Separated from the Arno by a busy road, 40 meters north of Ponte Vecchio, this all-suite property is a refuge for fashion magnates, celebrities, and those who prefer the private comforts of a serviced apartment rather than a hotel room or suite. This operation has no restaurant, no bar, no gym or sauna, not even any lobby or breakfast room to hang out in or retrieve email from. (It does have a small rooftop terrace, though.) In fact, there's hardly even a sign to mark the entrance, which is down a corridor flanked by an art gallery and a design shop hawking the hotel's furnishings. The circumspect receptionist is little more than Keeper of the Keys, but a concierge is also on duty. The staff takes care of parking, grocery shopping, laundry, and chauffeuring guests about in the hotel's limousine. However, the fee for parking is now upwards of US$40. Guests who want a meal or drinks can run a tab at the Gallery Hotel Art or Hotel Lungarno, and free use of the gym is provided at the Continentale on the opposite bank of the river. This top-seated offering from the Farragamo dynasty follows almost exactly in the footsteps of its siblings, offering chic, modern decor accented with sleek contemporary furnishings, the latter with contrasting piping that gives a nod to Caprisian style. All are well-equipped and come with Internet access, flat-screen TVs, DVD and CD players, and high-speed modems. Most of the 44 suites face the river and bridge, with their custom floor-to-ceiling windows opening for fresh air. Photographs, area rugs on plank floors, and honey-tone paneling and shutters create a contemporary look. All rooms are air conditioned and have kitchens or kitchenettes equipped with coffeemakers, microwave ovens, refrigerators, dishes and cappuccino makers. Baths throughout are bright and modern, with makeup mirrors on accordion brackets, towel warmers and high-quality chrome fixtures. The smallest studio suites are slightly larger than standard hotel rooms and have kitchenettes. The one-bedroom apartments are a third larger and come with living rooms set around pillow-strewn sofas. There are only a handful of Riverview Suites, which cost more than those facing the rooftops, and a few units open to balconies or terraces. Room service runs until 11 pm. Small dogs are allowed. Lungarno Suites serves admirably those guests who know they want a stylish contemporary hideaway in the heart of Renaissance Florence, and weekly rates almost bring the tariff into the realm of reasonable.