SAN FRANCISCO, CA–(Mar 18, 2015) – Located in downtown San Francisco in the heart of Union Square, Villa Florence introduces a new multi-million dollar look featuring a contemporary Italian-inspired appearance and ambiance. The first phase unveils an extensive transformation of the hotel’s 182 guest rooms and corridors and adds seven new guest rooms, totalling 189 rooms. The second phase will include the lobby and meeting areas.
Sporting its new look and product, Villa Florence will be the only contemporary Italian-inspired boutique hotel in San Francisco offering an authentic downtown San Francisco experience. The design vision inspired by the concept of a modern day villa off a Florentine Palazzo embraces a bold, distinct, and timeless infusion of elegance and sophistication. Building upon a legacy of evolving Italian design, the hotel’s new interiors draw from the high fashion inspiration of Florence showcasing a neutral color palette infused with texture and high contrast color accents. Each guestroom highlights the uniqueness of the building’s architecture, featuring one-off pieces in each room, while the portraits in the guestroom corridors are inspired by the Renaissance and evoke the spirit of art, literature, and learning.
Italians were some of the first European explorers and settlers of California (1). Villa Florence’s ambiance builds upon this rich Italian legacy that is very much part of San Francisco’s culture today.
The Italian-inspired theme continues in the furniture selection for the rooms featuring cut velvet lounge chairs and large dramatic Peony flowers (reminiscent of Florentine flower markets) on guest bed headboards which pair elegantly with bed pillows featuring the Fleur-des-Lis, the symbol of Florence. Guestroom amenities include in-room desks with outlets and USB ports, reading lights, and an ergonomic desk chair. Desks also feature built-in make-up stations.
Small touches accent the guest experience. Upon arrival, guests receive a custom check-in experience with authentic treats like Biscotti and Limoncello.
“Only a short walk to the Financial District, China Town, and the Moscone Center, Villa Florence is a landmark hotel committed to offering an authentic San Francisco experience. We’re excited to enhance the guest offerings with our new contemporary design and look forward to welcoming new and returning leisure and business travelers,” said Villa Florence’s General Manager Chad Olson.
The hotel’s restaurant Kuleto’s, a well-known San Francisco institution featuring authentic Northern Italian cuisine, caters to Villa Florence’s private dining events and provides nightly room-service to its guests. Additional amenities include Bar Norcini, located at the hotel’s entrance, a business center, an exercise/fitness room, and friendly staff.
The hotel features three meeting rooms that accommodates groups up to 70, providing the ideal location for business meetings, rehearsal dinners, small weddings, and other group gatherings.
Originally erected for bridge-builders, the building has a rich history with a quirky personality. In 1909, the structure became Hotel Manx and during Prohibition was the location for a speakeasy.
Centrally located, Villa Florence is in the heart of San Francisco’s Union Square shopping district and in front of the world-famous Powell Street Cable Car line. The hotel’s location also offers easy access to public transportation to anywhere in San Francisco, making it the perfect destination for leisure, business, and group travelers.
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1 http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/collections/italianamericans/
