Villa Olmi Firenze

We spent a week in late July/ early August. It was fantastic. As a doctor I have visited over 50 countries and stayed in many 5 star hotels. Olmi is only a four star because it doesn’t have a spa. To me that’s a technicality. The staff are multilingual, attentive, respectful and friendly. The grounds are impeccable. The box hedges are manicured to within an inch of their life. Same for the Pencil Pines and hedges of bay and laurel. The fountains are aged, rustic and mossy. The pool is gorgeous and the estate is dotted with lemon trees, flowers galore and grape vine pergolas. The buildings are stunning, sympathetically restored and our suite was expansive with four original Murano glass chandeliers. Some reviews talk about “fake antiques”. Complete rubbish: these are uneducated people who don’t know what “Trompe-L’Oeil” is….the hand painted murals on some internal walls (and even on canvas on some doors) that mimic 3D marble and panelling using 2D oil paint. In French it means “to fool the eye”, and that’s exactly what it does. The huge number of original oil paintings, pianos and delicate wooden furniture with detailed inlay are of almost museum quality. The only faults I have are the gym is a bit small and you have to ask them to give you a pre heated plate if you order hot food as the Italians often don’t bother with that. But easily rectified with a simple request. I’d come again, simple as that.