Belmond Revives Historic Villa San Michele With New Spa, Suites, and Gardens
Belmond’s Florentine landmark returns in April 2026 after an 18-month restoration with new suites, a Guerlain spa, and redesigned gardens.
Photos: Courtesy of Belmond
After an 18-month transformation, one of Italy’s most storied hilltop retreats, Belmond’s Villa San Michele, will reopen on April 28, 2026. Set high above Florence in the hills of Fiesole, the 15th-century monastery returns with a renewed focus on craft, culture, and calm.
Under the direction of Florence-based Luigi Fragola Architects, all 39 rooms and suites have been reimagined with natural materials—terracotta, marble, and handwoven textiles—true to Tuscan culture and landscape. Three new signature suites each reinterpret the Villa’s past: The Grand Tour, once Napoleon Bonaparte’s private residence, extends across the entire first floor with neoclassical tapestries and panoramic city views; Botanica draws from the Villa’s historic gardens with frescoed boiserie and handmade scagliola tables; and Limonaia, the most secluded, unfolds in the former orangery with its own plunge pool and private garden.
For the first time, the property introduces the Villa San Michele Spa by Guerlain, featuring hand-painted murals by Elena Carozzi and natural stone finishes, channeling the tranquility of the monastery’s origins. Guerlain has also created exclusive rituals inspired by the monks’ legacy and the Tuscan landscape.
The hotel’s terraced gardens—more than two acres of Renaissance flora overlooking the Arno Valley—have also been revitalized by Luca Ghezzi Garden Design. Citrus trees, irises, and medicinal herbs once prized by the Medicis now frame hidden nooks and new viewpoints. (Similar landscaping work has been done at sister properties Maroma and Splendido.)
In another debut, a partnership with Milan-based lifestyle brand La DoubleJ introduces energy-focused experiences such as yoga, sound healing, and creative workshops led by founder JJ Martin. Executive chef Alessandro Cozzolino, meanwhile, will unveil a new dining concept that celebrates regional produce and Florence’s culinary lineage, designed to shift fluidly across the property’s three restaurants and bars.
Belmond’s investment underscores its ongoing effort to preserve cultural heritage while reinterpreting it for contemporary travelers. With Villa San Michele’s reopening, the brand reinforces its commitment to “slow luxury,” a philosophy rooted as much in time and texture as in view.
