The hotel is favored by couples on romantic trips from around the globe, while also attracting a fair share of vacationing families with kids. A pair of polished elevators whisk guests to one of six floors, including the hotel's crowning feature - a rooftop pool terrace with panoramic views over the city's terra-cotta rooftops. The upscale-eclectic vibe balances the old with the new with aplomb, while keeping the look and feel distinctly Italian. Art books are scattered around low-profile coffee tables while a mirror-TV adds an unexpectedly futuristic element. A celebration of the city's classical history is very much on display, however, with gilt-framed oil paintings and ornate antique-style seating set among more modern artworks and against a contemporary, almost industrial backdrop of cool grays and stone floors. Little of its ancient origins are evident inside, especially after the completion of a top-to-toe 2017 renovation project.
Much of the original building even dates back to the Middle Ages as part of the Santa Maria Novella convent. A landmark hotel since 1869, the Grand Hotel Minerva - with its light stuccoed facade lined with long shuttered windows - still fits seamlessly into its picturesque Florentine surrounds.