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

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

The first step was the restyling of the hotel, a bit of a doll's house, a bit of a cabinet des curiosités amidst unpredictable objects, exotic trompe-l'oeil and unusual palettes with 40 rooms larger than the city average and generous spaces left for conviviality and smart working: you can sit at a table with your computer and work all day in silence. Then there are Geneva and Max's passions and interests. She for Pilates, health and self-care to which she has dedicated a gym and a spa, large and well-equipped, a workout programme 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 prove that it is possible to create a productive artistic enterprise. Thus Daisy's, dedicated to his exceptional grandmother, was born and employs 80 musicians, 25 of whom are employed. With this talented and versatile group, he offers live performances of jazz, rock 'n roll and many other genres (his entertainment at Reschio and at the Belmond Splendido in Portofino), and has opened a club in his hotel with a programme of three shows a week, for guests but above all 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 like this does not exist, because music is not considered an experience in high hospitality, while a quality concert, for an acculturated audience, is the best food for the soul.This is not all. Because an explosion of ideas is underway, supported by a thriving family business born in the IT sector, and ready to bet on tourism, affluent yes, but against the current. Even in the rates, which in the heart of the city centre reflect a philosophy of moderation and quality.

 The last piece in this adventure are the yachts of Superyacht Cruises. The first, Curiosity, has just lurked in the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, in front of the island of Elba, fortunately underestimated by tourist fashions, at least until the whispering Belmond arrives. But there are no definite clues yet. So still waters, for a while yet. 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 caring crew, respect for the original lines and materials, the style of a hotel. Bringing hotel hospitality on board is an experiment that is yielding excellent results, especially in terms of comfort (large cabins, bath and shower, room cleaning and turndown in the evening, Pilates classes and massages) and the travelling experience, with suites that have nothing to envy to those on land, but the advantage of a different view every day. The itinerary is minimalist, you moor at sea, do sports (or not, and it's legal!), reach isolated little beaches, go down for coffee in Porto Azzurro or Porto Ferraio, which looks like a little Saint Tropez. "Simple things, like the type of holiday we propose is simple," says Ginevra. "We don't want to fill the days with experiences, but to invite you to enjoy the clean sea, to discover an Italian place that hasn't been taken by storm and retains its originality." Max excludes going to Capri or other VIP places: "Between return journeys, it costs a fortune. For us it is a choice of sustainability to stay among these enchanting islands. However, if guests insist, we take them wherever they want". Rugged cliffs, deserted bays in August, schools of dolphins and a few passing whales, but above all a sea full of fish. Why go? Champagne and sunset are a nice incentive, as is the cuisine of Nolan, the South African chef, who will go down in history on your cruise for his tiger prawn and lobster curry! But there is still a dream in the drawer: the recovery of an extraordinary monument, again in their beloved Tuscany, to make a museum open to the public with a hotel on it. For the moment they are crossing their fingers, hoping to win the contract. If it happens, with their imagination and eclecticism, it will surely be another jewel in the collection.