One of the symbols of the Florentine hotel industry is reopening at last. From May 5, the Bernini Palace will be offering its hospitality to visitors once more. A host of surprises, great and small, are waiting in store for guests. Here are a few sneak peeks. 

Over the last few months, the building has undergone a series of renovations. Entering the hall, you’ll be able to see how the floor has been restored to its original brilliance: likewise, the Florentine grey sandstone staircase, complete with purple velvet handrails, chandeliers, antiqued mirrors and wall lamps. On the upper floors, the results of refurbishment are self-evident and encompass a great many features: from the corridors to the rooms – appointed with all-new parquet floors, bathrooms, plumbing and air-conditioning – to the decor. All this and more has been achieved while at once maintaining the distinctive character of the hotel, housed in a historic palazzo in the old heart of the city. 

Another novelty is the bespoke safety protocol, based on cutting-edge hydrogen peroxide nebulization technology, the gold standard in the sector. In the name of total transparency, guests may ask the porter to allow them to consult the sanitization register in the foyer. 

The Bernini has decided to give its support to the ambitious Travel and Joy Urban Green Solution project, the brainchild of Federica Borghi, developed by Icons Production for the city of Florence. A press conference organised on May 7 inaugurated the first edition of a special new format whereby for the next three years Florence will be transformed into a hub for the cultural popularisation of sustainability. Many of the places that were affected by the pandemic lockdown – piazzas and museums, for example – will reopen their spaces to open air-events, workshops, conferences, enterprises and green start-ups from all over the world.