Il Salviatino, Parto of the Salviatino Collection

There are few ways to start off the year better than by receiving the news that we have been chosen as Andrew Harper’s Hideaway of the year, one of the most prestigious accolades in the luxury travel market.

Andrew Harper Grand Award 2011 - Il Salviatino - Luxury Hotel in Florence

At Il Salviatino we are particularly proud of having received this “mystery guest” award and since we don’t know whom the reviewer was we would like to thank all the guests whom we have had the pleasure of hosting throughout 2010.

This award closes a very rewarding 2010 for our luxury hotel in Florence, Il Salviatino during which we have had the honor of receiving the following mentions:

• 2011 Andrew Harper Grand Award Winner
• 2011 Andrew Harper Best View Award
• Conde Nast Traveller UK – Hot List 2010
• Conde Nast Traveler USA – Hot List 2010
• Trip Advisor’s Travellers Choice Award
• Travel & Leisure – Top 45 New Hotels
• Class Magazine – Top 20 Hotels in Italy
• Most Romantic Suite in the World (for the Melodia Suite) – Mr & Mrs Smith
• Top Ten European Hot Spots – Sunday Times Magazine
• Nominated as best New Luxury Hotel in Europe in the World Travel Awards
• Nominated as best Boutique Hotel in Italy in the World Travel Awards

Once again we would like to thank all our clients for constantly pushing us to raise the bar of our service higher and higher. You are our inspiration.

The ambassadors at il Salviatino are eager to arrange your visit to what The New York Times terms a “Must-See” and a once-in-a-lifetime affair. The exceptionally brilliant and innovative director of the Strozzi Museum in Florence, James Bradburne, has created the very first retrospective celebration of the works of Agnolo di Cosimo (Bronzino), 1503-1572, which spills out of the Palazzo Strozzi into almost every corner of Florence (September 24, 2010 – January 23, 2011). The city is alive with examples of and tributes to this prolific and influential artist. Some of the most recognizable of Bronzino’s works such as the profile portrait of Cosimo il Vecchio:

Bronzino Portrait of Cosimo il Vecchio

or the spectacular portrait of Eleonora of Toledo with her son:

Eleonora of Toledo with her Son Giovanni

and then Andrea Doria as Neptune:

Bronzino Portrait of Andrea Doria as Neptune

have long been icons of Italian Mannerist Paintings in the mid-1500’s.

One fascinating revelation in this powerful exhibit is the introduction after almost 300 years of a unique painting – a double-sided canvas – known as the Portrait of Dwarf Morgante. Disguised by moralists with over-painting as a Bacchus serving wine:

Nano Morgante disguised as Bacchus

It is being re-introduced, front and back (after restoration) as the fully nude, favorite court jester of the Medici family just like Bronzino painted it. Documented in an article by Rossella Lorenzi at Discovery News (http://news.discovery.com/history/naked-dwarf-revealed-again-in-painting.html), the dwarf Morgante was a favorite of Cosimo I de’ Medici, and records testify that he was often mortified, and even had to fight, naked, with a monkey.

Bronzino's original front and back as restored

The portrait was designed to stand in the center of a room like a statue. Bronzino was involved in a debate about which was the nobler art – painting or sculpture? He hoped this portrait would prove painting to be the higher art. It shows the passage of time, which a sculpture cannot do: i.e., the front view shows Morgante with the tools of a hunter, while the reverse depicts him at the end of the hunt holding his catch.

Members of Club Salviatino may receive special discounts and access to the exhibit at the Palazzo Strozzi as well as be eligible for a personal, guided tour of the significant works of Bronzino around Florence. Just ask an ambassador, or any staff member at il Salviatino, your 5 star hotel in Florence. We welcome everyone to Florence this fall for a once-in-a-lifetime experience – art by day; Devarana Spa in the evening; gourmet candlelight dining at night.

A Treasured Bronzino at Santa Croce

After art, relax at the spa, and later enjoy a superb dinner at Le Serre.

A dip under the Tuscan sun

Just a quick post to share with you some of the new photos of our long awaited pools. We hope you will agree that the final result was worth the wait!

The pools @ Il Salviatino

On June 22, Villa il Salviatino opened its gates to Stanford Alumni who were in town celebrating their 50th year of a study center in Florence.  Approximately 400 people attended the official reunion, and about 150 of those came to the reception at Il Salviatino, by far the largest group to attend any of the optional activities planned for the celebration.  Of course, most of the crowd attending the reception had lived at il Salviatino and were curious to see their former living and study quarters.

The first official symposium of the reunion was held in the Salone dei Cinquecento at the Palazzo Vecchio with a greeting from Florence’s mayor, Matteo Renzi, a key-note address by former university president, Gerhard Casper, and a panel discussion among former students at Stanford-in-Italy.

The first general meeting of Stanford's 50th reunion

Among a number of Stanford Alumni who stayed at il Salviatino were former Ambassador Ron Spogli and attorney Susan Adamson.  Both were part of the first day’s panel discussion at the Palazzo Vecchio.

Attorney Susan Adamson chats with Mrs. Helen Bing, private sponsor of Stanford's Overseas Studies Program

Thanks to the generous invitation by Michael Brod, president of Club Tornabuoni, a select group of Stanford Alumni attendees were treated to a cocktail party and performance of operatic arias in the very room of the Palazzo Tornabuoni in Florence where the world’s first opera was written and performed in 1598.  The acoustics were fantastic, the singing superb, and all of us in attendance experienced goose-bumps.

Private opera in the room of the first in 1598

The reception at il Salviatino on the evening of June 22, was a memory-filled event for most of those in attendance.  Wine was served on the villa’s terrace along with Chef Sbaragli’s incomparable hors d’oeuvres, and everyone was able to enjoy tours of the villa.

The villa's terrace and the Chef's delights

The experience led many to recall their lives at il Salviatino.  I had a long conversation with former president of Stanford, Gerhard Casper, who relaxed at the villa all afternoon, and the trips down memory lane with Professors David Kennedy and Philip Zimbardo gave life to old photos of the villa, and some fun guessing which rooms had been occupied by Professor Kennedy – even which closet had been the “room” of his daughter Bess when she was 4 or 5 years old.

Professor David Kennedy was able to identify his living quarters from over 30 years ago.

Professor Kennedy was also a member of the group that hung the BEAT CAL banner from the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and John Chladek’s group “borrowed” an Olympic banner and an Austrian flag from the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck to adorn the front of il Salviatino.

Banner times, but also nostalgic times from Stanford-in-Italy.

Reunions always conjure up dormant feelings, and among the Stanford Alumni, everyone who saw the Villa il Salviatino was awe-struck.  Club Salviatino was delighted to have participated in reigniting so many fond memories for so many people, and hopes that everyone feels welcome to return here again anytime.

Il Salviatino nominated as Best Boutique Hotel in Italy 2010

Il Salviatino, Florence’s hottest new luxury hotel has received yet another important accolade. Following Il Salviatino’s inclusion in both the Conde Nast Traveller’s “Hot List” 2010  and Travel & Leisure’s “It List” 2010 which recognize the world’s best new hotels, Il Salviatino has also been nominated in the following categories for this year’s World Travel Awards:

* Europe’s Leading New Hotel

*Italy’s Leading Boutique Hotel

With Florence at its doorstep - Italian Gardens of Il Salviatino

With this nomination, Il Salviatino continues to consolidate its place in European Hospitality joining a select group of properties that include neighbor Villa San Michele and Lake Garda’s famous Villa Feltrinelli to name but a few.

The Europe Gala Ceremony for the World Travel Awards shall be at the Rixos Premium Belek in Antalya Turkey on October 1st 2010. For more information or to vote for Il Salviatino click here.

This June 20-22, 2010, Stanford-in-Florence will celebrate 50 years of its program in Florence.  For about 20 years of its 50 year history, Stanford-in-Florence made its home at Villa il Salviatino.  In honor of that distinguished history, Club Salviatino will be hosting a tour of the renovated villa on June 22, 2010, so that all Stanford University Florence students may once again capture some of the magic of living here.  The Club will also be hosting a cocktail and wine reception for former students of Stanford University and anyone associated with the Stanford-in-Florence program in attendance at the celebration.

I plan to lead the tour of the estate, and considering the fact that so many former Stanford-in-Florence students who have visited here to date use the term “dream” to describe how the resort now feels, I have created a short preview of many of the sites around the villa in the form of a video slide-show set to the Puccini aria, Il Sogno di Doretta, from La Rondine.

The founding wine-maker at Chateau Julien in Carmel Valley, California, William Anderson, and his wife Carolyn made it to Club Salviatino this spring for a week of studying the creation of Super Tuscan wines, and sharing their own vintages of the components for them with journalists and guests.

William and Carolyn Anderson this spring at Piazzale Michelangelo

It was clear and cool this spring in Florence when William and Carolyn Anderson spent a spectacular week as guests of Club Salviatino at villa il Salviatino.  Bill presented his superb wines to a group of guests from Great Britain and Italy, and featured his 100% Sangiovese, 100% Merlot, and 100% Cabernet grown in the micro-climates of Monterey County California.  These are the precise components of many Super Tuscan wines, and Bill had prepared gifts of a blend from California to taste in comparison with local, Italian Super Tuscans.  The tasting on the terrace of il Salviatino overlooking the Duomo was a terrific event as the sun set casting everything in golden hues as only the Arno valley permits.

Sunset over Florence from the terrace of Il Salviatino

Bill and Carolyn took a bicycle tour of Florence, claiming that it was the only way to go.  They also visited Albergaccio del Machiavelli for a wonderful lunch in front of the fireplace.

The old fireplace in Machiavelli's restaurant

In fact, I was first introduced to the wonders of fettunta at Machiavelli’s in 1969 by a couple of Italian friends of mine, Marcello Macherelli and Marcello Mascagni.  We were frequent visitors back in those days enjoying the wine, panzanella, and grilled sausages:

We always enjoyed Machiavelli's with the two Marcellos

The last day of the Andersons’ stay saw royal treatment from the proprietors of Tenuta La Gigliola, maker of the finest and rarest vin santo I have ever tasted.  That visit inspired Bill to consider trying his hand at a vin santo in California.  The cross-pollination of ideas resulting from Club Salviatino events never ceases to amaze me.  We were given a complete tour of the vineyards and property of La Gigliola.

We had a great inspection of the terroir

Bill and Carolyn handled some of the exquisite merchandise.

La Gigliola has an impressive selection of excellent Chianti wines

We were all treated to an incomparable mid-day meal outside, in front of a fire-place with the most amiable company we could have hoped to find.  From this estate we could see the towers of San Gimignano on the distant horizon.  The whole day was spectacular. We are grateful to the owners, Anna Piazzini and Paolo Martinelli, for their generous hospitality.

The food and setting were unforgettable

What strikes me most profoundly about our Club Salviatino events is that they have managed to ignite some of the most intense feelings among participants that I have ever been privileged to witness.  Bill and Carolyn sent me an email of appreciation with the Subject: “Italy dreams never end.”   There is that recurring theme: il Salviatino is undoubtedly one of the most powerful dream-machines in Italy.  Its luxury, its elegance, its validation of the finest in the world make it a very special place.