Riva Lofts

Style

Hip and homey

Setting

Leafy Arno riverside

Combining the visionary designs of architect Claudio Nardi, Riva Lofts is a dreamily rustic boutique bed and breakfast that’s filled with contemporary artworks, enormous antique mirrors leant against the reclaimed stone walls, and an array of vintage chairs ranging from Louis XIV to Mies van der Rohe. Despite its fashionista-friendly looks, however, Riva Lofts maintains the homespun welcome of a rural bed and breakfast.

Facilities

Rooms

12 suites.

Checkout

Check-in is from 3pm. Early or late check-in can be arranged on request (subject to availability). Check-out is until 11am.

More Details

Rates include a buffet breakfast that includes freshly baked croissants, a selection of cheeses, fruit and eggs. All stays are subject to a nightly city tax of €7 a person (for over-12s, charged at check-out).

Also

Staff can offer restaurant tips or pointers on art exhibitions and events that outsiders might miss.

Free Internet Access

Laundry

Pet Friendly

At the Hotel

Communal sitting room, library of books, free WiFi in lounge area and some other parts of the hotel. All lofts have a flatscreen TV, free WiFi, luxury bath products and room fragrances; most lofts have kitchenettes.

Our Favourite Rooms

For sheer size and spectacle, make a swift beeline for a Suite. These lofty spaces pair floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Arno with sleek grey-wood kitchens designed to disappear when not in use. Upstairs, polished concrete floors, oversized lamps and seriously comfortable beds create a stylish retreat. Individual Suites vary in character, from softer contemporary styling to playful touches such as a string curtain surrounding the bed, lending an ultramodern yet romantic feel.

Poolside

Contrary to impressions, the ‘metaphysical swimming pool’ does actually exist – it’s a plush white sandstone pool set in a serene hedgerow-lined garden.

Packing Tips

Huge D&G sunglasses will not only lend you the in-crowd stamp of cool, but also help keep the flies out of your eyes as you zoom along the river on one of Riva Loft’s bikes.

Also

Reception is open from 8am until the evening, let the hotel know if you're arriving later so arrangements can be made. The hotel is non-smoking throughout. Be sure to utilise the staff's local expertise for recommendations.

Children

Welcome; cots and rollaways can be added to rooms (free for under-threes; €40 a night for children aged four to 11). Babysitting can also be arranged with advance notice.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

On the green, green grass by the pool.

Dress Code

Quirked-up elegance.

Hotel Restaurant

In an intimate setting along the hotel’s historic exposed brick walls, Riva-K rallies locals and visitors alike for its fresh, seasonal fare. Produce comes from Florence’s network of local sustainable suppliers, with breakfasts boasting homemade buffet spreads and lunches, a mouthwatering selection of Italian bites that you're welcome to enjoy in the living room or out on the terrace. Dinner is served Wednesday to Saturday, with menus that feature traditional Tuscan classics, seafood-led specialties and sommelier-selected wine pairings. Hotel guests can enjoy a special discount on the dinner menu.

Hotel Bar

With every hand-picked sculpture and artwork perfectly placed to ensure there’s something to look at in every direction, Riva Loft’s main lounge is made for sinking into a sofa and lingering over a glass of wine, beer or soft drink, with snacks from the self-service honesty bar.

Last Orders

Breakfast is served from 8am till 10.30am in the living room or the garden during the summer months (brunch on Sundays between 19 October and 19 April). Dinner is served Wednesday to Saturday.

Planes

Riva Lofts is just 15 minutes by taxi from Florence (Amerigo Vespucci, or Peretola) Airport, but you’ll have a greater choice of airlines from the UK if you fly to Pisa (Galileo Galilei) Airport. There’s a direct train from Pisa Airport to Santa Maria Novella train station in the centre of Florence, and then it’s just a short taxi drive to Riva Lofts.

Trains

Florence’s Santa Maria Novella train station (which can be found centrally, behind the piazza of the same name) is a 10-minute drive from Riva Lofts or a five-minute ride on the Tramway (take the tram to Paolo Uccello or Sansovino, which is 200 metres from the hotel). Busy Santa Maria Novella station has connections with the rest of Italy and Europe; you can get to Rome and back in a day, and it takes less than two hours to get to Milan.

Automobiles

This idyllic retreat is 20-30 minutes’ walk from the bustle of central Florence, but you can book taxis at reception. A car will be useful if you plan to venture further afield in surrounding Tuscany; pick one up at the airport. Riva Lofts has five parking spots in a garage, and two just outside the main entrance. Parking is available on request, subject to availability.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

You’re set in Florence’s peaceful, residential north, so there’s not much happening in the immediate surroundings. Enjoy the calm by swaying in a hammock in the hotel’s walled garden and take a refreshing dip in the well-sized (for Florence) pool. The hotel has a full bike rack you can borrow from, so ride one of their vintage bicycles along the Arno to see the Renaissance’s greatest hits: the Duomo, Baptistery, the masterful works in the Uffizi, David in the Galleria dell'Accademia and the sculptures of the Palazzo Vecchio. Shop for jewellery along the Ponte Vecchio, see the sharpest Italian style at the Gucci Garden boutique and museum and the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum and stop for a gelato – you’re spoiled for choice, but we like Gelateria Santa Trinita.

The hotel can arrange Tuscan adventures aplenty: go shopping in the less touristy ‘hoods with an insider, learn how to make pasta, try the region’s best on a private wine tour, play tennis and practice yoga.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .