Sina Villa Medici Florence Review: A Historic Palazzo With a Garden Pool
Updated: Nov 3
Updated 3 November 2026
Sina Villa Medici is a 5-star hotel in an early 19th century palazzo on Via Il Prato, in the Prato district on the western edge of Florence's historic center. It is part of Marriott's Autograph Collection and is the original hotel of the Italian Sina Hotels group. What sets it apart is rare for central Florence: a large private garden with an outdoor swimming pool.
This guide covers the location, the history of the building, the rooms and suites, the garden and Harry's Bar, wellness, and who I think the hotel 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, checked against the hotel's own website and its Marriott page in November 2026. I measured the walking times on the map.
Quick fact | Detail |
|---|---|
Address | Via Il Prato 42, 50123 Florence |
Area | Il Prato, on the western edge of the historic center, near Santa Maria Novella station |
Size | 100 rooms and suites in an early 19th century palazzo |
Walk to the Duomo | About 1.4 km, around 19 minutes on foot |
Walk to the station | About 10 minutes to Santa Maria Novella |
Dining | Harry's Bar The Garden by the pool and Harry's Bar Firenze 1953 on the piazza |
Pool | Outdoor garden pool, unheated, open daily in summer from 11 am to 7 pm |
Wellness | Sauna, Turkish bath and a fitness room |
Check in and out | Check in from 3 pm, check out by noon |
Parking | Valet parking at the hotel |
Pets | Dogs up to 25 kg, one per room |
Brand | Sina Hotels, part of Marriott's Autograph Collection |
Best for: travelers who want a pool and a garden in the city, anyone arriving by train, families who need connecting rooms, and couples who want a suite with a terrace.
Skip it if: you want to step out onto the Ponte Vecchio or the Duomo square, you want a full treatment spa, or you are coming in winter mainly for the pool, which is a summer pool.
Room to ask for: the Florence Suite on the fifth floor, with a 60 sqm terrace, a whirlpool tub and views across the city. If you love history, ask for the Royal Suite on the piano nobile, and if you want a view without a suite, ask for a Premium room.
Location
The hotel sits at Via Il Prato 42, a quiet setting that is still an easy walk into the center. According to the hotel, Santa Maria Novella railway station is about 500 meters away, the Cathedral, the Baptistery and the Lungarno are within walking distance, and the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino opera and concert hall is a stone's throw from the door. Florence Peretola airport is about 13 km away and Pisa airport about 80 km.
On foot, by my map: Santa Maria Novella station is about 10 minutes away, the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella and the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino theater about 11, the Ponte Vecchio about 18, the Duomo about 19, the Uffizi about 21 and the Accademia and Michelangelo's David about 22.
It is a good base for day trips too: the hotel lists Siena at about 75 km, Lucca at about 80 km and Pisa at about 85 km.
Driving in? The hotel offers valet parking, and the A11 Firenze Nord exit is about 10 km away. Read my Florence parking and driving guide first, and for a day out see my Siena day trip guide.
History of the palazzo
The palazzo stands where the former monastery of Sant'Anna once stood. In 1958 Count Ernesto Bocca, founder of Sina Hotels, stopped to admire its facade and decided to buy it to preserve it for hospitality. After careful restoration it became the group's first hotel.
The building keeps its traditional architecture and many precious antiques, some protected by the Fine Arts Authority, alongside contemporary works of art, many created specially for the hotel by the artist Marco Lanza. The salon of the Royal Suite is itself listed by the Fine Arts Authority.
Rooms and suites
Rooms range from garden views to top floor rooms with views across the city. Furnishings are classic or contemporary depending on the room. Sizes below are as published by the hotel:
Superior rooms, about 20 sqm: facing the pedestrian square, a side street, the inner courtyard or the garden of the Sant'Anna convent, with parquet floors and renovated bathrooms.
Deluxe rooms, about 26 sqm: spacious, some with a balcony catching the breeze from the garden.
Premium rooms, about 30 sqm: views that range from the green hills to the old rooftops and monuments of the historic center.
Junior Suites, about 40 sqm: a large living area and a marble bathroom.
Suites, about 45 sqm: a bedroom, a sitting room and views over the hotel garden or the convent garden, some with a balcony.
Florence Suite: on the fifth floor, about 40 sqm inside plus a 60 sqm terrace with a whirlpool tub and solarium.
Royal Suite, about 120 sqm: Empire style on the piano nobile, with high ceilings, a living room with a decorative fireplace, a study and a balcony over the square.
Rooms include air conditioning, complimentary Wi-Fi, a minibar and a safe, and the hotel notes that pets are welcome with some limitations.
A few practical details from the hotel's Marriott page: check in is from 3 pm and check out by noon, dogs up to 25 kg are welcome (one per room), and the hotel has elevators and 24 hour room service. For families there are interconnecting rooms, babysitting and children's activities, plus ideas in my guide to Florence with kids.
The garden, the pool and Harry's Bar
The garden is the heart of the hotel. In summer the outdoor pool, which is unheated, is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and since 2021 the garden has been home to Harry's Bar The Garden, with a restaurant, a bistrot and the La Dolce Vita pool bar for an aperitivo.
Harry's Bar has its own Florence story: it opened in 1953 on Via del Parione and became an icon of the city's Dolce Vita on Lungarno Vespucci from 1963. Inside the hotel, the brand also runs Harry's Bar Firenze 1953, an elegant room overlooking the piazza.
For more places to eat and drink in hotels, see my guides to the best hotel restaurants and bars in Florence and the best cocktail bars in Florence.
Wellness and experiences
The wellness area has a sauna, a Turkish bath and a fitness room. The concierge can arrange Florentine experiences such as wine tastings, cooking classes, a summer boat ride on the Arno with the Renaioli, vintage car tours in the hills, hidden art tours, workshops on fresco and Florentine paper, a visit to perfumer Lorenzo Villoresi and a personal shopper.
For groups, the hotel has meeting rooms with natural light. It also holds DCA sustainability certification for reducing the environmental impact of the property.
Who it suits
Travelers who want a pool and a garden without leaving the city.
Arrivals by train, with Santa Maria Novella station a short walk away.
Couples and families looking for a suite with a terrace or a balcony.
Anyone who likes historic hotels with a contemporary art touch.
Comparing hotels? Read my Hotel Regency review for a quiet villa with a garden east of the Duomo, my picks of Florence hotels with Duomo views, and my tracker of new luxury hotel openings in Florence.
Sina Villa Medici FAQ
Where is Sina Villa Medici in Florence?
At Via Il Prato 42, in the Il Prato area on the western edge of the historic center. Santa Maria Novella station is about 10 minutes away on foot, and the Duomo is about 1.4 km, around 19 minutes.
Does Sina Villa Medici have a pool?
Yes. The outdoor pool sits in the hotel's private garden. It is unheated and open daily in summer from 11 am to 7 pm. The hotel describes its garden with a pool as unique in the center of Florence.
How many rooms does Sina Villa Medici have?
100 rooms and suites, from Superior rooms of about 20 sqm to the 120 sqm Royal Suite. Some face the garden and others look across the rooftops of the city.
Which room should I ask for at Sina Villa Medici?
For a special trip, the Florence Suite: about 40 sqm on the fifth floor with a 60 sqm terrace, a whirlpool tub, a solarium and views over the city. For history, the Royal Suite on the piano nobile, listed by the Fine Arts Authority. For a view without a suite, ask for a Premium room.
Does Sina Villa Medici have a restaurant?
Yes, two Harry's Bar venues. Harry's Bar The Garden serves seasonal dishes and cocktails by the pool, and Harry's Bar Firenze 1953 is an elegant room overlooking the piazza. The hotel also offers 24 hour room service.
Does Sina Villa Medici have a spa?
It has the Sina Wellness Club, with a sauna, a Turkish bath and a fitness room.
Is Sina Villa Medici good for families?
Yes. The hotel offers interconnecting rooms, babysitting, children's activities and family city tours, and the garden pool is a summer treat for children. Many rooms can take a third bed.
Can I park at Sina Villa Medici?
Yes, the hotel offers valet parking. Read my Florence parking and driving guide before you drive into the center.
Are pets allowed at Sina Villa Medici?
Yes. Well behaved dogs up to 25 kg are welcome, one per room.
What are the check in and check out times?
Check in is from 3 pm and check out is by noon.
Plan your stay
Want help booking Sina Villa Medici 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 © Sina Hotels, used with their kind permission.
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