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25hours Hotel, as in the Divine Comedy
If you are planning a visit to Florence you cannot miss the opportunity to experience the original reinterpretation of the atmosphere of Dante's Divine Comedy, obviously in a very entertaining way. The 25hours Hotel, in the central Piazza San Paolino, shows an eccentric style in combining the traditional with the contemporary, plays on the tension between Dante's Hell and Paradise and gives the hotel a unique design style.
25hours Hotel, a fascinating story
The 25hours Hotel Piazza San Paolino is located in the center of Florence, in the Santa Maria Novella district, a little outside the most well-known destinations. Located a few steps from the train station, at the back of the Museo del Novecento, it occupies an entire block between the elegant Via dei Fossi antiques street and the famous Via Palazzuolo and connects two neighborhoods that previously had little contact with each other. The hotel occupies the spaces of what was once the Monte de' Pegni: the historic lending society of the Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze. Its central nucleus of 66 rooms is located in the original convent adjacent to the Church of San Paolino. A spectacular project and architectural intervention oversaw its demolition and renovation. The ancient spaces and annexed buildings have been transformed into a place of strong contemporaneity and dynamic creative energy. In addition to this nucleus, a new residential wing houses another 104 rooms and the Garden House, a terraced house with private garden and swimming pool. The common spaces are dedicated to the relaxation and conviviality of both hotel and external guests.
Architecture, ideas and design
The renovation of the building complex was entrusted to the Florentine architects of GLA - Genius Loci Architettura, while the design and development of the spaces was handled by the interior designer Paola Navone. A style that managed to combine traditional and contemporary, keeping the tension between Dante's Hell and Paradise high.
The message is clear: 25hours Hotel is a place to relax divinely and have devilish fun. The real estate complex, made up of three properties, extends over an area of 10,750 square meters and is divided into 170 rooms. A new generation Italian restaurant has been built in the covered patio of the historic 17th century Bank of Italy building. A characteristic café animates Piazza San Paolino and the sophisticated culture of mixology is celebrated in the intimate Companion Bar next door.
The offer is completed by a relaxation area with two multifunctional rooms, sauna with relaxation room, gym, shop with 25hours gadgets, the San Paolino Italian restaurant with 100 seats and a lounge/outdoor area with 60 seats
A particular journey into the Divine Comedy
The journey through Dante Alighieri's literary masterpiece begins at the reception: spend a night in paradise or rather dare hell? It is up to the guest to choose where to sleep, as the hotel rooms are divided into two categories. The design of the spaces is inspired in an eclectic and precise way by elements and references taken from Dante's "Divine Comedy", in an alternation of scenarios that "play" between hell and paradise, leaving the corridors with the task of leading the guest towards the choice between one destination or the other.
The area around the elevators is enriched by illustrations by the American artist Seymour Chwast, who playfully redesigned characteristic scenes from the Divine Comedy. Divine entertainment can also be found in the hotel cinema: the "Cinema Paradiso" offers a weekly movie evening.
25hours founder Christoph Hoffman is enthusiastic about the structure and the idea of developing the potential of this "urban void" and, in general, establishing «a new model of strong integration between the hotel and the local community», as it is occurred in Berlin with the 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin, which "regenerated" a problematic area such as the Berlin Zoo.