# Florence's New 14-Suite Luxury Hotel

> Florence's 14-suite luxury hotel in a 16th-century palazzo opens with Michelin Key and creative cocktails.
- Title: Florence's New 14-Suite Luxury Hotel · Maxim | Shortify
- Summary: Florence's 14-suite luxury hotel in a 16th-century palazzo opens with Michelin Key and creative cocktails. James Suite Hotel Firenze 1564, a 14-suite luxury…
- Keywords: florence, james suite hotel firenze 1564, michelin key, 14 suites, 16th century palazzo, cocktail program, luxury hotel, santa croce, italy, renaissance architecture, Florence's, 14-Suite
- Source: Maxim — https://maxim.com/travel/inside-florences-new-14-suite-luxury-hotel-in-a-16th-century-palazzo
- Published: 2026-10-05T11:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: florence, james suite hotel firenze 1564, michelin key, 14 suites, 16th century palazzo, cocktail program, luxury hotel, santa croce, italy, renaissance architecture
## New Florence Hotel Opens
James Suite Hotel Firenze 1564 combines 14 strikingly designed suites with a Michelin Key and creative cocktails in Florence's Santa Croce district.
## Architect James Cavagnari
Architect James Cavagnari, who grew up in Florence, designed the hotel after buying the 16th-century palazzo in the early 1970s.
## 1564 in Name
The hotel's name marks the year the palazzo was constructed, with the 1564 carved into the building.
## Restored Palazzo
The palazzo, originally a convent, retains Renaissance architecture including off-center entrance, barrel-vaulted rooms, and internal courtyard.
## Bespoke Interior
Cavagnari mixed bespoke furniture, antiques, midcentury pieces, vintage lighting, and Hermès scarves with original frescoes and exposed beams.
## Queen Elizabeth II Wardrobe
A mahogany traveling wardrobe belonging to Queen Elizabeth II is among the hotel's fascinating objects.
## Signature Suites
The top-floor Florence Suite has a private balcony and freestanding tub; the JC Suite features original frescoes and period furniture; the Chaplin Suite has exposed beams and petroleum-blue velvet sofa.
## James Restaurant
Resident chef Axel Caldani, a Florence native, runs the restaurant with Mediterranean and Tuscan influences and seasonal menus.
## 1564 Lounge Bar
The 1564 Lounge Bar features stone fireplaces, travertine door surrounds, velvet seating, and a pink glass chandelier.
## Mysteries of Florence Cocktails
The bar's 13 house cocktails, like the First Reaction Shock, are liquid tributes to Florence's enigmas.
## Key takeaway

James Suite Hotel Firenze 1564, a 14-suite luxury hotel in Florence's 16th-century palazzo, won a Michelin Key and features inventive cocktails.