This Instagram-Worthy Florentine Hotel Starts at Just $88 a Night
Spend a few nights (or even months!) in the Tuscan capital in this new hotel with interiors by Rizoma Architetture.
Located in the heart of Florence just 10 minutes away from Santa Maria Novella station, The Student Hotel Florence is a dynamic new hotel specifically oriented towards a young, creative clientele. The hotel is sited in the former Palazzo del Sonno—an 1864 building designed by Italian architect Giuseppe Poggi. Rizoma Architetture sought to preserve the site's historic character while infusing it with a modern, contemporary aesthetic.
Pink neon lights give the palazzo's entry area an otherworldly feel.
Photo: Sal Marston
Bold yellow furniture and punchy pink enliven the check-in area, which features black walls with shelving and a polished white floor.
Photo: Sal Marston
The hotel is the first project in Italy by The Student Hotel, a Dutch start-up active in the hospitality sector since 2012 and with locations in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Paris, Rotterdam, and several other European cities. The hotel employs a hybrid plan, allocating just over half of its 390 rooms for students to stay for up to two years. The remaining rooms are for tourists, professionals, business travelers, and anyone else looking to stay for two nights to 12 months.
Finishes in the lobby area play with transparency and shadow—especially when light streams in through the large windows.
Photo: Sal Marston
Rizoma Architetture designed a series of communal spaces to serve as the heart of the hotel, including classrooms, co-working spaces, and auditoriums for conferences and meetings. The hotel also offers restaurants and cafes, an outdoor swimming pool, a gym, a communal kitchen, and a rooftop bar.
At the ground floor, a glazed enclosure connects the hotel's two towers.
Photo: Sal Marston
These spaces are all designed for collaboration and creativity, with a modern, industrial edge that contrasts with the historic walls of the palazzo. The lively and modern interiors are punctuated by neon lights, artwork by local street artists, exposed ductwork, and a bold color palette punctuated with bright blues and reds.
Exposed ductwork gives the interiors an industrial edge, while colorful painted geometric forms add a lively, dynamic look. Plush seating in bright blues and greens keeps the space feeling fun and youthful.
Photo: Sal Marston
With rates starting at just $88 a night and around $565 to $790 euros a month, the hotel strikes a comfortable balance between democratic and design-oriented, desirable yet still within reach.
The communal area looks out into the courtyard between the building's two towers. Ample glazing allows plenty of daylight into the rooms.
Photo by Sal Marston
Students and business travelers can use multiple spaces throughout the hotel to hold meetings, conferences, and other work-related events.
Photo by Sal Marston
The hotel’s blue-walled gym, complete with an impressive view of Florence, is designed to inspire.
Photo by Sal Marston
The communal area provides classrooms, workspaces, and other areas for studying and working.
Photo by Sal Marston
A music room with insulated walls and a laundry area are also available to hotel guests.
Photo by Sal Marston
The hotel also features a partially covered pool on one of its upper floors.
Photo by Sal Marston
Some rooms feature a warm, pastel color palette with Memphis-inspired pieces.
Photo by Sal Marston
The guest rooms continue the design themes found in the rest of the hotel, with cheeky artwork, bold colors, and geometric textiles.
Photo by Sal Marston
Related Reading: 16 Striking Vacation Rentals Under $200 Per Night
Project Credits:
Interior Design: Rizoma Architetture / @rizomarchitetture
Architect of Record: Archea Associati / @archea_associati
Builder/General Contractor: INSO SPA
Structural & Civil Engineer: AEI Progetti SRL
Lighting Design: ESA Engineering
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