Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Resorts Collection

Auberge Resorts Collection, the award-winning portfolio of one-of-a-kind luxury hotels, resorts and residences, has been appointed by Leeu Collection to manage Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Resorts Collection in Florence. Set to open in 2023, the resort will stretch across pristine gardens on a rolling hill on the northside of Florence's historic city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located just three miles from the Duomo di Firenze at the gateway to Tuscany, the luxury hotel will connect travelers to Italian culture with proximity to world-famous galleries and museums, architectural masterpieces and renowned cuisine in Florence, as well as to wineries and restaurants in the stunning countryside of Tuscany.

A former cultural institution and boarding school turned luxury hotel, Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Resorts Collection will encompass three adjacent 16th-century buildings, including an original chapel and theatre. An extensive transformation will awaken the property's storied and romantic history, dating back to the Italian Renaissance, through a rarefied art collection, distinct architecture and design, and spectacular, manicured gardens. Surrounded by soaring oak trees, a nod to Collegio alla Querce's name, the resort's grounds will boast expansive lawns and five levels of terraced Baroque gardens, a work of art in itself and the vision of Analjit Singh and landscape designer Franchesca Watson, in concert with local Florentine landscapers.

The design of Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Resorts Collection will exude a relaxed yet refined country house within a city context. Award-winning Spanish father-son architect group, Esteva i Esteva, has been enlisted to preserve the structures' original character while propelling the hotel into a new era of contemporary style. Spaces will infuse the Italian's ancient love for geometry in architecture to flow organically and symmetrically. Local Florentine interior designers, ArchFlorence, will bring Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Resorts Collection to life with interiors that combine High Renaissance art with modern Italian design. Brilliant colors, locally sourced materials and contemporary pieces will complement antique pieces and walls of thoughtfully curated, decade-spanning artwork.

Upon completion, the Renaissance-era destination will be reborn as an 82-room hotel, including 61 guest rooms, 20 suites and a 2,250-square-foot signature suite. Modern amenities include an outdoor pool, dedicated wine tasting room, spa, fitness center, art gallery and a curated boutique. Dining options will comprise a destination restaurant, a glass-enclosed garden room set amongst olive trees for daytime dining, a sophisticated bar and cigar lounge set in the former academic admissions office, and an outdoor pool bar offering light bites and cocktails. The property will also boast an on-site enoteca offering tastings of the finest wines in Italy. For those looking for an authentic Tuscan culinary experience, tastings, private dinners and cooking classes will be available in the signature restaurant. For meetings and celebrations, a dedicated meeting room will be complemented by the theatre and chapel, which will double as space for events, art installations and workshops.

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