The Bar/Lounge at Hotel Lungarno

"The ground-floor breakfast room and beautifully appointed lounge/bar—complete with white-jacketed servers and an impressive array of coffee table books—are right on the water"

"A wall of windows and a sea of white couches make the lobby bar one of the most relaxing places in the city to stop for a drink"

"With rich navy carpets, stained-wood furnishings, crisp white linens, and as many large, river-facing windows as he could get away with, Bönan channeled Italy’s glamorous fashion and film industries from the 1950s, so that walking through the front doors and into the sultry bar or onto your room’s private terrace feels like stepping back in time"

"It’s the cosiest of the bunch, with boiserie panelling, plump sofas and an American-style lounge bar"

"The best rooms are the suites with large terraces on the river, but even if you don't manage a river view, picture windows on the ground floor, as well as the wood-panelled lounge area, and the breakfast room look right onto the water"

"The Picteau lounge houses a collection of 450 paintings, some by Jean Cocteau"

"Waiters in ivory-tone tuxedos serve drinks and snacks from the maple bar in the lounge"

"Or grab a well-made cocktail in the Picteau Lounge Bar, which has a stunning art collection"

"Rooms are smart and kitted out with espresso makers and Bose speakers, but you might end up spending more time in the public areas, either checking out the museum-worthy art collection, having a “Venice mule” cocktail at the riverfront Picteau bar, or diving into the 900-strong wine collection and a plate of risotto or wild boar at the Michelin-starred Borgo San Jacopo restaurant"