Villa San Michele Hotel

Infobox hotel
hotel_name = Villa San Michele


image_width = 250px
caption =
location = flagicon|ITA Florence, Italy
coordinates =
opening_date = 15th Centuary building, converted to a hotel in 1950 and rennovated in 1982
closing_date =
developer =
architect =
operator = Maurizio Saccani, (Managing Director)
Luca Finardi, (General Manager)
owner = Orient-Express Hotels
number_of_restaurants = 2
number_of_rooms = 46
number_of_suites = 25
floor_area =
floors =
parking =
website = http://www.villasanmichele.com
footnotes =

The Villa San Michele Hotel, situated on the hill of Fiesole overlooking Florence, Italy, is named after the church of St Michael the Archangel. Today it is owned by Orient-Express Hotels and operated as a luxury hotel.

History

The original building was a monastery, founded in the early years of the 15th century for the Franciscan monks. The land on which it stood had been donated by a Florentine family, the Davanzatis, who also contributed to the monastery's upkeep by gifts of woodlands, further buildings and money.

The present building, with its façade attributed to Michelangelo and its imposing loggia, dates from 1600 when it was enlarged and completely renovated by Giovanni di Bartolommeo Davanzati.

The monastery remained the property of the Franciscans until 1808 when the monastic orders were dissolved by Napoleon and, in 1817, it returned to secular use. By this time, many of its most treasured possessions had been dispersed throughout Florence's churches and art galleries.

In 1900 the Villa was acquired by Henry White Cannon from New York, who landscaped the gardens, erected large greenhouses and restored the building after the fashion of the Victorians, by adding wrought iron gates and by applying a rust-coloured patina to the walls. He also converted the courtyard into a winter garden by covering it with a roof of glass and iron. During World War II, the Villa was badly damaged and, in 1950, it was bought by Monsieur Lucien Tessier as a private residence.

He set about restoring the 20 first floor rooms, while living on the second floor, but the cost involved was substantial and to finance it, he turned the villa in to a hotel for those wanting to visit the nearby art treasures of Florence and the surrounding countryside.

In 1982, Orient-Express Hotels, which already owned the celebrated Hotel Cipriani in Venice bought the Villa San Michele and the surrounding land. Once more a comprehensive restoration of the buildings was embarked upon, this time with the cooperation of the Florence Fine Arts Authority.

Management

Mr Maurizio Sacanni, started his career with Orient-Express Hotels in 1978 as food and beverage manager at Hotel Cipriani and then joined the newly restored Venice Simplon-Orient-Express as Manager. In 1985 he continued his management career with a move to Villa San Michele, and then went on to manage the growth and operations of a further two of Orient-Express Hotels four Italian hotels( Hotel Caruso Belvedere in Ravello and the Hotel Splendido in Portofino). With the retirement of Dr Natale Rusconi at the end of 2007, he completed his portfolio by taking on the Management of the Hotel Cipriani. [ [http://www.orient-express.com/web/luxury/investors/investors_board.jsp Board of Directors, Company Investor Info] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.villasanmichele.com/ Villa San Michele official website]
* [http://www.orient-express.com/ Orient-Express Hotels]