When conceiving its first Italian hotel, on a Florentine hill, Auberge Resorts Collection found inspiration in the site: an erstwhile school, dating back some 250 years, with its own chapel, library, and theater. “We channeled that sense of learning and curiosity in the concepts and styling,” says Kemper Hyers, the group’s chief creative officer, who collaborated on the design with local firm ArchFlorence. The interiors of the 83-room Collegio alla Querce may at first look austere, their muted palette drawn from the countryside. But they took care to inject playfulness. Case in point: What was once the headmaster’s office is now a cocktail and cigar bar. Though the heart of the hotel, Hyers insists, is the conservatory dining room, where guests can sip an espresso or aperitivo surrounded by preserved…
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Architectural Digest (Digital) - 1 Issue, April 2025