Helvetia & Bristol Hotel

A sumptuous urban Palace, the hotel was founded more than a century ago by a Swiss family and its name also commemorates its popularity with aristocratic British connoisseurs and art collectors on tour.

The Helvetia & Bristol Hotel has existed since the late 19th century, in the very same building in which it resides in today. The entrance can be found in Via dei Pescioni, however the main façade overlooks Piazza Strozzi.From the very beginning, the Helvetia & Bristol has been an important meeting point for the cultural and historical figureheads of their time. Amongst others, we recall Enrico Fermi, Gabriele D’Annunzio, Luigi Pirandello, Eugenio Montale and Eleonora Duse who adopted the Hotel as their Florentine residence. Throughout the years, the Helvetia & Bristol has remained the undisguised favourite Hotel of the most prestigious international clientele, including the Danish Royal Family, Igor Strawinsky, Giorgio De Chirico and Betrand Russel. In 1990 the Helvetia & Bristol underwent a careful and detailed renovation, returning it to its original splendour and timeless charm, offering its clientele elegant surroundings and refined atmosphere combined with today’s modern technology. All these different aspects make the Helvetia & Bristol the perfect place for you to experience Florence.

Hotel Helvetia & Bristol in Florence could hardly be more central: five minutes from the Duomo and in easy strolling distance of all the must-see monuments that fill this historic art city.

The Helvetia & Bristol Hotel is situated in the very heart of Florence’s historical centre, between Piazza della Repubblica and Via Tornabuoni, Florence’s most exclusive shopping street. The Ponte Vecchio, il Duomo and Piazza della Signoria are only a few minutes walk away.

Distances:

• 9.5 km from Florence Airport
• 70 km from Pisa Airport,
• Duomo five minutes walk

At very first sight, the sumptuous rooms conjure up the grandeur of a bygone age. They are all different, and each endowed with its own history, colors and character. Every room is an authentic private residence where you can live surrounded by all that is noblest in Florentine tradition. Your spirits lift as soon as you cross the threshold into a world furnished elegantly and rigorously with unique items, great inlaid armoires and antique tables, splendid lamps of Chinese porcelain and bronze, walls hung with artworks both great and small, a profusion of gossamer lace, silk and brocade, Carrara marble and Jacuzzi baths. Looking onto the most spectacular masterpieces of Florentine art and the hills of Fiesole, all the rooms and suites – from Junior to Deluxe and Superior – are unforgettable treasure chests of art. An extremely sophisticated and romantic setting can be found on the top floor, where two Panoramic Suites, now completely refurbished, combine classic elegance and contemporary comfort as well as a unique privilege: the possibility to enjoy a stunning view from the large windows facing the Brunelleschi’s dome, which is even more spectacular when the sunset blazes in the sky, setting off the rooms’ warm colours and offering an intoxicating, sensual moment to share with the one you love. Superior Single Room Single bed, marble bathroom, unique furniture, internet access, CD player Classic Double Room 25 square metres, marble bathroom, queen bed, unique furniture, internet access, CD player Double Superior Room 28 square metres, king bed or twin beds, marble bathroom, unique furniture, internet access, CD player Double Deluxe Room 32 square metres, king bed or twin beds, marble bathroom, luxurious furniture, internet access, CD player Junior Suite 36 square metres, king bed or twin beds, living area, marble bathroom with jacuzzi, luxurious furniture, internet access, CD player Premium Junior Suite 40 square metres, king bed or twin beds, living area, marble bathroom with jacuzzi, luxurious furniture, internet access, CD player Classic Suite 50 square metres, king bed or twin beds, separate living room, marble bath with jacuzzi, luxurious furniture, internet access, CD player Executive Suite 45 square metres, king or twin beds, separate living room, marble bath with Jacuzzi, luxurious furniture, city view, internet access, CD player Panoramic Suite 56 square metres, 5th floor with a stunning Duomo view and on the Florence rooftops, king size bed or twin beds, separate living room, marble bathroom with Jacuzzi, second guest toilet. Rooms Amenities:

• Air conditioning
• Satellite TV
• Direct dial telephone in the room
• DVD
• Wi-Fi
• Minibar
• Safe
• Hairdryer.
• Room service 24 hours
• Non smoking rooms
• Jacuzzi
• Antique Furniture

Services:

• Internet access
• Laundry
• Cocktail bar & Restaurant
• Meeting room
• Currency exchange
• Fax
• Porter service
• Concierge 24 hours.

Services available through the Concierge:

• Baby sitter
• Car hire
• Airline and train tickets and/or reservations
• Theatres, museums...
• English, French or German speaking guides
• Tours
• Doctor
• Fitness and gym suggestions

The Bar and Restaurant “Hostaria Bibendum” Hostaria Bibendum bar and restaurant, which is open all day and has a charming al fresco terrace, available from April to October. The interior style is art deco opulence, with two rare 1930s chandeliers the focal point of the restaurant, whilst the atmosphere is surprisingly contemporary. A separate area of the restaurant is more informal and contemporary in ambience and this leads to the terrace on Via dei Pescioni and a typical Florentine city scene. The menu is typically Mediterranean and determined entirely by the seasons, but the talent of Executive Chef Enzo Pettè (who obtained the Michelin Star in his last restaurant – the Osteria del Vicario) transforms familiar local dishes into haute-cuisine masterpieces. This is not a menu to write about, but one to taste and enjoy. It opens its doors for lunch, afternoon tea or a candlelit dinner, a truly unique experience that is not to be missed.