Inside Auberge’s European Hotels: From Mayfair to the Aegean

Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Collection, Florence

A Florentine Retreat

Set on the hills above Florence, close enough to feel a part of the city but removed from the overcrowded Centro Storico, Collegio alla Querce feels wonderfully composed. A five-century-old building, once an elite boarding school, the property has been reimagined without removing any of its charm. Think frescoed ceilings, an original chapel, cloistered courtyards, and gardens scented with cypress. The 83 rooms are elegantly appointed, finished in natural colours, marrying Renaissance remnants to contemporary design, with Rivolta Carmignani linens, marble tubs, and sweeping views.

Why Collegio alla Querce?

For a quieter Florence

Peering through ornate windows and from sun-kissed terraces, Florence appears in full: Brunelleschi’s Duomo rising above a wash of terracotta rooftops, the Arno cutting a glimmering line through the city, and the Tuscan hills turning amber towards evening. But the real pleasure is in stone courtyards, cypress-framed gardens and on sunlit terraces made for aperitivo and seasonal Tuscan cooking.

360’s Travel Designers suggest Suite Giardino for a leafy retreat in the gardens, with captivating frescoes flowing between rooms, or the Penthouse La Quercia for 360-degree views of the Renaissance rooftops from your spectacular private terrace.

Grace Hotel, Auberge Collection, Santorini

The Caldera, Made Private

Set across Santorini’s volcanic cliffs, Grace Hotel effortlessly showcases Santorini’s wild beauty, while offering Auberge’s signature discretion and design. The location, Imerovigli, is a chic little hilltop village with views of the Aegean scattered with emerald caldera islands. And the hotel feels like an extension of it, with winding paths leading to rooms painted white and accented in blue, and the exquisite Varoulko Santorini restaurant, a celebration of Greek gastronomy, perfectly placed for fiery Santorini sunsets from the terraces.

Why the Grace Hotel?

For suites set directly on the cliffside

Grace Hotel feels like it offers all of Santorini on its doorstep, but the seduction here really is the suites. Many come with private plunge pools or terraces angled towards the caldera and iconic Skaros Rock, so the island’s vast geological spectacles feel almost personal. The suite to book is the Infinity Suite with pool, boasting an expansive terrace for lazy breakfasts and sunset cocktails, an infinity pool, a marble bathroom and steam room — with in-room wellness products exclusive to this suite — and a minimalist design that captures Santorini’s pared-back aesthetic.

The Woodward, Auberge Collection, Geneva

Lakeside Poise

From its location on Quai Wilson, The Woodward reflects beautifully in Lake Geneva’s vast waters, with Mont Blanc occasionally visible in the distance. Each of the 26 suites boasts a private, residential character. The mood is elegant, the design modern, fused with heritage: lacquered wood against a light palette, signature furniture from Christian Liaigre, and marble fireplaces. Indeed, in a city often associated with discretion and diplomacy, with its hushed interiors and grand proportions, The Woodward is particularly well placed.

Why The Woodward?

For residential elegance

An elegant Belle Époque façade on Lake Geneva, exquisite interiors by Pierre-Yves Rochon, and a Guerlain Spa spanning two floors — The Woodward feels like Geneva, distilled. The suites are the obvious draw, with the Woodward Suite, a favourite amongst 360’s Travel Designers, often booked for its two balconies and some of the most immersive lake views in the city. Then there’s the Guerlain Spa, with Geneva’s longest indoor swimming pool, numerous thermal experiences and a Guerlain perfumery. Add the three dining venues, and The Woodward becomes more than a smart base for Geneva: it is a destination in itself.