additions.

The tricolored terrazzo flooring in the bathroom takes from the likes of the Battistero di San Giovanni, while Meitlis designed bespoke tables, beds, lounge chairs, headboards, and lighting in his own artistic style. The more classy, formal textures of velvet, brass, and marble – visual statements as they are – are softened by homey Kvadrat textiles and art curated by in-house curator Carmel Ilan.

In a neighborhood like that, you’d want to peek outside and absorb the history and the hubbub – so Meitlis ensured each of the rooms were outfitted with the original oak window shutters. In the day, these private abodes are flooded with natural light.

Lean your head out and get fresh air and listen to the quiet chatter of the streets as and when you desire, just as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, and the Medici family probably did in their lifetime.

To top it off, the rooftop destination ANGEL spans three floors and offers a plunge pool, a floral garden, and the kind of Mediterranean-meets-Middle Eastern fare that you’d want to tuck into as the Tuscan sun is setting behind you.

What: Hotel Calimala
Where: Via Calimala, 2, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy
How much? Starting from $193
Highlights: Architect Alex Meitlis preserves the storied landmark in Florence’s Centro Storico – tall ceilings, oak shutters, and brass accents are given new life as a swanky, upscale hotel.
Book it: Visit Hotel Calimala

Keshia grew up in Singapore and moved to the U.S. to attend Dartmouth College. When she was living abroad after graduation, a chance enrollment at the Architectural Association Visiting School led to her becoming enamored with door schedules and architectural écriture. She's particularly interested in design for aging, rural architecture, and Asian design heritage.