Velona's Jungle Luxury Suites
Explorer-themed luxury boutique with deep family roots — mid-century antiques, exotic nature motifs, Florentine craftsmanship, and a genuinely personal welcome from owner Veronica. Feels like staying in the home of a well-traveled collector, not a hotel.
Book the Humboldt suite for the tower view and the largest footprint at 40 sqm — it has a separate sitting room and hand-painted frescoes
Why It Matters
Entirely unique concept: each suite is a fully realized world themed around a naturalist or conservationist (Cousteau, Darwin, Fossey, Goodall, Humboldt, Livingstone, Lovelock, Durrell, Tompkins, Thoureau). The furniture and art objects are real — sourced from the Velona family's antiques gallery. Featured in Michelin Guide, Architectural Digest, The Telegraph, Vanity Fair, and National Geographic.
Ten suites inside a historic Florentine building, each one named after a famous naturalist or explorer and decorated with genuine mid-century antiques collected by Pasquale Velona — an art dealer whose granddaughter Veronica Grechi now runs the place. Think African-print fabrics next to Fornasetti wallpaper next to hand-painted frescoes. No two rooms share a color palette, a mood, or even an animal. The building sits just west of the centro storico in a calm residential block, close enough to the Uffizi (about a 20-minute walk) that you can be there at opening, and quiet enough that you actually sleep.
Where You'll Stay
10 room types available
Cousteau Suite
28 sqm of ocean-floor elegance with a balcony. Italian-designed floral fabrics and wallpaper in shades of blue, antique furnishings, and a walk-in shower. Named for Jacques Cousteau, and it shows.
King size 180x200 cm · 28 sqm
Darwin Suite
The most dramatic room in the house at 25 sqm. Black lacquered furnishings and African-inspired prints sit against golden walls and warm parquet floors. Has a reading corner, which makes sense given Darwin's reputation. Rainshower bathroom.
King size 180x200 cm · 25 sqm
Durrell Suite
A 28 sqm tropical room with a balcony, palm tree decor, and a 'feathered friend' as a decorative companion. The lightest and most playful of the suites. Smaller double bed than the king suites.
Double 160x200 cm · 28 sqmFossey Suite
Turquoise accents and animal prints in a 30 sqm deluxe suite. Has a walk-in closet — a rare luxury at this scale — plus a desk, two armchairs, and a rainshower bathroom.
King size 180x200 cm · 30 sqm
Goodall Suite
Spacious 30 sqm suite with a separate sitting area and balcony. Dressed in refined tropical tones with Fornasetti wallpaper — the same Italian design house beloved by collectors worldwide — and curated decorative details.
King size 180x200 cm · 30 sqmHumboldt Suite
The largest room in the property at 40 sqm, and the one with the view. Hand-painted frescoes and handmade collages spread across two separate areas: bedroom and sitting room. Florentine artisan furniture mixed with antiques, and a walk-in shower that opens directly to the room. The window frames a view of the medieval Torre della Serpe.
King size 180x200 cm · 40 sqmLivingstone Suite
Warm earth tones and soft shades of green, like stepping into a lush forest. The suite features a canopy bed, an elegant living area, and a rainshower with chromotherapy lights — the only suite with that feature.
King size 180x200 cm · 30 sqm
Lovelock Suite
The most romantic room — 24 sqm with a balcony and John Derian's iconic rose designs throughout. Smaller double bed. Walk-in rainfall shower.
Double 160x200 cm · 24 sqmThoureau Suite
Delicate elegance in shades of pink for 25 sqm. Fornasetti wallpaper, parquet flooring, wood paneling, and antique furnishings. The walk-in shower has designer touches. Named for Thoreau — appropriate for its quiet, contemplative feel.
King size 180x200 cm · 25 sqmTompkins Suite
25 sqm with a Japanese-inspired atmosphere and refined color harmony. Furnished with vintage pieces and rich in evocative details — one of the calmer, more restrained rooms in the collection.
King size 180x200 cm · 25 sqmThe Property
Eat & Drink
1 venue on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
The Velona family's antiques shop is located around the corner from the hotel. Guests interested in the furnishings and objets d'art in their suite can visit the source directly.
Owner Veronica Grechi provides personalized itinerary suggestions, restaurant reservations, and insider tips on Florence's best local spots, markets, boutiques, and sights. This is informal but a genuine highlight of the stay, per dozens of guest reviews.
Bicycles available for guest use — the property actively encourages exploring Florence by bike rather than taxi or car, in line with their sustainable travel philosophy.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
Available at surcharge. Nearby garage parking also arrangeable by the property.
Pets accepted on request — confirm policy based on room type.
Stocked daily with prosecco, juices, sodas, and mostly local refreshments — included in the room rate.
No fitness center on site.
There is no swimming pool on site. This is a boutique urban B&B.
BUILD YOUR VELONA'S JUNGLE LUXURY SUITES PLAN
Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
Start Planning