16th century monastery near Florence with development potential for 80-room luxury hotel seeks investor through Christie & Co
Hotel property specialist, Christie & Co is currently marketing a unique hotel development opportunity in the heart of Tuscany, only 20 minutes by car from the centre of Florence. All administrative and planning preparations for the conversion into a luxury hotel with around 80 rooms have already been made, meaning that the project can be realised immediately by an interested investor.
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The former 16th century monastery "Convent of Santa Lucia in Monteorlando" is located in Lastra a Signa, a suburb on the western outskirts of Florence. While its history dates to the 11th century, the convent in its current form was built in 1578 and used as a monastery until the end of the 20th century. A driveway lined with cypress trees leads to the 4-hectare property in a serene location, which is elevated on a gentle hill and offers a picturesque view of the city of Florence.
With around 13 km (20 minutes by car) to the city centre (main railway station) and 15 minutes by car to Florence airport, the location is ideal for combining the romantic hilly landscape of Tuscany with the needs of discerning city travellers.
Perhaps the most striking building in the ensemble is the church, built in 1587, which has been preserved in its original form both structurally and in terms of design. There are also numerous outbuildings of the former monastery connected to the church, which already offer ideal conditions for conversion into a hotel, with a total of almost 5,500 m² of usable space in the current room configuration. Further to the hotel rooms, a spacious spa area including a pool and an underground car park for around 40 vehicles could be built by means of extensions or additions.
The current plans would therefore provide sufficient space for a hotel with around 80 rooms in the 5-star category. In addition, the current owner has made all the structural and administrative preparations to start realising the project immediately. This includes a full technical inspection, coordination with the heritage office and obtaining planning permission.
In a recent international tender, many hotel operators showed interest in this project and submitted bids for the operational takeover. On this basis, an investor is now being sought who will also realise the project in terms of construction.
Lukas Hochedlinger, Managing Director Central & Northern Europe at Christie & Co, comments, "With almost 100 million overnight stays, 16 million of which are in Florence alone, Tuscany is one of the world's most renowned tourist hotspots. With this hotel project, one of the most exciting hotel developments in Florence is entering the market, which has the potential to reshuffle the cards in the luxury segment with its unique combination of city tourism and Tuscan tranquillity."
Interested parties may contact Christie & Co directly regarding this opportunity.
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For further information on this press release, contact:
Bronte Hughes, Corporate Communications Manager
P: 020 7227 0794 or E: bronte.hughes@christie.com
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