r415

Sorry, I was getting the price confused with my recent stay at the Waldorf Astoria New York. €42 sounds about right. It's a nice spread, but I doubt I would've ever paid that.

WalruSara

My husband and I stayed there in April 2015 as part of our honeymoon. It was phenomenal. We booked standard room with BRG and were upgraded to a beautiful suite with a river view. Service was incredible. The personal touches and the attention to detail were unparalleled. We were married at a Ritz Carlton; they didn't try a FRACTION of the amount the St. Regis did to make our stay special and memorable. The staff is truly phenomenal and the rooms are quite comfortable. You can't go wrong.

We're going back this April.

ABG

The gardens of Four Seasons makes it the top choice in town.... St Regis is a great property too, but the crowds near the vecchio and the tacky stores take away from the charm

CIT85

Yes Ponte Vecchio has big crowds, But what does that have to do with St. Regis?

Ponte Vecchio is within easy walking distance (850 meters), but the crowds and tacky stores are not around the hotel.

You can say the same about any hotel in the city. If you want to stay away from crowds and tacky stores, then go to small non-touristy small villages.

St. Regis Florence is one of the nicest hotels for SPG Platinum. If you do not have status with SPG, then I understand.

ABG

Obviously.

The garden of the Four Seasons makes it an incredible hotel experience. If you are debating between paying actual money between either property it isn't very hard to decide if you ask me. Being too close to the hub of tacky tourist land isn't enjoyable for a luxury experience. It would be like staying in Times Square.

MarkedMan

Well, having grown up in the area and frequented Florence as a teenager hanging out all over town, the assessment of the Four Seasons' location is a bit questionable. It's right by the Viali, with associated traffic etc etc. Hard to go anywhere from there that isn't touristy, although the places around Sant'Ambrogio (including the eponymous bar) are a bit less touristy than your average Florence central spot. On the other hand, the St Regis puts you a stone's throw or at least a short bridge crossing away from San Frediano, which is genuinely less touristy than most anywhere north of the river. By a long shot. You might actually get punched in the face by an italian drunk there - won't be me, I promise

The bridge, by the way, is Ponte Vespucci. Ponte Vecchio is three bridges down the other way; in Florence, that's a world away. If anything some people would find the St Regis a little more isolated. It's a few minutes closer to the St Regis than Piazza del Duomo is to the Four Seasons.

I give the St Regis an edge for staying at and the Four Seasons an edge for the general ambiance and its use for events (been to wine tastings and things there, it's a special place to be sure). If the St Regis had the Excelsior's rooftop bar it would be a tougher call to make IMO.

Okto

Are you serious? Piazza Ognissanti has zero in common with Times Square. There are very few stores, tacky or otherwise, in the immediate vicinity of the St Regis / Westin Excelsior, and no crowds. The St Regis provides plenty of enjoyable luxury experience, including its views of the Arno river.

I get that you prefer the Four Seasons, but the picture you're painting of the St Regis area does not reflect reality.

Forstbetrieb

If I read something like this, I think all the time that I was never ever there...

But I was there a lot of times over the last years. Crowds I have never seen...

Concorde28

Thank you for writing a most intelligent and factual response. I agree that the Westin's rooftop bar is quite fun, yet I would not miss the St. Regis platinum benefit breakfast. You can stay at the St. Regis and charge food/drink bills from the Excelsior to your St. Regis room thus enjoying the best of both worlds.

ABG

Gee Wiz.... you guys are really taking this hard. I posted in response to SeeTheLights in post #75 who loves the location of St. Regis and its proximity to ponte vecchio. Fine maybe the Times Square analogy was a little bit of stretch but in the world of tourist crowds the area from Vecchio and stretching out from there isn't what i would call an ideal location. If you love it, good for you. I'd rather have a pool and gardens. The last time I was in Florence i stayed in Fiesole just for this advantage.

3rdworldresident

I stayed at the St. Regis last june.

Found no crowd at all, too quiet for me actually. My mom even told me it was too far to walk anywhere. (she's 62 yo.)

I wish it was more closer to the Bridge.

I'm just a 3rd world resident, so 'luxury feel' doesn't matter.

Will definitely return if i can find an affordable rate.

P.s. Sorry for my poor english.

CIT85

3rd world residents don't stay at this St. Regis. Affordable is also relative. Lowest rates I've ever seen were around 300 euros in the middle of winter low season. July rates are all over 600 euros, which is hardly affordable.

3rdworldresident

C&P was my resolution

KingBraden

Booked a few nights here in July for a very special vacation with wife. What are the odds that my SNAs score me a suite? Is that just a dream just that time of year?

ac777

At present in Florence. The butler desk had contacted me about my visit and did send me a map to walk from the station to the hotel. I had booked a 3 night award stay with Mrs. ac777
At check in was told we have been upgraded to a Royal Suite for our 3 night stay. After seeing the suite I realized there was a picture of the bedroom in the Florence map the hotel gives out. 2 bathrooms, bedroom, sitting room , hallway and 2 balconies is quite the suite. We had to sign a waiver before they would open the balcony doors in case we were thinking of jumping! Of course the butler service is there but we are still not very demanding clients!