Hotel Regency Florence Review: A 19th Century Villa With a Private Garden
Updated: Nov 2
Updated 2 November 2026
Hotel Regency is a boutique hotel with 31 rooms and suites in a 19th century villa on Piazza Massimo d'Azeglio, in Florence's historic center. It feels more like a private home than a hotel, with antique furniture, fine fabrics, stained glass and a private garden behind the house.
This guide covers the location, the building and its history, the rooms, the garden, the restaurant and who I think it suits. For more ideas, see my guide to the best boutique hotels in Florence and where to stay in Florence by neighborhood.
At a glance
The quick facts first, all checked against the hotel's own website in November 2026. I measured the walking time on the map.
Quick fact | Detail |
|---|---|
Address | Piazza Massimo d'Azeglio 3, 50121 Florence |
Area | A quiet 19th century square east of the Duomo, near Sant'Ambrogio |
Size | 31 rooms and suites in a villa the hotel dates to 1866 |
Walk to the Duomo | About 1.3 km, 15 to 20 minutes on foot |
Dining | Relais Le Jardin restaurant, a bistrot menu and Il Salotto Lounge Bar |
Outdoor space | The private Urban Garden behind the villa |
Check in and out | Check in from 2 pm, check out by noon |
Parking | Inside the ZTL, with a partner garage that collects and returns your car |
Pets | Welcome |
Spa and pool | None listed by the hotel |
Best for: couples who want a quiet, romantic base with a garden, families who need a suite for four to six, and anyone who prefers a calm residential square to the busiest blocks.
Skip it if: you want to step out onto the Arno or the Ponte Vecchio, you want the Duomo on your doorstep, or a spa and pool matter to you.
Room to ask for: the Terrace Suite, on the top floor of the main building with a furnished terrace over the square. If you would rather step straight into greenery, ask for the Garden Suite, which has its own small furnished outdoor corner in the inner garden.
Where it is: Piazza Massimo d'Azeglio
Address: Piazza Massimo d'Azeglio 3, 50121 Florence.
The hotel looks over Piazza d'Azeglio and the park at its center, a calm, green square lined with grand 19th century homes. The hotel lists the Duomo, the Uffizi, Palazzo Vecchio, the Basilica of Santa Croce, the Ponte Vecchio and the Sant'Ambrogio Market among the sights nearby, and all of them are within walking distance.
On foot, by my map: the Four Seasons and its gardens on Borgo Pinti are about 5 minutes away, the Sant'Ambrogio Market about 10, the Accademia and Michelangelo's David about 13, Santa Croce about 14 and the Duomo about 15 to 20.
Getting there: the hotel says Florence airport is about 20 minutes by car and Santa Maria Novella station about 10 minutes by taxi. From the station, buses 6, 14 and 23 also stop near the hotel. The center is a limited traffic zone (ZTL). If you are driving, the hotel works with a partner garage that collects and returns your car; book it through the concierge before you arrive, and note that the garage is closed from 11:45 pm to 7 am.
The building and its history
When Florence was the capital of Italy, Piazza d'Azeglio was a prestigious address for senior officials of the new state, who built grand villas around the square. Hotel Regency occupies two of them. Built for the banker James Servadio in the Neoquattrocentesco style, the two homes were joined by the architect Henry Kleffler. The hotel dates its villa to 1866.
In 1932 the designer Tito Chini decorated the villa, and his Art Nouveau stained glass windows and the ceiling details in the dining room survive today. In 1960 the house became a hotel, and it has stayed with the same family ever since. The family also owns the Hotel Lord Byron in Rome.
Rooms and suites
Each of the 31 rooms and suites is decorated differently, in a classic Regency spirit with deep colors and antique pieces. Rooms look over either the park on Piazza d'Azeglio or the private inner garden.
Superior (25 to 28 m²) and Deluxe (about 28 m²): classic rooms for two, facing the park or the garden.
Premium (28 to 35 m², up to 3 guests): more space, with garden views.
Junior Suite (45 to 50 m²): a separate living area.
Garden Suite (50 m²): direct access to the inner garden.
Terrace Suite (55 m²): on the top floor of the main building, with a private terrace and park views.
Prestige Suite (60 m²): bright, with views over the park.
Family Suite (55 to 60 m², up to 5 guests), Executive Suite (60 to 65 m², up to 4 guests) and Penthouse Suite (90 m², up to 6 guests, with two bedrooms and three marble bathrooms).
A practical note: the Executive Suites are on the first or second floor of the annex villa, which has no elevator, and the Penthouse sits on its top floor. If stairs are a problem, ask for a room in the main building.
Based on the hotel's own room descriptions, the Terrace Suite is the one I would ask for on a special trip: 55 m² for two, a king bed, a marble bathroom with a tub and a separate shower, and a furnished terrace looking over Piazza d'Azeglio. The Garden Suite (50 m², king or twin beds) sits in the inner garden with its own small furnished outdoor corner. The Prestige Suite (about 60 m², up to 3 guests) has a separate sitting room, two bathrooms and park views.
The Urban Garden
Behind the villa is the Urban Garden, a private courtyard of trees and hedges that the hotel describes as a green Tuscan retreat in the heart of the city. It is set for breakfast and candlelit dinners, with al fresco dining in the milder months, and it hosts aperitifs and small gatherings of up to 32 guests.
Dining: Relais Le Jardin and Il Salotto
Relais Le Jardin is the hotel's restaurant, led by Executive Chef Claudio Lopopolo. The Veranda room, with red walls and mirrors, seats up to 30 and looks through a large window onto the garden. Fine dining tasting menus are served Tuesday to Saturday from 7 pm to 10 pm, built on seasonal market ingredients, with a sommelier choosing the wine pairings. The hotel suggests elegant casual dress.
The restaurant closes for two seasonal breaks, January 10 to February 11, 2027, and August 1 to 24, 2027, so check before you plan a dinner around it. For something lighter, a bistrot menu is served in the Sala Zodiaco at lunch from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm and every evening from 7 pm to 10 pm; on Sunday and Monday evenings it is for hotel guests only. For coffee, tea and pastries by day or an aperitivo in the evening, there is Il Salotto Lounge Bar.
For dinner out, Il Palagio at the Four Seasons is about 5 minutes away on foot. See my guides to the best hotel restaurants and bars in Florence and the most romantic restaurants in Florence.
Who it suits
Couples who want a quiet, romantic base with a garden view rather than a busy street.
Families, thanks to the Family, Executive and Penthouse suites for four to six guests.
Travelers who prefer a calm square within walking distance of the Duomo over the most crowded blocks.
Small weddings and celebrations, with indoor rooms for up to 52 guests and the garden for up to 32.
Food lovers who want a serious dinner without leaving the hotel.
If you want to step out of the door straight onto the river or the Ponte Vecchio, a hotel closer to the Arno may suit you better.
Comparing hotels? Read my Sina Villa Medici review for a hotel with a pool near the river, my picks of Florence hotels with Duomo views, and my tracker of new luxury hotel openings in Florence.
Hotel Regency FAQ
Where is Hotel Regency in Florence?
On Piazza Massimo d'Azeglio 3, a calm, leafy 19th century square east of the Duomo, close to the Sant'Ambrogio Market. The Duomo is about 1.3 km away, a 15 to 20 minute walk.
How many rooms does Hotel Regency have?
31 rooms and suites, each decorated differently, in a 19th century villa on the square. The rooms face either the park on Piazza d'Azeglio or the private inner garden.
Which room should I ask for at Hotel Regency?
For a special trip, the Terrace Suite: 55 m² on the top floor of the main building, for two, with a furnished terrace over Piazza d'Azeglio. For garden lovers, the Garden Suite: 50 m² in the inner garden, with its own small furnished outdoor corner. If stairs are a problem, ask for the main building, because the annex villa has no elevator.
Does Hotel Regency have a restaurant?
Yes. Relais Le Jardin serves tasting menus by Executive Chef Claudio Lopopolo in the Veranda room, Tuesday to Saturday from 7 pm to 10 pm. A bistrot menu is served in the Sala Zodiaco at lunch from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm and every evening, and on Sunday and Monday evenings it is for hotel guests only. The restaurant closes from 10 January to 11 February 2027 and from 1 to 24 August 2027.
Is Hotel Regency good for families?
Yes. The Family Suite sleeps up to five, the Executive Suite up to four and the Penthouse Suite up to six, with two bedrooms and three marble bathrooms.
Can I park at Hotel Regency?
The hotel is inside Florence's limited traffic zone (ZTL). It works with a partner garage that collects and returns your car, so book a space through the concierge before you arrive. The garage is closed from 11:45 pm to 7 am.
Are pets allowed at Hotel Regency?
Yes. The hotel welcomes pets, and its pet friendly page explains the services and conditions.
What are the check in and check out times?
Check in is from 2 pm and check out is by noon.
How do I get to Hotel Regency from the train station?
Santa Maria Novella station is about 10 minutes away by taxi. Buses 6, 14 and 23 also run from the station to the hotel. Florence airport is about 20 minutes by car.
Plan your stay
Want help booking Hotel Regency or choosing the right room for your trip? Email info@florencelife.co and I will be happy to help.
All photos in this post are courtesy of Hotel Regency, used with their kind permission.
Comments