This Italian Summer, Part I
A hotel room I'll never forget at a very Special hotel on the Sicilian island of Favignana, a guide to the island, and a review of a truly Florentine hotel that I fell in love with.
I’ve recently been reminded that I don’t share enough about the fact that I do not collaborate or ask for a press rate or get comped on 9/10 hotels I stay at. The vast majority of travel writers (and pretty much all publications) do. This is great, as they likely don’t land in Italy to live and worry how that’s going to be financially possible, but it also means you don’t get true honesty. I’m nothing if I’m not honest. The ability to write with nuance is very important to me. I feel strongly about nearly everything and my work here should be no different. Happy Hoteling is self-funded and it’s a very expensive full-time job, but I won’t sacrifice honesty for financial gain. In this economy, if you’re traveling you deserve to know what you’re getting. Ok, now I’ve reminded you!
I’m officially an Italian resident. Well, kind of. I don’t move into my longer-term Florence apartment until July 1st, but Italy is where I live now. I feel so rich.
Also, the month-long debilitating migraine I had the entire time I was back in California? It disappeared the second I touched down. Yeah, and yes.
I’m beginning to write this from Favignana. It’s 7am, I’m in the middle of the bed in the middle of the room, with two windows open to the sea in front of me. It’s a dreamy blue sky day and it will be hot today but not sweaty. I love late-May. Right now, there’s a breeze blowing my baby hairs. No AC, no bugs either. Just a girl1 with a love for long matching pajamas and a penchant for writing in bed.
I like this part of jetlag, where I go to bed within 90 seconds of deciding I would like to sleep and wake up in the same position I fell asleep in, around 6am.
You know what, I’m going to go down to get an espresso in my pajamas. The girl in Pi Beta Phi at the Charles de Gaulle airport was less becoming than me right now and I like to drink my caffeine in bed.
This is the first of many Sicilian posts, I’m on quite the adventure before I arrive in Capri. I finished writing this in a baby blue chair in front of an oversized window looking at the sea, somewhere west of Palermo. Life is damn good.
Today’s Agenda
A review for a bona fide Special hotel in Florence, Torre di Bellosguardo.
My trip to Favignana, and the Happy Hoteling hit list.
A review for one of my bucket list rooms (and the subsequent hotel) for Italian Summer.
For Consideration
Everything on the Mango site is on sale. My top picks are this yellow skirt, this crocheted sweater I’ve shared before, and this tailored elegant top for summer.
My favorite site for jewelry, At Present, is also having a sale. My favorites are this pearly tulip necklace, this octopus pendant, and one of the coolest rings I’ve ever seen.
J. Crew is having my favorite type of sale, extra 50% off sale. I could link to infinity, but let’s stick with this silk skirt, this tangerine tank, and this raffia bag. I would wear it all together, in fact.
We have so much more Sicily to explore together. Talk soon, and Happy Hoteling! I hope you enjoy today’s edition, it was as fun to write as it was to live.
A Florentine Hotel That’s History in Hotel Form
There are only a few hotels left in Florence that have fully caught my fancy and that I had yet to stay at. One was Torre di Bellosguardo.
Not having an apartment in Florence until my lease starts July 1, I needed to fly back there first to get my two trunks with the rest of my life in them from a pay-by-the-day storage. I was headed to Sicily the next day and felt like Bellosguardo both fit the bill and my fancy. I wanted to really feel like I was in Florence but I didn’t want to be in the center because I’m always exhausted after the two flights to get to Italy.
There are many hotels in Florence where you can stay in history, but few where the history is still alive similar to its original essence. Hotel Torre di Bellosguardo is about as close as you can get to experiencing the Renaissance history of the city at a hotel. It’s supremely magical.
When I met the taxi driver at the Florence airport and told him I was going to this hotel he said “the most beautiful in all of Firenze.” And then he proceeded to say that the view really doesn’t get better, which he was absolutely correct about.