We stayed here for two nights to celebrate our 20th anniversary. It was the last two nights of a 2 week trip and we could not have finished on a better note. The hotel is beautifully maintained, close to everything in Florence (and shuttle service is very helpful). The decor is stunning, room was beautiful, and the pool is absolute perfection. Enjoyed buffet breakfast dailya and also enjoyed lunch by the pool. This was an indulgence but a worthwhile splurge.
We were at Villa Cora for a family wedding and the roof top venue was stunning, almost breathtaking, the food, wine and staff , amongst the beautiful and exquisit gardens and rooms, made the perfect day. If ever you want to visit a typical Italian Villa, in what felt like a private setting then this is the one, which will not disappoint.
Beautiful buildings, garden, smimmingpool and pool restaurant. Staff extremely helpfull, friendly and very professional. But… our room, nr 206 on the second floor of the main building. Large bathroom but bedroom realy, realy tiny. No room to move. Very small window. No decent place to put suitcase. Furnishing low standard, mattress average, chair very uncomfortable. The fabrics of canopy, curtains, chair mismatched, inexpensive looking/feeling. For the €500 per night we expected a quality room, this was certainly more a 3-star than a 5-star bedroom.
A hotel that truly delivers an authentic and beautiful experience of how I define luxury and this is what Villa Cora is, a treat to the eyes and your senses, Villa Cora is outstanding in each and every way possible. This magnificent property was redone recently and the interiors are an epitome of luxury, the breakfast is hearty and delicious with buffet and a la carte options. The mirror room which might be the chateaus ballroom at some point was one of the many rooms which I couldn’t stop admiring, the photos don’t do justice, it must be seen. The pool is relaxing and the service is incredible, the food in the restaurant is a delight, The spa experience is a must with a private stream room, hot jacuzzi and sauna. The terrace in the main building is worth a visit especially at sunrise or sunset as one gets a beautiful panoramic view of the Florence city and the Tuscan hills. Our room though a little tiny was beautiful, I had no complaints at all :) we had a lovely view of the pool :) Last but the strongest mention would be the amazing customer service we received at the hotel, intuitive, friendly and efficient all our needs were met in by an instant and always with a lovely smile :) we are truly thankful to Lorenzo, Marco and the lovely lady who took care of us at breakfast every morning, the service I believe is what makes a hotel truly the leading hotel of the world, We can’t wait to be back…
This was booked as a stopover en-route to my daughters wedding in a villa near Bucine. I booked it as a 40th wedding anniversary for my wife and I, as we had to cancel in November as we both had covid. I am a member of the IHG rewards club and spent the most points per night I have ever spent for a 2 nights stay circa 180000 points or an equivalent spend of over £12000 in hotels!! It was our first stay in a "Mr and Mrs Smith" brand I also told them it was our wedding anniversary. When we arrived outside in our car, the concierge opened the car doors, and we got out. He then asked Jane - "are you staying here?" - which was a strange question. As we are getting the luggage , we were asked again - "Are you staying here?" A very rude question and and condescending. This made my wife feel very uncomfortable and unwelcome - not a good start. At check in we were wished happy anniversary. Not recognised as the top level member of the IHG rewards programme - not offer the usual courtesy of a drink or points as is the corporate standard. No room upgrade, bit the room booked was OK, although nowhere to sit with a laptop. Only recognition of our anniversary in the room was a plain white card with Happy Anniversary written on it, now whilst you don't expect much, in many other IHG hotels I have stayed in, they have put a small plate of fruit, or handmade chocolates by the hotel, or. few flowers. went to use the safe - followed the instructions on the door, didn't work, on the way out for the evening I advised the reception, and they said they would sort. When we got back, still didn't work. Advised on the way out the following day - still not working. On taking the paperwork we had put into the safe the base liner came away, to reveal different instructions underneath!! Nobody from the hotel had bothered to talk to us or offer to demonstrate - why have the instructions on the door that are different? On checkout I said about this, and was offered "water" for our journey - which they gave to everyone anyway! overall a disappointing experience and one I will not be repeating. The Hotel staff are a bit too off hand, to a point of refusing to recognise they are part of an international hotel group but a stand alone 5* hotel.…
The level of service at Villa Cora is unrivaled! The staff here are beyond kind and welcoming to everyone from the moment you pull up. This hotel was my favorite during my 1 week trek around Italy and I wanted to cry when I left. It was so beautiful that I actually ended up relaxing at the hotel one afternoon and the next morning instead of going out exploring again because I just wanted to relax in its splendor. The staff are always willing to come get whatever is needed for you and schedule/recommend dinner etc. From the moment I began my stay to the moment everything was beyond amazing! I booked this hotel through my AMEX portal which included breakfast daily, a room upgrade if available, guaranteed late checkout, early check-in if available, and a $100 SPA credit. At first I was disappointed to find out the credit couldn’t also be used at the restaurant but I am glad that I took advantage of the spa! I had a scrub/massage which was perfect after hiking to the top of the Duomo the morning before. I also enjoyed the steam room after and then the breeze/rain shower at the end. I arrived around 11AM and they were able to check in me into my room. Due to the AMEX booking I was giving a room upgrade. While my room did not have a view, it was beyond fabulous! I had a large room, walk in closet, and great bathroom. I actually enjoyed being the separate building as it was very quiet and even had an underground tunnel to the main building for breakfast. This was perfect as it was very cold the first morning I was there. It also allowed me to walk around and explore the downstairs area of the hotel which had a super cute little hidden bar area I loved. The entire grounds were fabulously manicured and the main building had wonderful rooms you could relax and read in. When I walked into my room initially I was greeted with a kind note and a bottle of Prosecco. They actually ended up bringing me the bottle the next day while I relaxed and enjoyed some sun poolside. The concierge was able to help with anything I needed at any time and exuded the highest level of service I have seen. Every morning the bed was made and the curtains opened. Each night the curtains were drawn and treats left with inspiring quotes on my bed. Their level of care and help was so amazing I wanted to cry when I left the hotel and I hope I can return again one day. I loved it so much I ended up cancelling plans the day I was leaving just to relax in the luxuriousness of the hotel. Thank you Villa Cora for making my 1st trip to Italy beyond amazing. Special thanks to Lorenzo for getting me setup when I first arrived! Their is a free shuttle to the city center during certain times of day but the walk is wonderful as well…
My wife and I just returned from 2 weeks in Italy. We had been to this glorious country many times before; yet, together we had never done a holiday in Florence and Venice. Holiday perspective changes as your life changes. We did our research and my wife has discovered GOOP as a very reliable source of interesting, value for money and interesting restaurants, hotels, sights to visit and shopping. Also they will direct the average Joe to “non tourist” locales. In researching Florence, we needed a place that we would be happy at for a full week. GOOP suggested Villa Cora. Of course, the photos looked stunning (sometimes they don’t do a place justice), but the reality is no photos could do this magnificent place justice. There are not enough superlatives to define Villa Cora. Our key to service and quality, boils down to the caliber of the staff and the happiness that they display at work. We make it a point to get to know the folks who wait on us. We find it so interesting to understand how the locals work, details about their families, careers, etc. this information is the key to better understanding the culture of the place you are visiting. The staff at Villa Cora seemed a bit extraordinary….they of course ticked all of the “service boxes” one would expect at a five star hotel. Most importantly, they spoke individually about their happiness getting up for work every day. They used the word “family” when describing co-workers and management. They had long tenure and none of them, when pushed, intended to leave the place. The property itself must be seen to be believed. We were there in late February during the pandemic, so it was a bit more than half full. Villa Cora is set about a mile out of Florence. Some might think of this as a negative, we thought it made it even more desirable. Florence is a sightseeing town. Each day we would spend hours in town, have lunch and return to our “home in the country” around 5. It was a unique break from “in-town” holiday venues. It has a large pool and restaurant outside as well as a second edifice which houses the spa and more rooms. Our room was decorated with old art, furniture, and original frescoes on the ceiling. There was a huge amount of storage. The bed, pillows and linens were superior. We ate twice in the dining room, as the food was great…we returned because, again: the people. Each night after dinner we would retire to the small and cozy subterranean bar…we hurried there after dinner, again to see our smiling wait staff. Arielle has created an incredible team of Human Resources. They are happy, loyal and help one another out with personal and professional issues. Leaders in other hospitality venues should study the staff at Villa Cora to understand how a very well led team performs. It is very tough to find any negatives about Villa Cora, except that at some point one must return to the realities of the real world and check out!…
My wife and I travel a lot across Europe and the US and this is quite simply one of the best hotels we have ever stayed in. Everything about our stay was just wonderful, from the attentive, friendly and courteous staff to the beautiful surroundings (inside and out) to the absolutely glorious buffet breakfasts. The hotel is about a half hour walk into the centre of Florence but the complimentary shuttle bus is convenient, quick and easy. Cannot fault Villa Cora. We loved every minute of our stay.
Outstanding hotel! If we could give it an extra star, we would without hesitation. Our stay at Villa Cora was the result of a cancellation of our flight to Paris. Serendipity! We had been staying in a villa in the Tuscan countryside and had already spent 2 days in the city center of Florence. When our flight was cancelled until the following day we decided we wanted to experience a different hotel outside of the frenzy and noise of the tourist area. As my husband and I would say, we hit an “11”. The setting, the staff and the accommodations are incredible. We admittedly are “hotel snobs” choosing the Ritz Carlton or Relais et Chateau hotels on almost every trip but found Villa Cora to not only match but exceed our expectations. As a Leading Hotel of the World we knew it would be wonderful but the attention to detail, food, and especially the staff were over the top. The staff not only help with any request, they also anticipated your needs. Our warm welcome by Vanessa on the hectic day of our arrival made us want to cancel Paris altogether just so we could experience Florence in a whole new way. We immediately changed from one night to 4 nights and booked the spa, facials and massages! Thanks to American Express we were given a $100 spa credit, upgraded to a larger room with a balcony and view of the city and a much needed early check in to shake off our travel hassle of the flight cancellation. We were also treated to breakfast daily which was sumptuous and not just your average buffet. Anything you can imagine was offered, all presented beautifully and all incredibly fresh and delicious. We have seen Florence with all it’s splendor in a whole new light! You truly feel like royalty at this hotel so don your best clothes (although you do not need to) and pretend you are at a Medici palace as a guest!…
everything is absolutely perfect about this hotel a perfect 10! service is outstanding facilities spot on Lorenzo is a true blessing in the front desk and his recommendations are perfection shuttle service super easy to use
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your Listing