Il Tornabuoni Hotel reivew – The Points Guy
Florence is one of my favorite stops IDEA because it has so much to offer within easy walking distance – think masterpieces like Michelangelo’s David, the iconic Duomo di Firenze, and of course, Tuscan wine, Florentine steaks and pasta The most delicious tube.
On my most recent trip with a group of friends, I looked for a specific hotel feature: rooms or suites with multiple king beds. That brings me to the Il Tornabuoni hotel.
This is how you feel when you stay here Hyatt Unlimited Collection asset.
What is Il Tornabuoni Hotel?
In a city with so much history FlorenceI like to stay somewhere that doesn’t feel like a stereotypical chain hotel with predictable wall coverings, furniture, and bath products. You won’t find that at Il Tornabuoni, a 62-room hotel in the city center. Meanwhile it is a Hyatt hotelIts Unlimited Collections link (a first in Italy, in fact) means visitors will get something a little different.
Renaissance-style architecture and luxury are the inspiration here. Il Tornabuoni’s prime location and diverse room types make it feel like a smaller boutique hotel with a refined local flavor. You will be greeted by modern design without losing connection to the city’s rich history.
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How to book a room at Il Tornabuoni hotel
Because Il Tornabuoni is a luxury hotel in a popular tourist destination, you’ll have to pay room and suite fees — but there are a few ways you can save money on your stay.
Il Tornabuoni is one Hyatt hotel category 7. That means the best points rate you’ll find for an off-peak room based on Hyatt’s conversion chart will be 25,000 points per night or 43,000 for a standard suite. Unfortunately, one Hyatt World Credit Card won’t help here as the annual free night award is only valid for Category 1-4 properties.
Related: The best Hyatt Category 4 hotels to maximize your free night award certificate
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Hyatt is not a program where I currently have very high status, and I don’t have enough of it World of Hyatt points for this stay so I switched to using my credit card. (If you have enough points, I can expect to find redemptions for both rooms and suites on Hyatt’s website in the coming months.)
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Il Tornabuoni on Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts
Il Tornabuoni is one Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts property, so if you book your stay through the portal and pay in full using Platinum Card® from American Expressit will trigger a statement credit of up to $200 annually.
During this stay, I chose to use a different card: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Cardalso came $200 hotel credit when you book through Delta Staysairline hotel booking portal. What added to that decision was a limited-time Delta promotion where I would also earn Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQD) and bonus SkyMiles for my stay. Like one Diamond medal member who are trying to stay relevant amid some lofty demands this year, this is a big win at a big expense.
If you book Il Tornabuoni, you’ll also want to consider using one of these Credit cards earn the most points for stays at Hyattas well as an application that can provide automation World of Hyatt elite status for the sake of added value. These include:
- Hyatt World Credit Card: Earn 4 points per dollar spent at Hyatt hotels and resorts, automatic Explorer status, and five elite night credits each year to reach higher levels.
- World of Hyatt corporate credit card: Up to 9 points per dollar: Earn 4 points per dollar spent at Hyatt hotels and resorts, automatic Explorer status, and five elite night credits per year to reach higher levels, plus 5 base points from Hyatt for every qualifying $1 spent to become a World of Hyatt member
Central location and ideal for exploring
This historic property was once a palace that, according to Hyatt, would host the likes of the Grand Duke of Tuscany. It’s nestled on the corner of Piazza Santa Trinita, a central and convenient starting point for any adventure in Florence.
We arrived in the city by train so took a taxi from the train station – Florence Santa Maria Novella (SMN) – to the hotel as we had heavy luggage. The trip only took about 10 minutes and Il Tornabuoni’s bell service was waiting to assist us on arrival.
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Sights in Florence’s historic center are not very far apart, and from Il Tornabuoni most of the main attractions are within walking distance. Just a short walk from the hotel you will find:
- The Uffizi Gallery, Ponte Vecchio or Palazzo Vecchio, are all about five minutes away (as are these galleries). All’Antico Vinaio is trendy and delicious sandwiches – I highly recommend the La Paradiso, stacked with mortadella and pistachio ice cream).
- Santa Maria del Fiore Church, which has the city’s famous terracotta roof, is about a 10-minute walk away.
And if shopping is your thing, Via Tornabuoni, where the hotel is located, is a hub for luxury brands, with designer stores like Gucci, Ferragamo and Louis Vuitton just steps from the front door .
Finally, we took a short car ride across the river and up the hill to Piazzale Michelangelo, famous for its stunning views, but not impossible to reach on foot if you want to add more steps.
Il Tornabuoni has a wide choice of rooms and suites
Il Tornabuoni has more than a dozen types of rooms and suites. Our group ended up staying in three different rooms. I booked the King Bed Premium (pictured below), a 300-square-foot room with wood accents, deep red wallpaper, and some bird-inspired art (I noticed that the Animal art, in addition to birds, is a running theme at the hotel).
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One of the interesting design features here is that each room’s color palette and décor vary widely between room and suite types. (For example, some of our friends stayed in a 500-square-foot apartment with a king-size double bed. The space was decorated with black-and-white paneling and bold yellow accents.)
Turndown service has been consistent. Boxed water and candy are placed in the room, along with slippers at the bedside. I also have to commend the hotel for the excellent air conditioning system in our room, which met my very American cold room standards.
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The bathroom in our room has a bathtub and shower as well as a handheld shower function. Toiletries from the Hemp Care brand, which uses Italian hemp oil in its products, are abundant. In addition to the basics, the room also comes with facial cleanser, shaving gel, and hair mask.
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Our room also includes an espresso and coffee maker, a wine refrigerator, a minibar, and snacks. There is also a secure drawer above the minibar.
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Food and drink options at Il Tornabuoni
While there’s certainly no shortage of great food and drink in Florence, I also appreciate the great options in my hometown. Our first stop was Butterfly Terrace, a rooftop cocktail bar. The terrace is open from 5pm to 11pm, except Monday. In Florence, I always thought rooftop bars were a great way to take in the sights – and it was great to have one in our building.
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On the ground floor, Il Magnifico Restaurant – and the bar and cafe Il Magnifico next door – are open for a variety of meals and drinks. Both buffet and a la carte options are available for breakfast. The buffet costs around $44, while a la carte omelets cost $20. I ended up choosing the buffet so I could explore additional options, plus the price of a la carte wouldn’t have been too different.
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The buffet includes a yogurt parfait station, baked goods and fresh scrambled eggs.
I took advantage of the cafe’s all-day menu for some afternoon snacks. The menu ranges from staples like burgers ($31) and club sandwiches ($25) to more local dishes like pasta with Tuscan ragu ($23) or a side of Tuscan smoked meats ($29).
Signature sprays and cocktails really shine at the charming bar, which stays busy until closing time. Homemade Limoncello is one of our go-to orders. Drinks cost around $25 to $28 each. The menu also includes mocktails.
Reasons why Il Tornabuoni might not be for you
- The higher prices at Il Tornabuoni will not suit all budgets.
- If working out is part of your holiday routine, Il Tornabuoni’s gym may not be for you. Although the hotel has a fitness center, it only has a few exercise machines and some small weights. (We went instead to Florence Fitness around the corner, which offers same-day passes.)
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Accessibility
Although it is a historic building, I noticed accessibility features throughout Il Tornabuoni, such as ramps added to make the old palace more wheelchair accessible .
I’d been checking the Hyatt website for days for availability of accessible rooms but couldn’t find a room to book online — the hotel’s website doesn’t have a dedicated handicapped page. However, when I contacted the hotel directly, they confirmed that some of their superior rooms have accessible features. They say guests should contact them via email (at [email protected]) to book an accessible room.
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I found Il Tornabuoni to be an outstanding hotel to which I would definitely return. While staying here isn’t easy in terms of cost, the location can’t be beat, the staff are helpful and attentive, and the wide selection of rooms may appeal to a variety of travel groups (families, couples). couple, group of friends). , et cetera.).
It’s also a convenient way for Hyatt loyalists to use points at top hotels in one of Italy’s most desirable destinations.
In a walkable city like Florence, Il Tornabuoni not only offers a convenient location but also a captivating combination of historic architecture, innovative design and a home of luxury and comfort when away from home.
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