New years always arrive carrying twin burdens: ambitious energy and, for us at least, the lingering fog of jet lag from our recent American trip. What made sliding into 2026 markedly easier was decamping to This Time Tomorrow for early January, a beautifully realized new property in the Le Cure and Piazza della Libertà area that functioned as precisely what it promised: a respite from needing respite from planning a multi-generational trip with our French and American family. Since we no longer occupy Florence’s historical center, the location offered strategic proximity, walkable or one tram stop away from the tourist epicenter while situating us in a neighborhood experiencing its own quiet renaissance. Liberta and Le Cure has accumulated serious momentum recently with compelling arrivals like a renovated market, Caffe Lietta, Santa Barbara, and The Hoxton reshaping the area’s identity beyond purely residential.
What is This Time Tomorrow in Florence?
This Time Tomorrow eludes standard hospitality taxonomy, positioning itself somewhere more interesting than either traditional hotel or elevated Airbnb. It’s an aparthotel that captures the optimal synthesis: luxury hotel refinement and service paired with apartment-level functionality that actually improves daily life (yay!) There’s a dishwasher. Coffee can be made three different ways (dream for me). Laundry doesn’t require strategizing with reception (unless you want everything pressed which in that case, they can do). The prosaic details that separate staying somewhere from actually living somewhere temporarily.
The portfolio includes eight neoclassical residences, all with working kitchens and concierge experiences that feel genuinely tailored rather than menu-selected. What emerges isn’t that generic luxury hotel feeling of beautiful interchangeability but something more intimate: occupying a thoughtfully appointed Florentine home where someone invested real care in how you’d move through the space. Co-founders Pierre Ferland and Thomas Odenthal conceived this deliberately, understanding that exceptional hospitality means anticipating how guests will actually behave, not just how they’ll photograph the space.
Postscript: their sister property exists in Marrakesh, which has now become a non-negotiable future destination.
Before You Arrive, Your Stay Has Already Begun
In 2026, as AI agents proliferate and expectations escalate accordingly, what genuinely distinguishes hospitality is the capacity to anticipate needs with actual human intuition, something I suspect we’ll value exponentially more as automation becomes ubiquitous. Before we’d even begun strategizing our stay, Federica and Eric reached out with a thoughtfully constructed questionnaire that went beyond the transactional ‘what do you want to see’ and asked the more revealing question: how do you want to feel in Florence? Were we chasing culinary discoveries, craving a Renaissance deep dive, or simply seeking respite because sometimes a vacation requires its own vacation?
Their responses to our answers arrived as a meticulously curated itinerary, entirely bespoke, with the crucial caveat that these were suggestions we could embrace or completely disregard. And crucially, this wasn’t the algorithmic regurgitation you’d extract from ChatGPT or stumble upon via TikTok. This was counsel born from years of lived experience, the kind that understands Florence’s intricate layers and recognizes that even as locals, we’re seeking fresh perspectives without the first-timer’s greatest hits. It’s the difference between information and actual insight, and that gap is widening daily.
A Residence That Is the Experience
The real moment of truth arrived when we found ourselves standing on the leafy expanse of Viale Don Giovanni Minzoni on a blustery, bone-cold afternoon. Nico and I exchanged a look that needed no translation: why would we ever leave? The building itself commands attention, a neoclassical gem commissioned during Florence’s ambitious 19th-century expansion under architect Giuseppe Poggi. It remains beautifully tethered to its neighborhood context, architecturally pure in ways that feel increasingly rare. SpaceStudio led the restoration with interiors by RecDi8, and what they’ve achieved is that elusive equilibrium between preservation and livability. Original moldings, decorative exterior banding, frescoes, vaulted ceilings, and Venetian terrazzo floors coexist with contemporary furnishings chosen for actual comfort rather than just visual impact. Historic paint analysis revealed layers of mossy green that now suffuse the interiors with a kind of moody, opulent restraint.
Then there’s the art, which frankly deserves its own standing ovation. We’re talking museum-grade works spanning centuries, from 16th-century masterpieces through modern and contemporary pieces, all integrated so organically into the living spaces that encountering them feels intimate. You might find yourself eating breakfast beneath an 18th-century tapestry (guilty) or casually passing works attributed to Jacob de Baecker, Lorenzo Sabatini, Antoni Tàpies, Salvador Dalí, and Franco Gentilini on your way to make coffee. It’s art as lived experience rather than reverential distance, which changes everything about how you inhabit the space.
Our apartment: 1AM
Our residence was Apartment 1AM on the piano nobile, that architecturally significant first floor where Florence’s noble families traditionally held court. A magnificent 18th-century tapestry anchors the living room, and from the bedroom doors open onto a surprisingly spacious private terrace. All the period grandeur you’d hope for manifests here: frescoed ceilings that have witnessed centuries, glittering crystal chandeliers, bedrooms scaled for comfort But the genius lies in how livable it all feels. Marshall speakers integrate seamlessly for whatever mood requires a soundtrack (we’re going through a Chappell Roan phase), while the layout delivers genuine functionality: a working kitchen, a dining room built for comfort as well as style, living spaces that invite actual lounging, and a proper bathtub for the kind of soak that erases travel fatigue and pleases the crankiest of four year olds.
The details that made it feel like a home
The eight residences are named after times of day, AM or PM, which sounds almost too conceptual until you realize it’s actually perfect: a gentle insistence that you’re here to inhabit hours, not just occupy square footage. The welcome setup telegraphs the same philosophy. There’s Caffè Mokarico with instructions for moka pot mastery (appreciated, since most of us fake our way through it), La Via del Tè for the tea-inclined, and a welcome basket that reads like a love letter to Tuscan provisioning: artisanal rosemary crackers, local olive oil with actual provenance, and bubbles waiting at ideal temperature. The fridge came pre-stocked with aperitivo essentials, think proper salami, good cheese, because apparently someone here grasps that 6 PM hunger waits for no one.
Experiences You Can Do Without Leaving Your Apartment
What elevates This Time Tomorrow beyond aesthetics, though the design certainly holds its own, is their curator’s approach to experience. Rather than outsourcing activities to the usual Florentine circuit, they bring carefully vetted practitioners directly to your door. During our stay, we sampled three of their signature offerings: an in-residence massage, a private wine tasting, and a pizza-making kid-friendly class. All unfolded within the apartment itself, which transforms the typical concierge recommendation into something far more intimate and infinitely less logistically exhausting.
1) In-residence massage
First order of business: a private massage, which my jet-lagged nervous system accepted like a peace offering. While the rest of the family set off to conquer Florence via the decidedly unglamorous but efficient nearby tram, I stayed behind for what can only be described as therapeutic intervention. Matteo Bruno, a professional masseuse with hands that understood exactly where transatlantic travel lodges itself in the body, worked his magic in the apartment below ours (nice not to actually have it in our place). It was the precise calibration needed to shift from ‘technically here’ to ‘actually present’, the kind of reset that transforms a staycation into an actual vacation.
2) Wine tasting, with context
I have done a fair amount of wine tastings in my time and few were as fun and knowledgable as the intimate tasting we did at This Time Tomorrow by the team of Tenuta Degli Dei, a family-run winery (Tommaso is the son of fashion designer Roberto Cavalli) nestled in the heart of Chianti near Panzano that also is home to their racehorses. This is a gorgeous area of Tuscany where vineyards sit amid rolling hills where grapes like Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot thrive. The estate reflects decades of passion from the Cavalli family, producing expressive wines, from their elegant Chianti Classico DOCG to rich, textured blends like Le Redini, each glass shaped by meticulous hand-harvesting and a deep respect for the land.
3) Pizza-making class at golden hour
Fresh from the wine-tasting and in that excellent state of light vinous enlightenment, we headed back for an interactive pizza masterclass courtesy of Juan from Il Tipo Zero. His concept is brilliantly simple: he hauls a professional Ooni oven to your rental and transforms your kitchen into a temporary pizzeria with actual pedagogical rigor. The dough lesson alone dismantled any lingering illusions I had about pizza being straightforward, it’s a minor science experiment involving hydration ratios and gluten development that Juan explained with infectious enthusiasm. Then came the fun part: actually making the things, picking out all of our topping and watching them blister to perfection in under two minutes flat. Juan’s real genius, though, was reading the room so perfectly that our daughter became de facto head chef while we happily played supporting roles. Everyone left convinced they’d personally invented Neapolitan pizza, which is hospitality alchemy at its finest.
The Neighborhood: Le Cure and Piazza della Libertà
This Time Tomorrow is located just off Piazza della Libertà, nearby to Le Cure, a residential pocket of Florence many visitors never encounter. You’ve seen it featured here on the blog and it’s worth noting that Cure is a largely residential Florentine neighborhood, historically shaped by the Mugnone torrent where washerwomen known as le curandaie once worked, giving the area its name. Long cut off from the historic center by the railway, Le Cure has evolved as a self-contained community and gateway to Fiesole, known for its strong local identity, daily market culture, and quietly lived-in rhythm that reflects everyday Florentine life rather than postcard Florence.
It is calmer than the historic center, but it still harbors that Florentine energy we love: people grabbing their morning caffè, stopping at the market, and chatting with friends like they have nowhere else to be. It’s also worth noting that while breakfast is not offered inside the residence, it’s a blessing in disguise considering the close proximity you are to some truly incredible cafes: Pasticceria Blasio, Cafettieria La Liberta to name a few.
What can you enjoy nearby?
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My top choices, and theirs too happen to be Giardino dell’Orticoltura and Orti del Parnaso, both of which are a short walk away and offer beautiful views without the crowds of Piazzale Michelangelo (they were also recommended in our personalized itinerary).
- Le Cure’s market is a fun place to do a little shopping in the morning hours and see a bit of local life with a bar stop at Gelateria Cavini.
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The tram nearby makes it easy to reach Piazza San Marco, Santa Maria Novella station so essentially you have Florence and the train station very well connected nearby.
- We also had lunch at Alfredo (literally next door) which became an unexpected highlight, less for the laid back traditional fare and more for the service itself, whose thoughtful attention to our daughter revealed hospitality as genuine care rather than professional courtesy, grazie Lucia! I so much appreciate small gestures, an extra cushion materialized without asking, an extra appetizer came before our mains, all to accumulate into something that feels like being looked after by people who actually notice.
The Staff: The Heart of the Stay
If hospitality is only as compelling as the humans orchestrating it, and it is, then this stands as exhibit A for Italian service at its finest. The team operates with that rare combination of attentiveness and restraint: they remember your coffee order, read the room instinctively, and somehow make you feel utterly at home without ever crossing into performative warmth. What impressed me most? Their genuine evangelism for the neighborhood itself, evident in their social media love letters to local family-run businesses. They could easily peddle the same gilded recommendations every concierge in Florence recycles (with a kickback mind you), but instead they’re championing a slower, smarter model of tourism by involving local players in an intelligent well thought way. Suggesting tours with people like Martina Bartolozzi, or an in-house art history lecture by a local professor.
Eric is particularly intuitive and I have been lucky to follow his career making places like Villa La Palagina and Villa Medicea di Lilliano household names. His presence is electric and he always seems to understand exactly you want, including what you might be too shy to ask for. Nothing is too much to ask and he’s already ready with a smile and solution. People like him are vanishingly rare in hospitality, a reminder that no matter how sophisticated AI becomes, there are certain ineffable qualities of human connection it will never replicate. You simply can’t duplicate an Eric.
Florence: Substance Beneath the Splendor
Sure, you can sleep here, but that rather misses the point. This Time Tomorrow is designed for those who want to temporarily transplant themselves into Florentine life, not just observe it through hotel windows. You get the cocooning luxury of a private residence married to something no concierge desk can fake: genuine local fluency from people who know where to find the city’s best lampredotto at 2 AM. In a city teetering on the edge of becoming a beautiful, hollow postcard of itself (sadly), what they’ve created feels bracingly real, design with patina instead of polish. And in Florence, where (true) authenticity has become the ultimate rare luxury, that’s not just a nice touch. It’s what it is all about.
Quick Details: This Time Tomorrow Florence
Stay
This Time Tomorrow is a collection of eight neoclassical residences in Florence’s Le Cure neighborhood, near Piazza della Libertà. Each apartment features frescoes, comfy bedrooms, terrazzo floors, and a fully equipped kitchen (cots available on request). Each residence is named after a time of day, AM or PM. Personalized pre-arrival itineraries are curated by resident experts. Address: Viale Don Giovanni Minzoni 3, Florence, Italy.
Hot tip* Book directly thorough the hotel website rather than using another booking agent, you can still access free cancellation but get a better price and a better curated food hamper upon arrival ( I mean.. winning!)
Our stay
We stayed in Apartment 1AM, the piano nobile suite with a private terrace.
Getting around
About a 25-minute walk to Florence’s historic center. Tram access nearby for easy connections to Piazza San Marco and Santa Maria Novella station.
Experiences
In-residence massage, in-residence wine tasting with Tenuta degli Dei, and in-residence pizza class with Juan of Il Tipo Zero. These experiences were also reflected in our bespoke itinerary but there are also numerous other options for whatever takes your fancy.
Neighborhood notes
Le Cure is residential, local, and refreshing. It is a great option if you want Florence without the tourist crush while still being well-connected.
Disclaimer
This Time Tomorrow hosted our accommodation and experiences, but as always, everything in this post is my honest opinion.
