Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Collection

Collegio alla Querce, a New Hotel in the Hills of Florence, Feels Like an Instant Classic | Vogue

"Hidden behind discreet gates in the calm, cypress-studded hills above the Le Cure neighborhood, this hotly anticipated new hotel immediately impressed me: a sweeping driveway leads to an imposing 16th-century noble residence whose entry is framed by blazing red bougainvillea and fledgling oak trees. The serenity—birds chirping and leaves rustling around an olive grove behind a tall stone wall—feels worlds away from the tourist-clogged streets around the Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio. Its colossal scale reflects a 19th-century conversion into a boys’ boarding school for Florence’s elite; Salvatore Ferragamo and Stefano Ricci studied here, and a charming display of memorabilia and class photographs honors that past alongside merch inspired by collegiate kit—baseball caps and sweaters embroidered “Querce Sport Firenze.” It’s nice to see a hotel put a little more effort than simply slapping a logo onto a tote bag. The name’s “querce” nods to the soaring oaks that dot the terraced garden, and both oak wood and the oak-leaf motif thoughtfully recur throughout the decor. As hotel entrances go, it’s an all-timer." - Liam Hess