Florence is getting a new hospitality destination as The Social Hub, the hybrid hospitality company, opens its second location in the city on February 1.
The Social Hub Belfiore, a €150 million, 80,000-square-meter space, features a massive rooftop garden, an Olympic-length swimming pool and the largest coworking space in Tuscany, the company said in a release.
The hotel joins The Social Hub Lavagnini as the company’s second Florence property.
Located in the San Jacopino district near the historic center, the 550-room hotel aims to attract both international travelers and local professionals with a mix of hotel, coworking and event spaces. The luxury hotel includes a 7,000-square-meter rooftop with a public garden and a conference facility for more than 300 guests. Additional amenities include a gym, a shopping boulevard and a range of public spaces.
Developed over six years, the hotel was designed by an in-house real estate team in collaboration with Florence’s Studio Natalini with interiors by Rizoma Architetture. The modern aesthetic blends elements of Renaissance heritage with contemporary design.
The landscape, designed by landscape architect Antonio Perazzi, is the city’s largest rooftop, featuring more than 3,500 perennial plants, 500 shrubs and 55 trees.
Florentine restaurateur Aldo Settembrini leads the food program, with the hotel’s main restaurant, Ammodino, serving a modern take on Italian family-style dining, including handmade pasta and a 100-label wine list. The Social Hub Belfiore also includes a branch of the historic Panificio Menchetti bakery, along with a rooftop bar.
The Social Hub, recently certified as a B Corporation, is positioning the Belfiore hub as more than just a hotel. The space will host over 600 events annually, from workshops and professional development sessions to fitness classes. It will also support scholarship recipients from the TSH Talent Foundation and collaborate with local businesses to integrate into the community.
“When we first invested in Italy nearly a decade ago, many doubted our success. But through collaboration with the municipality, architects, and local partners, we have created two thriving hubs in Florence. The Social Hub Belfiore reflects our evolving model — one that revitalizes neighborhoods by responding to their needs,” said Charlie MacGregor, founder and CEO of The Social Hub.
Founded in 2012, Amsterdam-based The Social Hub has 19 hotels totaling over 10,000 rooms at destinations such as Amsterdam, Barcelona, Glasgow, Paris, Rotterdam and more. The company also has four more properties in development and scheduled to open in Rome and Porto this year and later in Lisbon and Turin.
