Palazzo BelVedere

Palazzo BelVedere has no golf course and no dedicated golf services for guests. In the sport section of its website, though, it recommends Golf Club Montecatini Terme at Monsummano Terme, describing an 18-hole, par-72 course winding among fruit trees, olive trees, cypresses and water hazards.

The club was founded in 1982 by a group of enthusiasts and designed by architect Marco Croze. According to the regional tourist board the layout crosses more than 2,000 olive trees and centuries-old cypresses on gentle slopes that demand precise shots; the par 72 carries a course rating of 72.1 to 73.4. There are also a driving range, golf academy, pro shop and equipment rental. To play, book directly with the club.

Off the course, the hotel puts forward its own alternatives: electric bikes to book at reception and Tennis Club La Torretta, a historic club with clay courts.

The Galligani family has run the palazzo's hospitality since 1969. At the entrance you walk on water, a gesture the hotel presents as a purifying ritual; inside the floor is olive wood, light comes from Gae Aulenti's Pipistrello lamp and Giovanni Michelucci's Scapolare chair appears among the design furniture.

There are 60 rooms in 8 types, from Comfort to BV Suite; the Sound & Silence Suite measures 65 m² over three spaces, with a Bang & Olufsen system and a turntable, and the hotel accepts small and medium-sized pets. Attic rooms on the fourth floor look onto Montecatini Alto, the Pineta Termale and Torre La Querceta. Separately there is BV Villa Alfresco: six bedrooms for up to 12-14 guests, a heated private pool and a tennis court. The private park and Giardino Circolare continue the Terme Tettuccio park, covering a declared 40,000 m².

The Home SPA is built around the four elements, Water, Air, Earth and Fire, and has 8 treatment rooms, four of them dedicated to an element. The wet area includes indoor and outdoor pools with hydromassage, a pool with hydromassage loungers, a steam room, a panoramic sauna over the Terme Tettuccio park and a Kneipp circuit with an ice waterfall. Hours: 11am to 7pm. The hotel mentions more than 70 options across massages, treatments and rituals.

For more, there is Vitaliter, a retreat with naturopathic assessment, outdoor movement and natural nutrition. The Porticato Bianco hosts yoga, pilates and meditation; Technogym equipment is spread through the common areas instead of a single gym.

The hotel restaurant is Bistrot NO|MORE, in Liberty style, with an indoor room and a panoramic terrace. Chef Daniele Ciofi, whose career includes Desinare Firenze, Borgo Finocchieto, Palazzo Boccella and Accademia Marchesi, writes seasonal menus using herbs from the hotel's botanical garden, Maremma meat and Mediterranean fish. Lunch runs 12 to 3pm and dinner 7 to 10pm.

The Terme Tettuccio, built between 1779 and 1781, are close to the hotel; the funicular to Montecatini Alto leaves from the hotel garden.

According to the hotel, Florence airport is 40 km away and Pisa 45 km, both on motorway only. The exit is Montecatini Terme on the A11 Firenze-Mare; the train stops are Montecatini Terme Centrale and Montecatini Terme Centro. There are 20 private parking spaces and two 22 kW electric chargers.

• You enter over water. Access is by walking on water, an element the hotel says holds immense value in Montecatini.
• Two red trains up the hill. The funicular to Montecatini Alto, seat of the municipality until 1905, is run by Gigio and Gigia.
• A UNESCO heritage. The hotel calls the Terme Tettuccio the symbol of Montecatini's place among the "Great Spa Towns of Europe".
• Herbs at zero distance. Rosemary, sage, basil, thyme and marjoram on the plate come from the palazzo's own garden.