Belmond Villa San Michele
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hospitality |
| Founded | 1950 |
| Founder | Lucien and Mary Teissier |
| Headquarters | Fiesole , Italy |
Area served | Florence, Italy |
| Owner | Belmond Ltd. |
| Website | www |
The Belmond Villa San Michele is an upscale hotel situated atop the hill of Fiesole, offering panoramic views of Florence, Italy. Its name is derived from the nearby church dedicated to St Michael the Archangel, and it is currently owned and managed by Belmond Ltd..
History
The estate initially served as a monastery for Franciscan friars in the 15th century, generously supported and donated by the Florentine Davanzati family. The existing structure, featuring a façade often attributed to Michelangelo along with a grand loggia, was constructed around 1600 when Giovanni di Bartolomeo Davanzati undertook significant expansions and renovations. The property remained under Franciscan ownership until 1808, when monastic institutions were suppressed under Napoleon, leading to its conversion for secular purposes.
In 1900, the villa was acquired by Henry W. Cannon, a banker from New York, who infused Victorian design elements during restoration. He enhanced the gardens, installed greenhouses and wrought iron gates, and transformed the courtyard into a winter garden by adding glass and iron roofing.
Suffering damage during World War II, the villa was purchased in 1950 by Lucien and Mary Teissier for use as a private home. To finance the extensive refurbishment of its 20 rooms on the first floor, Lucien Teissier repurposed the villa into a hotel aimed at visitors attracted to Florence’s rich cultural offerings.
Orient-Express Hotels, already proprietors of Venice’s Hotel Cipriani, acquired the villa and adjacent grounds in 1982. They undertook thorough restoration efforts in collaboration with the Florence Fine Arts Authority.
After Orient-Express Hotels Ltd. rebranded in 2014, the property adopted its current name, Belmond Villa San Michele.