House of Nine when hospitality goes from the city to the sea passing through a music club

In the context of high-end copy-and-paste hospitality, the House of Nine project is a breath of fresh air. The five-star, 40-room hotel on Via dei Conti, in the center of Florence, has been managed by the Moretti family since 2012, but has now passed into the hands of the only daughter Ginevra, an internationally educated woman who lives between New York and Seoul, a designer with an eclectic spirit, and her husband Max Fane, a musician and artistic impresario from Oxford who has been visiting Italy since he was a child. In their early thirties, the couple has created a hospitality concept that includes the Florentine hotel, a music members club and a 49-meter yacht, to which three more will be added, now in the pipeline.

The first step was the restyling of the hotel, a bit like a doll's house, a bit like a cabinet des curiosités with unpredictable objects, exotic trompe-l'oeil and unusual palettes with 40 rooms larger than the city average and generous spaces left to conviviality and smart working: you can sit at a table with your computer and work all day in silence. Then there are the passions and interests of Ginevra and Max. She for pilates, health and self-care to which she has dedicated a large and very well-equipped gym and spa, a workout program open to guests and beauty rituals with massages inspired by yoga and Ayurveda with cosmetics from the American scientific avant-garde. He, on the other hand, is first and foremost a musician, pianist and tenor, and his lifelong dream is to demonstrate that it is possible to create a productive artistic company. This is how Daisy's was born, dedicated to his exceptional grandmother, which employs 80 musicians, 25 of whom are hired. With this talented and versatile group he offers live shows of jazz, rock 'n roll and many other genres (his entertainment at Reschio and at the Belmond Splendido in Portofino), and he has opened a club in his hotel with a program of three shows a week, for guests but especially for Florentines who come to drink a good Martini and listen to Arachel's penetrating piano or a Cuban percussion band. But these are just examples. Something similar does not exist, because music is not considered an experience in high hospitality, while a quality concert, for a cultured audience, is the best food for the soul. That's not all. Because there is an explosion of ideas supported by a thriving family business born in the IT sector, and ready to bet on tourism, wealthy yes, but against the grain. Even in the rates that in the heart of the historic center reflect a philosophy of moderation and quality.

The last piece of this adventure is the yachts of Superyacht Cruises. The first, Curiosity, has just taken up residence in the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, in front of the Island of Elba, fortunately underestimated by tourist trends, at least until the whispered Belmond arrives. But there are still no precise clues. So calm waters, for a while longer. Curiosity is a Dutch boat from the 1980s that has been completely renovated, with the addition of a stern area to facilitate water activities, from kayaking to water skiing. Five cabins with marble bathrooms, an efficient and attentive crew, respect for the original lines and materials, the style of a hotel. Bringing hotel hospitality on board is an experiment that is giving excellent results, especially in terms of comfort (large cabins, bathtub and shower, room cleaning and turndown in the evening, pilates and massage classes) and travel experience, with suites that have nothing to envy of those on land, but the advantage of a different view every day. The itinerary is minimalist, you moor in the sea, you do sports (or not, and it's legal!), you reach isolated beaches, you get off for a coffee in Porto Azzurro or Porto Ferraio which seems like a small Saint Tropez. "Simple things, just like the type of holiday we offer is simple," says Ginevra. "We don't want to fill the days with experiences, but invite you to enjoy the clean sea, to discover an Italian place that hasn't been overrun and retains its originality." Max rules out reaching Capri or other VIP places: "Between the outward and return journey, it costs a fortune. For us, it's a sustainable choice to stop between these enchanting islands. But if the guests insist, we take them wherever they want." Steep rocks, deserted bays in August, schools of dolphins and the odd passing whale, but above all a sea full of fish. Why leave? Champagne and sunset are a great incentive, as is the cuisine of Nolan, a South African chef, who will go down in the history of your cruise for his tiger prawn and lobster curry! But there is still a dream in the drawer: the recovery of an extraordinary monument, still in their beloved Tuscany, to make a museum open to the public with a hotel above. For the moment they are crossing their fingers, hoping to win the contract. If it happens, with their imagination and eclecticism, it will certainly be another jewel in the collection.