The St. Regis Florence, Florence, Italy
As you might expect from a former Florentine palace, this is gorgeous – fine prints, gilded mirrors, frescoes, velvet and brocades.
Rather than stuffy though, the mood is cool and relaxed, especially in the Iridium Spa (one of Florence's best), and beneath the Winter Garden's lovely stained glass ceiling (an awesome afternoon tea spot). Room-wise, you'll find sumptuous Renaissance, Florentine and Medici styling, and just one contemporary suite; but the corner suites facing upstream towards the Ponte Vecchio are simply unbeatable.