The Four Seasons, Florence

The Four Seasons has finally opened in Florence, after a £48m seven-year face-lift, and for those who can afford the "eye-popping" prices, it has been worth the wait, says Ian Belcher in the Times.

This self-proclaimed "living museum of art history", with an 11-acre garden, straddles two Renaissance palaces on the fringe of the city's historic centre, and is like no other hotel in the world: Baroque frescoes adorn the suites, and even the business centre is splattered with the works of the 17th century painter Agostino Ciampelli. With this much art in your hotel, you need hardly venture into the city.

The Four Seasons, Florence, 0039 055 262 61. Doubles from £481 including breakfast. ·