Firenze, italy: A hotel custom made for us!!

[Subexplorer]

Firenze, Italy: A Hotel custom made for us!:

Taking advantage of our recent trip to France, together with my wife we decided to make a short scapade to Italy, to pay a visit to our niece living in Milano, and also to make a stop at Firenze, a place which we didn´t know before.
We discovered a wonderful, awesome place, with beautiful landscapes, and a strong heritage of Art and History. In this town you don´t need to enter a Museum to enjoy those precious cultural treasures, as they are in each street, in each corner, in each building. But of course, there are many museums to continue the enjoyment!





Of course, in Firenze we can also find many “horological atractions”, from the big boutiques offering high end watch brands, to the small shops along the famous “Ponte Vecchio”, offering amazing high quality jewelry, antiques… and watches.
Including a small but well supplied shop dealing with vintage watches, which included a nice collection of vintage Rolexes.



As you may know, Firenze is also the birth place of a well known cometed brand: Panerai. Their small boutique is kept with its almost identical original façade, and is located in the very same city center, at the Piazza San Giovanni, across the Baptistery, and a few steps from the famous Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore.



Unfortunately, during the few days I stayed in Firenze, being holidays, the shop remained closed, to my disappointment, as I intended to visit its own museum. I just had to accept it and could only take some pictures of the shop closed doors, to testimony my visit!

Not very far from the Piazza (in Firenze, everything seems to be close), I found a very special place. It is a 5 star Hotel, which looks as it has been specially made for us TRF members.
Well, I didn´t stayed there, but I managed to visit it and took some pictures.

I found it very interesting, and requested some information about its history.




The building is located on the corner front of Piazza di Santa Maria Novella, in the number 24 of the street of same name, facing the Basilic of Santa Maria Novella, another iconic and historic monument of this city.



I was told that this Hotel belongs to a Rich Italian businessman, who happens to own some important investments in his Country, among them, a famous Italian Blue Jean factory. Obviously, this man is a passionate watch lover, specially fond of three high end brands: Rolex, Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin.

Such his passion, that his Hotel decoration is completely related with the watches of his devotion, and as you can see in the photos, the pictures hanging on the walls, watch maker instruments showing in displays, are located in several corners of the entrance hall, lobby, etc. (in the bathrooms, for example, the water faucet knobs have the shape of the Rolex winding crown!!).
Several Rolex wall clocks, similar to those seen at the AD shops, are displayed in the premises.




As you can see, the cristal doors at the Bar Entrance have the shape of the famous “Mercedes” hands of the Submariner Rolex!!



Another detail: Each floor, is given the name of a different watch brand: Rolex floor, Vacheron floor, and Patek Philippe floor. Then each room has no number, but the name of a model of each Brand. I would love to be lodged in the Rolex floor, room Submariner, according with my own horological passion!





To those friends wishing to know more about this place, I suggest to visit the link:
http://www.hotelorologioflorence.com/index.php

In this web site, it is shown some samples of the Hotel owner personal collection.
I was a bit disappointed not to find en exhibit of this collection within the Hotel, as you may think after visiting the web site.
Anyway, I find this place very nice and interesting, and I think it will be a nice place to stay during a visit to Firenze, specially for us watch lovers. This is truly a thematic place designed for watch fanciers.





I hope you´ll like these pictures and information, and I do not hesitate to commend a visit this beautiful and fantastic City, and of course, this Hotel.
I wish you´ll enjoy my Pictures and report.
Best cordial regards, Abel.