Tucked within the quiet, beating heart of the Oltrarno district—where artisans still hum behind weathered wooden doors and the rhythm of real Florentine life persists—sits Oltrarno Splendid: a bed and breakfast in name, but a deeply curated design experience in spirit.
It’s the third gem from creative duo Betty Soldi and Matteo Perduca, whose passion for storytelling through space has turned this once-forgotten palazzo into a living collage of memory, artistry, and modern-day romance. From frescoes uncovered beneath layers of paint to vintage table tops reborn as bedside altars, every detail here whispers its own story.
I spoke with Matteo and Betty about the layered charm of their newest project, the magic of the Oltrarno, and what it really means to live—if only for a few days—like a modern noble in a historic Florentine home.
What makes staying at Oltrarno Splendid different than any other boutique bed and breakfast/hotel in Florence?
The difference is in the eyes of our travelers/guests. Oltrarno Splendid is full of small details that you can spot and appreciate. Lyrics of beloved pop star and groups written on old bar menus, magazines of different kind, pictures of Italians famous character from our old “lira” money displayed as a portrait wing, from Leonardo to Michelangelo, a “nosce te ipsum” quote in front of room 26 at the end of one of our corridor, design furniture hidden in each and every room, original posters on the wall, mid 20th century huge maps on the wall by famous geographer and cartographer Roberto Almagià, a collection of opera librettos of famous operas, a collection of original hand painted pop still life, a Goldrake - Japanese animated robot from the 70’s and a big portrait of him by artist Paolo e Cuarto and many other, and counting. You can enjoy the treasure hunt or you can just enjoy how everything is melt together creating, we think, an effortless vintage chic.
This is the third hotel your team has opened. Tell me about how the hotel began and what makes it different from the other two hotels?
After the two previous hotels we were looking for a third spot. In Italy we say “there is not two without three, and the fourth comes along” Unfortunately in English doesn’t sound very well. Apart from the jokes, having seen that Soprarno and AdAstra were helping many people to find their right place in Florence, we were determined to look for a new venue. At least this is one of our purposes.
How did you find this location and what drew you to it?
We started to look around our Oltrarno neighborhood to find the right place almost a couple of years ago. We know that it is not easy to find something suitable for our vision. We need a place first of all of about 650/700 square meters, with charm, with an elevator, at a good price for your business, a landlord who will share our idea of changing completely its nature (we need to do heavy work on the premises) and rent it out for at least 18 years. We saw many different places, but as soon as we saw these rooms we immediately thought that this could be a unique place. Spacious but cosy, hidden but central and bright. Even if it was almost abandoned, populated by pigeons and it has a lot of work to do, it appeared immediately the right one for us.
What makes staying in Florence unique from other Italian and European cities?
Have you ever been in Florence? We think you can also give yourself an answer. For us is not so easy, Florence, most of all is our home, where we were born and bred. We are part of it. We feel that after the very big cities we can also try to give something to the world, giving personal hospitality to the people who arrive from the entire world (15millions each year, more or less) Having said that in we also love many Italian cities such as Padua, Mantua, Parma, Bologna, Lucca, Cremona, Naples, Torino, Lecce, Palermo, Catania not to mention Rome and Venice. Italy is full of amazing places, but Florence has a concentration of art and architecture to take the breath away even to us. Every time we cross a bridge is always difficult to not be swept away from the calm and balanced beauty of this town.
How did you work with the existing structure of this palazzo to make the rooms so unique? Did you work with interior designers and architects? If so, who?
The building, from the 15th century, has been refurbished during the end of the 19th century when Florence became capital of Italy. Much effort was put in the two main building at the number 7 where we are and at the number 9, the one next door. The project was led by the archi-star Giuseppe Poggi, who, at that time designed some very important Palazzi owned by noble families and, most of all, the new set up of our Florentine roads. In these days the building is listed as artistic and historical Italian heritage so we were asked to share the project with the public office in charge of it. We discovered some amazing frescoes hidden under layers of white paint. When we took it over it wasn’t very much loved, if we may use a euphemism
Our team is able to handle the project from the initials steps to the end. The architect is Francesco Maestrelli, one of the co-owners, and the interiors are curated, and it is really the right word, by Matteo Perduca, also co-owner and designer of everything at Oltrarno Splendid.
The palazzo was once a great residence where a noble family uses to live. Each floor was assigned to someone, from the owner on the first and second floor to the servant on the third and on the top of the roof. We tried to preserve as much as possible the old atmosphere. For example, the walls have been scraped back to find their original look and left as textures instead of being painted. That gives, in our opinion, a dramatic yet beautiful authentic feeling to Oltrarno Splendid.
How long did it take to finish the hotel from start to the first check-in?
We started in July 2018 and we opened our doors to our first guests in march 2019. Considering the summer holiday it took us about 7 months!
Why did you pick the Oltrarno neighborhood? What makes this neighborhood so special for locals and visitors?
Soprarno and AdAstra are in Oltrarno. We live in Oltrarno. We think that Oltrarno still hold the mood of the original Florence. Artisans, small independent shops, grocery, cobblers, restorers, nice restaurants, can assure us a good quality of life and can offer to our guest a safe port of “Florentinity” after visiting the other part of river, where the major attractions, and the busiest atmosphere—sometimes very touristic— is.
Each room of the hotel is completely different, tell us what is involved in thought and design process when decorating each room? Where do you draw design inspiration from for the hotel?
The inspiration is normally found in … living day by day in the building site. Sometime is a color that reappears scraping the old paint, sometime is in a certain view that you can have. Sometime is in the story and in the past of the place, or sometime the sparkle is a piece of furniture found at a flea market that is able to build an entire atmosphere. Almost everything came from reality and not fantasy. We usually do not plan design. We thing that good things can easily go well together. Not being a decorator we don’t think about decorating. We mostly think about giving a new good life to an old place or to an old piece of furniture. Once the inspiration came for from a couple of old table tops made by Gaetano Pesce, an Italian designer for a local bar who shut down many years ago. We were lucky enough to find them in a vintage shop and make a great bargain. We bought and transformed them, helped by local artisan, into bedside tables, coffee tables and other useful pieces.
You can tell each room and common space was decorated with carefully selected trinkets and artwork. How and where do you find these unique pieces, art, details, and ornaments for each room?
It is a sweet obsession. There is no flea market or vintage shop that has not been visited in the last 10 years, in town and in the surroundings, not to mention London and some of they traders there. We know exactly where to go when we are looking for a chair or when we are looking for a desk or a wardrobe. A light, new or industrial. Everything has to be original. Art on the wall has been carefully selected and handmade or commissioned. At leas we want to offer you our guest our own idea of hospitality, and we are sure that they will appreciate something made with passion and a personal view on everything.
What is something you don’t want guests to miss in the hotel?
The feeling of an old palace, almost abandoned, who has now a new life based on their role of modern travelers passionate with art, architecture, food and enjoying their spare time. We hope they will focus more on them than our room. It has to be inspirational.
What do you hope that guests take away from their stay?
The vibe of living, even if for a couple of days, in an old noble Florentine Palace, where once the lifestyle was completely different. The idea of being protagonist of as contemporary story that has its roots in the past.
Can you recommend to us your favorite spots to eat? To drink? And to browse for art and collectibles nearby the hotel?
On the top of our list there is Regina Bistecca, a beautiful restaurant a few steps away from the Duomo. It is nestled where once there was an antiquarian bookshop and it still kept all the allure of a sophisticated, yet down to earth place. It really is worth a visit, and a meal. It’s a unique spot in Florence.
We also like may other places such as Trattoria Cammillo in Borgo san Jacopo, Trattoria Sostanza in Via del Porcellana, La Menagere in Via Ginori, Mario in Via Rosina opposite the mercato Centrale, Il Cibreo in the Sant’Ambrogio neighborhood, B.O.R.G.O. that is a relatively new restaurant that is not far from our Oltrarno Splendid, and obviously the “panini col lampredotto” stalls that you can still find in many places around the town. It’s our street food.
Learn more about Oltrarno Splendid, connect with them on Instagram, and book your stay here.
Thank you Betty and Matteo. Grazie mille e alla prossima volta.